Etude comparative entre les cales étalons métalliques et celles en céramique

Abstract

Gage blocks are a measurement system of precisely made blocks used to measure exact length. Gage blocks can be made of either ceramic or metal and come in sets of varying lengths. Gage blocks are sometimes referred to as Johansson gages, after their Swedish creator, C. E. Johansson. This clever machinist changed the field of manufacturing by creating gage blocks as a set of predetermined tools that could be combined in a number of ways to create a wide ranging number of required lengths without the costs of having a separate gage for each length. This solution eliminated the need for multiple gages when building complex products or calibrating numerous machine parts. The choice of material for gauge blocks is an important part of the precision measurement process. Although this can be summed up as a simple preference, there are different reasons for choosing steel or ceramic gauge blocks, regardless of the composition of the gauge blocks, wear resistance, dimensional stability, surface finish and accuracy of each material selected must be taken into account.