TO GAUGE

To gauge consists in adjusting a machine, a device or a measuring instrument according to a reference value or a Standard, in order to guarantee its accuracy. The operation establishes the correspondence between what the instrument indicates and the actual quantity it measures. In the workshop, one gauges, for example, the graduation of the crank of a Carriage of a Lathe by resetting it to zero after facing a surface, which then allows precise dimensions to be transferred; similarly, one gauges a Comparator or a device for Testing of operation by indexing it against a known standard value. Periodic gauging of gauges and instruments, by comparison with traceable standards, is essential in an industry where tolerances are measured in microns and where measurement precision determines manufacturing precision. Not to be confused with “Calibre”, which refers to the Movement or its dimensions: to gauge falls under metrology and Regulation / Adjustment, which guarantee the reliability of measurements.