Gauge blocks (also known as gage blocks, Johansson gauges, or slip gauges) are precision ground and lapped measuring standards. They are used as references for the setting of measuring equipment such as micrometers, sine bars, dial indicators (when used in an inspection role). External, internal, and depth micrometers A micrometer is a widely used device in mechanical engineering for precisely measuring thickness of blocks, outer and inner diameters of shafts and depths of slots. ... A sine bar is a tool used to measure angles in metalworking. ... Dial indicators are instruments used to accurately measure a small distance. ... In engineering and manufacturing, quality control and quality engineering are involved in developing systems which ensure that products or services are designed and produced to meet or exceed customer requirements and expectations. ...

They are available in various grades depending on their intended use.[1].

• reference (AAA) — high tolerance (± 0.00005mm or 0.000002")
• calibration (AA) — (tolerance +0.00010mm to -0.00005mm)
• inspection (A) — (tolerance +0.00015mm to -0.0005mm)
• workshop (B) — low tolerance (tolerance +0.00025mm to -0.00015mm)

More recent grade designations include (U.S. Federal Specification GGG-G-15C):

• 0.5 — generally equivalent to grade AAA
• 1 — generally equivalent to grade AA
• 2 — generally equivalent to grade A+
• 3 — compromise grade between A and B

and ANSI/ASME B89.1.9M, which defines both absolute deviations from nominal dimensions and parallelism limits as criteria for grade determination. Generally, grades are equivalent to former U.S. Federal grades as follows:

• 00 — generally equivalent to grade 1 (most exacting flatness and accuracy requirements)
• 0 — generally equivalent to grade 2
• AS-1 — generally equivalent to grade 3 (reportedly stands for American Standard - 1)
• AS-2 — generally less accurate than grade 3
• K — generally equivalent to grade 00 flatness (parallelism) with grade AS-1 accuracy

The ANSI/ASME standard follows a similar philosophy as set forth in ISO 3650. See the NIST reference below for more detailed information on tolerances for each grade and block size.

History

The gauge block set, also known as "Jo Blocks", was developed by the Swedish inventor Carl Edvard Johansson. Johansson was employed in 1888 as an armourer inspector by the state arsenal Carl Gustaf Stad's Rifle Factory in the town of Eskilstuna, Sweden. He was concerned with the expensive tools for measuring parts for the Remington rifles, then in production. When Sweden adopted the Mauser carbine in 1894 Johansson was very excited over the chance to study Mauser's methods of measuring. However, a visit to the Mauser factory in Oberndorf turned out to be a disappointment. On the train home he started thinking about the problem and came up with the idea of a set of blocks that could be combined to make up any measure. Back home Johansson converted his wife's sewing machine (a Singer machine) to a grinding and lapping machine, he preferred to carry out this precision work at home as the grinding machines at the Rifle factory were not good enough. His wife, Margareta helped him a lot with the grinding beside the household works. Once Johansson had demonstrated his set at Carl Gustaf his employer provided time and resources for him to develop the idea. Johansson was granted his first Swedish patent on the 2nd may 1901, SE patent No. 17017 called "Gauge Block Sets for Precision Measurement". Johansson formed the Swedish company CE Johansson AB the 16th of march 1917 also known as 'CEJ'. Eskilstunaån river and Gamla Stan Church in Eskilstuna. ... Remington Arms is a major American manufacturer of rifles, shotguns, other firearms, and ammunition. ... Mauser is the common name of a German arms manufacturer, maker of a line of bolt-action rifles from the 1870s to present. ... Oberndorfbei Salzburg is an Austriantown, some 17 km north of Salzburg. ...

