The Gaging Environment: Degrees of Control

The Gaging Environment:

Degrees of Control

The environment is often the largest contributor to measurement errors. Conversely, once the environment is under control, great strides can be made in improving the overall measurement process. That's the basic idea behind building a laboratory for dimensional measurement: control the environment to reduce measurement variation and improve agreement with other laboratories.

The effort and expense of setting up a controlled environment can vary dramatically. On one extreme you may decide it's necessary to protect a geometry machine or CMM out on the shop floor from dirt, dust, oil mist and sudden changes in temperature. In this case enclosure will probably provide all the protection you need. On the other hand, if it is necessary to measure gage blocks or other dimensional standards, a lot more sophisticated temperature control would be needed to obtain the desired results.

In deciding what you need, the first step is to look at the environmental issues that will influence your measuring process. Get out a piece of paper and jot them down. They probably include sources of heat and cooling, such as radiators, windows, vents, operator body heat, lights, sunlight on walls, and perhaps even cold north walls in the winter. You should also jot down other influences such as vibrations sources and humidity, and even things like barometric pressure if laser interferometers are to be used.
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