Posted on July 30, 2020 Tony Adams
An air ring gauge, commonly known as a ring gauge, is a cylindrical ring of thermally stable material such as steel whose inner diameter is finished to gauge tolerance. Air ring gauges are used to check the external diameter of a cylindrical object. More simply put, an air ring gauge is a device used to measure air pressure. Air ring gauges fit over the external measurement of a diameter. They are typically made from ground hardened steel. When the ring gauge is placed over a workpiece, the resulting pressure is displayed as the diameter of the part.
Ring gauges have a variety of uses ranging from optical comparative gauging to checking, calibrating, or the setting of gauges and other standards. Individual ring gauges or ring gauge sets are made to many different tolerance grades in metric and imperial dimensions for master, setting, or working applications. There are three main types of air ring gauges : go ring gauges, no go ring gauges, and master or setting ring gauges. This blog will explain each of them and what sets them apart from one another.
Go Ring Gauges
Go ring gauges provide a precision tool for production comparative gauging based on a fixed limit. These gauges consist of a fixed limit gauge with a gauging limit based on the plus or minus tolerances of the inspected part. The dimensions of the gauge are based on the maximum OD (outside diameter) tolerance of the round bar or part being gauged. A go ring gauge’s dimensions are based on the minimum ID (inner diameter) tolerance of the hole or part being gauged. The go ring ID gauge should be specified to a plus gauge makers’ tolerance from the minimum part tolerance. The go ring gauge should be calibrated to a minus gauge makers’ tolerance from the maximum part tolerance.
No Go Ring Gauges
No go ring gauges provide a precision tool for production quality gauging based on a fixed limit. These gauges consist of a fixed limit gauge with a gauging limit based on the minimum or maximum tolerances of the inspected part. A no go ring gauge’s dimensions are based on the minimum OD tolerance of the round bar or part being gauged. The no go ring outer diameter gauge should be specified to a plus gauge maker’s tolerance from the minimum part tolerance.
Master or Setting Ring Gauges
Master and setting ring gauges include gauge blocks, master or setting discs, and setting rings are types of master gauges used to calibrate or set micrometers, optical comparators, or other gauging devices. Working gauges are used in a shop for dimensional inspection and periodically checked against a mater gauge.
Similar to gage blocks, ring gauges are sold under different accuracy grades. The higher the grade, the lower the available variance from the nominal diameter. Within each grade, the diameter tolerance varies based on the nominal diameter. Air ring gauges are relatively complicated devices. As such, it is important to get them from a trusted and reliable source. For top quality air ring gauges, look no further than ASAP Components.
At ASAP Components, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we can help you find all types of air ring gauges and cylindrical ring parts and deliver them with short lead times and competitive prices.