Johansson spent many years in America, during his life he crossed the Atlantic 22 times. The first CEJ gauge block set in America was sold to Henry Martin Leland at Cadillac Automobile Co. around 1908. The first manufacturing plant in America for his gauge block sets was established in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, NY state in 1919. The economy did not turn out so well for the company so in 1923 he wrote a letter to Henry Ford, at the Ford Motor Company, where he proposed a cooperation in order to save his company. Henry Ford became interested and on the 18th of november, 1923 he began working for Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. He stayed for 12 years at Ford. At the age of 72, in 1936, he felt it was time to retire and go back to Sweden. He was awarded the large gold medal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, posthumously in 1943, shortly after his death. The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences or , founded in 1919 by King Gustav V, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden. ...

Source

"C.E. Johansson-The Master of Measurement" by Torsten K.W. Althin at the request of AB C.E. Johansson, published by the company in 1948.

Gauge blocks

Metric gauge blocks

Shown at right is an image of a metric gauge block set, close examination of the set will show that the set consists of a range of varying size blocks, along with two wear blocks. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2034x1146, 474 KB) Photograph taken by Glenn McKechnie on the 26th March 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2034x1146, 474 KB) Photograph taken by Glenn McKechnie on the 26th March 2005. ...

In use the blocks are removed from the set, cleaned of their protective coating (petroleum jelly or oil) and wrung together to form a stack of the required dimension, with the minimum number of blocks. The wear pieces are included at each end of the stack whenever possible as they provide protection against damage to the lapped faces of the main pieces. After use the blocks are reoiled or greased to protect their faces from corrosion.

Wringing is the process of sliding the two blocks together so that their faces lightly bond. When combined with a very light film of oil, this action excludes any air from the gap between the two blocks. The alignment of the ultra smooth surfaces in this manner permits molecular attraction to occur between the blocks and forms a very strong bond between the blocks along with no discernible alteration to the stacks overall dimensions. molecular kinetic molecular model of matter is increasing the temperature of a substance increases the motion of its particles. ...

Accessory set

Gauge block accessory set

The pictured accessories provides a set of holders and tools to extend the usefulness of the gauge block set. They provide a means of securely clamping large stacks together along with reference points and scribers. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2001x864, 369 KB) Photograph taken by Glenn McKechnie on the 26th March 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2001x864, 369 KB) Photograph taken by Glenn McKechnie on the 26th March 2005. ...

Slip gauges are made from a select grade of carbide with hardness of 1500 vickers. Long series slip gauges are made from high quality steel having cross section (35 x 9 mm) with holes for clamping 2 slips together. Carbide In chemistry, Carbide confusingly refers to three different things: 1. ... A Vickers hardness tester The Vickers hardness test was developed in the early 1920s as an alternative method to measure the hardness of materials. ...

Gauge pins

Similar to gauge blocks, these are precision ground cylindrical bars for use in Go-NoGo gauges or similar applications. A Go NoGo gauge refers to an inspection tool used to check a workpiece against its allowed tolerances. ...

Gauge Rollers and balls

These are supplied as sets of individual rollers or balls as used in roller or ball bearings A bearing is a component used to reduce friction in a machine. ...

References

• Manufacturing Engineer on a disk - Gauge Blocks

• The Joy of High Tech

• The Gauge Block Handbook; US National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) Monograph 180 with Corrections; 2004

