Calipers

Calipers are calibration tools used to measure the distance between two opposite sides of a workpiece, machine part, or other object related to the machining process. Common manual calipers feature sliding jaws that are adjusted to fit across two points to be measured, and then compared to a ruler or other measuring tool to get a reading. Inside calipers measure the internal size of an object; outside calipers measure the external size of an object, including large-diameter objects. Divider calipers, also called compasses, incorporate sharpened points that can scribe a line on the material. ‘Oddleg’ calipers incorporate a bent leg, allowing it to scribe a line at a set distance from a workpiece’s edge. Modern calipers such as Vernier, digital, dial, and micrometer calipers measure distances with extremely high accuracy.