What Is A Snap Gage?

This has probably never happened to you. Do we have a Cadillac gage?

You scratch your head wondering what are they talking about? Early on I was asked if we could calibrate a Cadillac Gage. I had absolutely no idea what a Cadillac Gage was, so I asked an experienced calibration technician. His answer was yes. So then I asked, what do we call it? A height master. This happens more often than you might think, so I thought it would interesting to write about what do you call it.

What is a Snap Gage?

No, we are not going to resolve the debate of whether it is a Snap Gage or Snap Gauge.

A Snap Gage is a go/no go gage for outside diameters. They look like a Micrometer. Makes sense, right. Micrometers can used to measure outside diameters. The Snap Gage will have anvils similar to a micrometer.  Here are some pictures of  Snap Gages we have seen.

Snap Gages have different shapes and sizes. They can be "C" type, "A" type, "U" type as well as include a digital or dial indicator. They are used  for attribute measurement of outside diameters, groove diameters and width. There are also double ended snap gages, progressive snap gages and adjustable snap gages.

If your are wondering what is the difference between gaging and measurement you might want to check out this article from Quality Magazine.

Is any of this relevant to the calibration of a snap gage? As with all calibration, it is best practice to inform your calibration company what ranges a gage/instrument is used and any specific checkpoints you need and tolerance. The end user of any equipment is best equipped to provide this information. All this information should be clearly stated on your purchase order.

Have a topic you would like us to cover? Crazy gage/instrument name? Please share in the comment section below.