ENGINEERING METROLOGY TOOLBOX  

The Engineering Metrology Toolbox is your web site for computational tools that solve real problems in dimensional measurement.

About Engineering Metrology Toolbox

Our goal is to provide world-class engineering metrology resources to the U.S. manufacturers. This web site is one of an array of mechanisms we make available to our customers to help them achieve high-accuracy dimensional measurements traceable to national and international standards. We hope you will find it to be a useful aid that improves your measurement capabilities.

Currently the web site has two computational tools. The first tool is for calculating the index of refraction of air, which is needed for interferometric length measurements. The second tool is for calculating the elastic compression of spheres and cylinders at point and line contact, which can enable the user, for example, to correct for elastic deformations when measuring a part with a contacting probe. The calculations are implemented for 16 different contact geometries.


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Engineering Metrology Toolbox Contents

 
Home
BulletAbout Engineering Metrology Toolbox
BulletFrequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
 
Refractive Index of Air
BulletAbstract
BulletDocumentation
 
Equations
BulletCiddor Equation
BulletEdlén Equation
 
Elastic
BulletAbstract
BulletDocumentation
BulletElastic Contents
BulletElastic Compression Calculator
 
Spheres
BulletCase 1:  Two Spheres in Contact
BulletCase 2:  Sphere in Contact with Plane
BulletCase 3:  Sphere Between Two Parallel Planes
BulletCase 4:  Sphere in Contact with Internal Spherical Surface
 
Cylinders
BulletCase 5:  Equal Diameter Cylinders Crossed with Axes at Right Angles
BulletCase 6:  Unequal Diameter Cylinders Crossed with Axes at Right Angles
BulletCase 7:  Unequal Diameter Cylinders Crossed with Axes at Any Angle
BulletCase 8:  Two Cylinders in Contact with Axes Parallel
BulletCase 9:  Cylinder in Contact with Plane
BulletCase 10:  Cylinder Between Two Parallel Planes
 
Spheres and Cylinders
BulletCase 11:  Sphere in Contact with External Cylinder
BulletCase 12:  Sphere in Contact with Internal Cylinder
BulletCase 13:  Sphere in Contact with Symmetrical Cylindrical Vee Groove
BulletCase 14:  Sphere in Contact with Asymmetrical Cylindrical Vee Groove
BulletCase 15:  Cylinder in Contact with Asymmetrical Cylindrical Vee Groove
BulletCase 16:  Cylinder in Contact with Symmetrical Cylindrical Vee Groove
 
Publications
BulletPublications Contents
 
Gage Blocks
BulletThe Gauge Block Handbook; NIST Monograph 180 with Corrections; 2004
BulletContact Deformation in Gage Block Comparisons; NBS Technical Note 962; 1978
BulletPreparations for Gage Block Comparison Measurements; NBSIR 74-523; 1974
BulletIntercomparison Procedures for Gage Blocks Using Electromechanical Comparators; NBSIR 76-979; 1976
BulletThe NIST Gage Block Calibration Software System User’s Manual; NISTIR 2000-6387; 2000
 
Uncertainty and Statistics
BulletUncertainty and Dimensional Calibrations; NIST J Res Nov-Dec 97 102-6; 1997
BulletGuidelines for Evaluating and Expressing the Uncertainty of NIST Measurement Results; NIST Technical Note 1297; 1994
BulletTraceability of Laser Interferometric Length Measurements; NBS Technical Note 1248; 1988
BulletStatistical Concepts in Metrology—With a Postscript on Statistical Graphics; NBS Special Publication 747; 1988
BulletIndustrial Measurement Series; Measurement Evaluation; NBS Special Publication 700-2; 1986
BulletThe Use of the Method of Least Squares in Calibration; NBSIR 74-587; 1974
 
