METROLOGY 1
UNIT#1 INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS Metrology?
It is the science of measurement. It deals with instruments and their sensitivity.
It is well known saying that the knowledge about anything is complete only when it can be
expressed in number and something is known about it thus of every kind of quantity measured,
there must be a unit to measure it and express it in numbers of that unit. Most important
parameter in metrology is the length which can be measured in several forms and in several
ways.
In metrology, which laterally is the science measurements we have to go one step ahead
and bother our selves about the correctness of measurement also. We have to see whether the
result is given with the sufficient correctness and accuracy for the particular need or not.
Metrology is therefore also concerned with the methods, execution and estimation of accuracy
of measurements.
In the broader sense, metrology is not limited to length measurement but is also
concerned with the industrial inspection and its various techniques. Due to big industrial
resolution and great advancement, industrial inspection does not simply mean the fulfilling of the
specification laid down by the manufacturers. Rather inspections in real sense is concerned with
the checking of a product at various stages from the raw material form to finished products and
even assemble parts in the form of machine also.
Need of Inspection
In order to determine the fitness of anything made man has always used inspection. But
industrial inspection is of recent origin and has scientific approach behind it. It came into being
because of mass production which involved interchangeability of parts.
The various parts to be assemble together in assembly shop come from various shops.
Rather some parts are manufactured in other factories also and then assemble at one place. So
it is very essential that parts must be so fabricated that the satisfactory mating of any pair
chosen at random is possible. In order that this many be possible, the dimensions of the
component part must be confined with in the prescribed limits which are such as to permit the
assembly with a predetermined fit.
Objective of Metrology:
The basic objective of a measurement is to provide the required accuracy at minimum
cost, metrology would have further objective modern engineering plant with different shops like
tool Room, Machine shop, Plastic shop, Pressure Die Casting shop, Electroplating and Painting
shop, and Assembly shop, as also Research, Development and Engineering Department. In
such an engineering organization, the further objective would be as follows:
1- Thorough evaluation of newly developed products, to ensure that components designed is
with in the process and measuring instrument capabilities available in the plant.
METROLOGY 2
2- TO determine the process capabilities and ensure that these are better than the relevant
component tolerances.
3- To determine the measuring instrument capabilities and ensure that these are adequate for
their respective measurements.
4- To minimize the cost of inspection by efficient use of available facilities, and to reduce the
cost of rejects and rework through application of statistical quality control techniques.
5- Standardization of measuring methods. This is achieved by laying down inspection methods
for any product right at the time when production technology is prepared.
6- Maintenance of the accuracies of measurement. This is achieved by periodical calibration of
the metrological instruments used in the plant.
7- Arbitration on and solution of problems arising on the shop floor regarding methods of
measurement.
8- Preparation of designs for all gauges and special inspection fixtures.
Precision and Accuracy
Both these terms are accounted with the measuring process precision is defined as the
repeatability of a measuring process, While accuracy is the agreement of the result of
measuring with the true value of the measured quantity. In most measurements it is the
precision which is of greater important.
If a carpenter had to cut a board to fit the shelf into two projections in the wall, It does not
matter, whether his scale is accurate or not, provided he uses the some scale for the
measurement of board and the distance between projections in the wall. in the fig.
a) PRECISION BUT NOT
ACCURATE
b) ACCURATE BUT
NOT PRECISION
c) ACCURATE AND PRECISION
METROLOGY 3
The illustrating distinction between accuracy and precision by measuring a component
several times and plotting the readings, by three instruments..
1. Precision size but not accurate.
2. Accurate but not precision.
3. Accurate and precision.
Both use the accurate scale in accordance with a standard scales. In this case accuracy of
the scale in important and it should be manufactured such that its units are in accordance with
the standard units set.
The distinction between the precision and accuracy will be come clear from example,
shown in fig. In which several measuring are made in a components by different types of
instrument and result recorded.
Accuracy:
In mechanical inspection, the accuracy of the measurement is must important aspect.
The accuracy measurement to some extend is also depended upon the sense of hearing or
sense of touch or sense. for example
In certain instrument the proportional of sub division have to be estimated by the sense of
sight.
