The Micrometer Caliper and the Vernier Caliper

A. Parts of the micrometer caliper

Lock
Nut Barrel Thimble Ratchet
Anvil Spindle

Frame

Figure 1. The parts of the micrometer caliper

1. Anvil – The spindle moves towards the anvil. It is also where the sample rests.
2. Spindle – The cylindrical part that the thimble causes to move towards the anvil.
3. Lock Nut – When momentarily holding a measurement, the lock nut is used to lock the thimble.
4. Barrel – The stationary part with the linear scale.
5. Thimble – Using the thumbs to turn, it makes the spindle move towards the anvil.
6. Ratchet – Device on the end of the handle that limits applied pressure by slipping at a calibrated
torque to prevent over-tightening.
7. Frame – The C-shaped body that holds the anvil and barrel in constant relation to each other.

B. Scales in the micrometer caliper

The upper scale on the barrel is graduated in millimeters from 0 to 26 millimeters. The lower scale
in the barrel indicates the midpoint of a millimeter.

The pitch of the micrometer screw is 0.5 mm so that one full turn of the thimble advances or
withdraws the spindle a distance equal to 0.5 mm. Two full turns of the thimble move the anvil by 1
mm. There are 50 divisions in the thimble with every fifth line being numbered. This means that
rotating the thimble from one graduation to the other moves the spindle by 0.01 mm.

C. Holding the Micrometer Caliper Properly

When taking measurements, the micrometer caliper is held with the right hand and the sample in
the left hand. The fourth finger holds the frame of the micrometer caliper against the palm of the right
hand. This way, it is easy to guide the work over the anvil. The thumb and index fingers are
positioned to turn the thimble; they grip the knurled surface of the thimble or the ratchet. The third and
fifth fingers are curled back behind the micrometer.
 (a) Holding the micrometer for measuring (b) Holding the micrometer for measuring
small samples. The ratchet is used to samples that cannot be held by one
turn the thimble. hand. The knurled part is used to turn the
thimble.
Figure 2. Ways of holding the micrometer properly for (a) small samples that can be held with one hand and for
(b) larger samples which cannot be held by one hand.

The thimble is rotated until the sample clamps slightly between the anvil and the spindle. From
this point, the ratchet is used to turn the thimble to prevent over-tightening.

When the sample is too large to be held in one hand, it should be positioned in a stable manner
which allows the micrometer to access it. The micrometer frame is positioned over the part of the
sample being measured by one hand while the thimble is operated by the other.

D. Reading Measurements with the Micrometer Caliper

1. Read the upper half of the scale on the barrel. (In Figure 1, it reads 6mm.)
2. Check if the ½ mm mark can be seen on the bottom half of the scale. (It cannot be seen in Figure
1.)
3. Finally, read the measurement on the thimble. Each division is a hundredth of a millimeter, that is,
1mm = 100 divisions. (It reads 13 divisions in Figure 1, so 0.13mm.)
4. The final measurement is equal to the sum of the measurement as read from the barrel and the
measurement as read from the thimble. (6mm + 0.13mm = 6.13mm)
E. Examples

Barrel Top Scale

8 8.00mm
( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

1 0.50mm
(0.5 mm)

Thimble
26 0.26mm
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement = 8.76mm

Barrel Top Scale

1 1.00mm
( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

0 0.00mm
(0.5 mm)

Thimble
8.5 0.085
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement = 1.085mm

Barrel Top Scale

6 6.00mm
( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

0 0.00mm
(0.5 mm)

Thimble
2 0.02mm
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement = 6.02mm

F. Exercises

Barrel Top Scale

( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

(0.5 mm)

Thimble
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement =

Barrel Top Scale

( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

(0.5 mm)

Thimble
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement =

Barrel Top Scale

( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

(0.5 mm)

Thimble
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement =
 Barrel Top Scale
( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

(0.5 mm)

Thimble
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement =

Barrel Top Scale

( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

(0.5 mm)

Thimble
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement =

Barrel Top Scale

( 1 mm)

Barrel Bottom Scale

(0.5 mm)

Thimble
(0.01mm)