Other Calibrations
BulletOn The Measurement of Thread Measuring Wires; NBS Report 10-987; 1973
BulletMeasurements of Cylindrical Standards; NBSIR 73-136; 1973
BulletGage Block Flatness and Parallelism Measurement; NBSIR 73-239; 1973
BulletOn the Compression of a Cylinder in Contact with a Plane Surface; NBSIR 73-243; 1973
BulletOn Characterizing Master Involute Profiles; NBSIR 73-272; 1973
BulletA Method of Calibrating Two-dimensional Reference Plates; NBSIR 74-532; 1974
BulletThe Calibration of a Roundness Standard; NBSIR 79-1758; 1979
BulletThe Calibration of Indexing Tables by Subdivision; NBSIR 75-750; 1975
BulletThe Calibration of a Pentaprism; NBSIR 76-993; 1976
BulletThe Calibration of Angle Blocks by Intercomparison; NBSIR 80-1967; 1980
BulletA Survey of the Temporal Stability of Angle Blocks; NBSIR 74-601; 1974
BulletThe Calibration of an Optical Flat by Interferometric Comparison to a Master Optical Flat; NBSIR 75-975; 1975
BulletA Survey of the Stability of Optical Flats; NBSIR 73-232; 1973
BulletOn Characterizing Measuring Machine Geometry; NBSIR 79-1752; 1979
BulletLength Metrology of Complementary Small Plastic Rulers; Proceedings of the Measurment Science Conference; 1994
 
Measurement Assurance
BulletMeasurement Assurance Program—A Case Study: Length Measurements;  Part 1. Long Gage Blocks (5 in to 20 in); NBS Monograph 149; 1975
BulletMeasurement Assurance for Gage Blocks; NBS Monograph 163; 1979
BulletMeasurement Assurance Programs;  Part I: General Introduction; NBS Special Publication 676-I; 1984
BulletMeasurement Assurance Programs;  Part II: Development and Implementation; NBS Special Publication 676-II; 1985
BulletMeasurement Assurance; NBSIR 77-1240; 1977
BulletNotes on the Fundamentals of Measurement and Measurement as a Production Process; NBSIR 74-545; 1974
 
Temperature
Bullet20 °C—A Short History of the Standard Reference Temperature for Industrial Dimensional Measurements; NIST J Res Jan-Feb 2007 112-1; 2007
BulletLetter from C. E. Johansson to Director Burgess on the International Reference Temperature; 1928
BulletUncertainties Related to Thermal Expansion in Dimensional Metrology; 2006
BulletThermal Effects in Dimensional Metrology; UCRL-12409; 1965
BulletInternational Status of Thermal Error Research; UCRL-50285; 1967
 
QMS
BulletQMS Contents
 
NIST Quality System
BulletNIST Quality System for Measurement Services
 
SDMD Quality System
BulletSDMD Measurement Services Quality Manual
 
SDMD Technical Procedures
Bullet10010 - Short Blocks by Mechanical Comparison
Bullet10012 - Long Gage Blocks by Mechanical Comparison
Bullet10020 - Length Scale Measurement Procedures at the National Bureau of Standards
Bullet10060 - Sieve Calibration
Bullet11010 - Thread Wires and Cylinders by Mechanical Comparison
Bullet11030 - Balls by Mechanical Comparison
Bullet11033 - Ball Diameter by Interferometry
Bullet13010 - Optical Flat Calibration by Comparison
Bullet13020 - Roundness Standards using the Multi-Position Method
Bullet14010 - Angle Blocks by Comparison
Bullet14011 - 30 and 45 Degree Angle Blocks by Circle Closure
Bullet14020 - Polygon Calibration
Bullet14030 - Indexing Tables by Subdivision
Bullet14510 - Laser Frequency Calibration
Bullet15010 - Roughness Calibrations and Measurements
Bullet15030 - Large Step Height Calibrations and Measurements
Bullet15030 - Small Step Height Calibrations and Measurements
BulletInterferometric Calibration of Sphere Diameter
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Web Site Home: Engineering Metrology Toolbox
Technical Inquiries: Daniel S. Sawyer, Group Leader
Dimensional Metrology
Sensor Science Division
Physical Measurement Laboratory
NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8211, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8211

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
NIST / PML / Sensor Science Division

NIST Program Questions: Public Inquires Unit
(301) 975-NIST (6478) TTY (301) 975-8295
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Date Created: Friday, November 5, 2004
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Technical Web Site Questions: Wei Ren
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