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Using Thread Gauges For Improved Product Quality

Many of the products that consumers use each day feature nuts and bolts in their design. These nuts and bolts fit together tightly via a network of threads along the interior surface of the nut and exterior surface of the bolt. The thread patterns must fit together properly in order to create a solid connection.

Thread gauges are used by industry professionals to test the parameters of nuts and bolts. Understanding these thread gauges will help you better identify how incorporating them into your production practices will improve the quality of your finished products.

Thread Plug Gauge

The first type of thread gauge that you will need when testing thread patterns is a thread plug gauge. This type of gauge is designed specifically to test the parameters of the thread pattern on internally threaded parts (like nuts).

The thread plug gauge resembles the post of a screw, with two distinctive ends. One end, the GO end, should be able to pass through the nut entirely with minimal effort. The other end, the NO-GO end, should not be able to pass through the nut at all.

If a nut performs well when tested with both ends of the thread plug gauge, then the nut is deemed effective and safe for use in product assembly.

Solid Thread Ring Gauge

The second type of thread gauge that you will find useful in testing thread patterns is a solid thread ring gauge. This gauge is used to test the receipt of a screw or bolt. The solid thread ring gauge consists of two separate rings.

Just as the nut must past tests administered by both the GO and NO-GO ends of a thread plug gauge, the screw or bolt must pass tests administered by the GO and NO-GO rings of a solid thread ring gauge. The screw must pass through the GO ring completely and fail to pass through the NO-GO ring. 

A passing performance means that the pitch and thread pattern of the screw is correct.

Routine inspections can help improve the quality of the products that you manufacture each day. If your products utilize threaded nuts and bolts, then testing the correctness of the thread patterns on these components is critical.

Invest in a thread plug gauge and a solid thread ring gauge to help you carefully determine which nuts and bolts are equipped to withstand the test of time and perform properly. 


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