Total Measurement =
G. Parts of the Vernier Caliper

Inside Vernier
Jaws Scale Main
(inches) Locking
Scale Depth
Screw
(inches) Probe

Main
Vernier Scale
Scale (mm)
(mm)

Outside
Jaws

Figure 3. The parts of the Vernier caliper

1. Outside Jaws – These jaws close around the outside of an object to measure its external
width or diameter.
2. Inside Jaws – These jaws fit into a hole to measure the internal width or diameter.
3. Depth Probe – This is used to measure the depth of an object or a hole.
4. Main Scale – The upper scale in this caliper is in inches, the lower scale in millimeters.
5. Vernier Scale – A secondary sliding scale that indicates where the measurement lies when it
is between two marks of the main scale.
6. Locking Screw – As it is tightened, it becomes harder to slide the movable part.

H. The Scales of the Vernier Caliper

The Vernier caliper has two scales: the main scale and the Vernier scale. The Vernier caliper in
the figure has two sets of these two scales, one in millimeters and the other in inches. The main scale
in millmimeters is marked every millimeter from 0 to 250 mm. The Vernier scale in millimeters is
located just below the main scale in millimeters. It indicates where the measurement lies when it is
between two marks of the main scale.

The Vernier scale is constructed such that it is size is the main scale shrunk by 10%. It covers 9
divisions of the main scale. That is, each mark on the Vernier scale is spaced nine tenths of those in
the main scale. When the two scales are put together, with zero points aligned, then the first mark on
the Vernier scale is one tenth short of the first mark in the main scale, the second is two tenths short,
and so on. The tenth mark on the Vernier scale would be ten tenths short of the tenth mark on the
main scale, which means that it is a full mark (1 mm) short thus aligning it with the ninth mark on the
main scale.

If the caliper is moved by one tenth of the main scale, the only pair of marks which comes into
alignment will be the first pair since these were the only ones originally misaligned by one tenth. If it
had been moved by seven tenths of the main scale, then only the seventh pair will come into
 alignment because they were the only ones that were misaligned by seven tenths, and so on for any
displacement. Only one pair of marks will be in alignment and that pair will show the value of the
small displacement.

Figure 4. The main scales and vernier scales

I. Using the Vernier Caliper

1. The measure external dimensions, place the object in between the outside jaws of the
caliper. To measure internal dimensions, place inside jaws in the object. To measure depths,
position the depth probe to enter the hole.

(a) Outer (b) Inner (c) depth

Figure 4. Different measuring modes of the Vernier caliper. Measuring (a) external dimensions, (b) internal
diamensions, and (c) depth.

2. The number closest to the left of the 0 measurement in the Vernier scale indicates the
measurement on the main scale. (In Figure 4, it reads 12mm.)
3. To read the Vernier scale, count the number of divisions until the one that lines up with the
metric scale. Each division is equivalent to 0.05mm. (In Figure 4, it lines up with the 2.5 mark,
so there are 5 divisions, so 5 x 0.05mm = 0.25mm.)
4. Alternatively, we can read the marks on the Vernier scale as is and multiply it by 0.1mm. The
reason for this is because the Verner scale is equivalent to a 1 full millimeter. When the
reading is at the 1 mark, it represents 10% of the 1 millimeter which is 0.10mm. When it is at
the 9.5 mark, it is equivalent to 95% of 1mm which is 0.95mm.
5. The final measurement is the sum of the measurement on the main scale and the sum of the
measurement in the Vernier scale.
J. Examples

Main Scale
12 12mm
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

2.5 0.25mm

Total Measurement = 12.25 mm

Main Scale
44 44.00mm
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

0 0.00mm

Total Measurement = 44.00mm

Main Scale
5 5.00mm
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

5.5 0.55mm

Total Measurement = 5.55mm

K. Exercises

Main Scale
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

Total Measurement =

Main Scale
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

Total Measurement =

Main Scale
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

Total Measurement =

Main Scale
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

Total Measurement =
 Main Scale
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

Total Measurement =

Main Scale
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

Total Measurement =

Main Scale
(1mm)

Vernier Scale Reading

Total Measurement =