Trimos Universal Length Measuring System (TULM) Benefits Capable of measuring a variety of gages Low tolerance of 0.000020 in. Resolution to 0.000001 in. Large measuring range of 0-19 in. Direct RS-232-C output allows connection to PC or printer Adjustable measuring force www.fvfowler.com

Fowler's Length-Measuring System Offers Flexibility to Calibration Lab

Swiss instruments are known for precision. But calling Fowler's Trimos Universal Length Measuring system (TULM) "precise" may be a bit of an understatement.

 One company impressed with the TULM and its 0.000020 in. tolerance is Calibration and Repair Labs Inc. in Owatonna, Minnesota. In less than two years of full operation, the company has grown remarkably because of its flexibility in checking customers' gages on site or at its Minnesota headquarters. The TULM allows Calibration and Repair Labs to provide its customers with a three- to five-day calibration turnaround, a rarity within the industry.

 As precise as the TULM is, it's also versatile. It can be used to check and certify the following:

• Plug and ring gages
• Thread plug ring gages
• Internal and external snap gages
• Calipers and micrometers
• Depth-measuring gages
• Dial and electronic indicators
• Tapered oil tool (API) gages

 For example, Calibration and Repair Labs recently used the TULM to measure a large 15-in.-diameter cylindrical master ring, which sets Northwest Airlines' gages for jet engine wear.

 Designed for checking and setting gages, internal and external measuring equipment, and measuring precision components, the TULM is a testament to Swiss quality. Its simplicity of design and ease of use allow precise and quick measurements. It utilizes a cast-iron base to provide dimensional stability, and its movement is controlled by precision guide rails regulated by a hand reel.

 Measuring force is assured by means of an adjustable air system that can be regulated to different pressures. This system eliminates errors caused by varying operator feel.

 "Our Fowler TULM instrument assesses some 6,000 unique cylindrical master gages each year within 0.000020 inch," reports Rich Huber, president of Calibration and Repair Labs. The reason for this high level of calibration work is that Calibration and Repair Labs' largest customer produces all of the components for the country's major engine manufacturers, including General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and Cummins Engine, which all have high precision standards.

 TULM technology is adaptable not only to various applications but also to different locations. "For the demanding jobs the TULM has to do, we have to place it in a clean room environment controlled to only a half degree of temperature variation," Huber says. However, Huber's company also uses TULM technology to offer on-site inspection. For on-site work, Calibration and Repair Labs uses a smaller, more portable version of the TULM: the new THV mini-horizontal and vertical calibration device. Using standard probes, this instrument can be used in a horizontal position without a stand, or it can be inclined through 90¥ using the optional stand. The THV takes internal measurements from 0.4 in. to 4 in. and external measurements from 0 in. to 4 in.

 As the customer base has grown, Calibration and Repair Labs has found it necessary to be able to provide the service directly in customers' plants. One of its customers, for example, manufactures more than 800,000 valves every day. Inaccurate gages would have grave consequences for such a high-volume process. Grand losses in production could occur if Calibration and Repair Labs had to ship gages to and from its Owatonna headquarters.

 Huber personally created software to help his company get the most from Fowler's products. His Windows-compatible program interfaces directly with the THV and TULM to produce calibration certificates. "This permits paperless transmission when we send [certificates] via the Internet to our customers," says Huber.

 Calibration and Repair Labs has used this technology to achieve its goals of winning new customers quickly, meeting QS-9000 requirements and attaining A2LA certification for the highest ISO calibration services.