Concepts of Engineering and Technology DIAL CALIPERS and Measuring with Them Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

What is a Dial Caliper? A caliper is a device used to measure the distance between two opposite sides of an object. A caliper can be as simple as a compass with inward or outward-facing points. The tips of the caliper are adjusted to fit across the points to be measured, the caliper is then removed and the distance read by measuring between the tips with a measuring tool, such as a ruler. It is used in many fields such as mechanical engineering, metalworking, forestry, woodworking, science and medicine. Copyright Texas Education Agency (TEA)

The dial caliper features the beam lock, dial, depth rod, dial calibration lock, main scale, two fixed jaws and two moveable jaws. The two upper jaws and the two lower jaws are used to measure inside areas and outside areas respectively. The depth rod can measure the depth of the holes or crevices.

How to Read a Dial Caliper Reads.7 Reads.037 Together reads.737 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Reading the Dial Reads 0.0 Reads.037 Reads.015 Reads.063 Reads.075 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Reading the Rack Reads.4 Reads.8 Reads between.2 and.3 would be a.2 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Reads This would read.375 Points between 3 and 4 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Reads Point between 8 and 9 This would be.815 Read ____ Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Examples of Measuring Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Outside Measurement Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Outside Measurement Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Inside Measurement Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Measuring for Depth Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Outside Measurement Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.