Metalworking:
Metalworking measuring instruments: Image File history File links Blacksmith-hammer-anvil-50x50. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...	Bore gauge | Caliper | Dial indicator | Engineer's blue | Feeler | Fishtail-Center | Gauge blocks | Gauge | Go-NoGo | Machinist square | Marking blue | Marking gauge | Marking out | Micrometer | Radius gauge | Ruler | Sine bar | Spirit level | Straightedge | Surface plate | Tape measure | Thread pitch | Vernier height | Vernier scale | Wiggler A bore gauge is a convenient term for the measuring or transfer tools that are used in the process of accurately measuring holes. ... A caliper is a device used to measure the distance between two symmetrically opposing sides. ... Dial indicators are instruments used to accurately measure a small distance. ... Prussian blue is a blue pigment used in paints and formerly in blueprints. ... Feeler gauge set A feeler gauge is a simple tool used to measure thicknesses. ... Two different thread setting gauges Fishtail-Center gauges, the left image is a fishtail gauge, the right image is a center gauge. ... In engineering, a gauge is used to make measurements. ... A Go NoGo gauge refers to an inspection tool used to check a workpiece against its allowed tolerances. ... Two typical engineers squares A machinist square or engineers square is the metalworkers equivalent of a try square. ... Marking Blue is a dye used in metalworking. ... Stanley and Veritas marking gauges A marking gauge is used in woodworking and metalworking to mark out lines for cutting or other operations. ... Marking out is a moment of enjoying professional wrestling for what it is rather than analyzing its staged nature, and can be a sought-after experience for fans whose insider knowledge can make them jaded toward its entertainment aspect. ... External, internal, and depth micrometers A micrometer is a widely used device in mechanical engineering for precisely measuring thickness of blocks, outer and inner diameters of shafts and depths of slots. ... Two types of radius gauges A radius gauge is a tool used to measure the radius of an object. ... A ruler is an instrument used in geometry and technical drawing to measure short distances and/or to rule straight lines. ... A sine bar is a tool used to measure angles in metalworking. ... Engineers spirit level Precision engineers level An engineers spirit level is generally used to level machines although they may be used to level large workpieces on machines such as planers. ... A straightedge is a tool similar to a ruler, but without markings. ... A surface plate is a solid, flat table that can be confidently used as a datum for marking out, measuring workpieces, or setting up tooling. ... Self-retracting pocket tape measure A tape measure or measuring tape is a ribbon of cloth, plastic, or metal with linear-measure markings, often in both imperial and metric units. ... Three different sets of threading gauges Threading gauges, pictured on the right, are also referred to as pitch gauges and are used to measure the pitch or lead of screw threads. ... A height gauge is a measuring device used either for determining the height of something, or for repetitious marking of items to be worked on. ... A set of vernier calipers. ... Wiggler Set of wigglers A wiggler, center finder or sticky pin refers to a tool used in the rotating spindle of a machine such as mill or drill. ...
Metalworking topics:   Casting | CNC | Cutting tools | Drilling and threading | Fabrication | Finishing | Grinding | Jewellery | Lathe (tool) | Machining | Machine tooling | Measuring | Metalworking | Hand tools | Metallurgy | Milling | Occupations | Press tools | Smithing | Terminology | Welding This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Casting is a process by which a fluid melt is introduced into a mold, allowed to cool in the shape of the form, and then ejected to make a fabricated part or casing. ... A CNC Turning Center A CNC Milling Machine The abbreviation CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, and refers specifically to a computer controller that reads G-code instructions and drives the machine tool. ... a Cutting Tool, in the context of Metalworking is any tool that is used to remove metal from the workpiece by means of shear deformation. ... Drilling is the process of using a drill bit in a drill to produce holes. ... A typical steel fabrication shop Fabrication is an industrial term generally applied to the building of metal machines and structures. ... Metalworking finishing is the activity of making things out of metal in a skillful manner. ... Rotating abrasive wheel on a bench grinder. ... Jewellery (jewelry in American English) is literally any piece of fine material used to adorn oneself. ... Conventional metalworking lathe In woodturning, metalworking, metal spinning, and glassworking, a lathe is a machine tool which spins a block of material so that when abrasive, cutting, or deformation tools are applied to the block, it can be shaped to produce an object which has rotational symmetry about an axis... A lathe is a common tool used in machining. ... A machine tool is a powered mechanical device, typically used to fabricate metal components of machines by the selective removal of metal. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Metalworking hand tools are hand tools that are used in the metalworking field. ... Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and of materials engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. ... Cutters for a milling machine. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Smith (metalwork). ... Power press with a fixed barrier guard A press, or a machine press is a tool used to work metal (typically steel) by changing its shape and internal structure. ... A smith or metalsmith is a person involved in the shaping of metal objects. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. ...