GAO Tek News

Why Thickness Gauges Are Gaining Importance In Industrial Applications

 

Thickness gauges are used for measuring the thickness of a material. Thickness measurement is required in many industries such as oil, gas, aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical, food processing, production and manufacturing, as part of quality control. Thickness gauges are generally utilized in various applications related to wood, composite, metals, fiberglass, ceramics, glass, concrete, plastics, foam products, paint and other non-metallic material.

The ever-increasing use of automation, and continual advances in the production or manufacturing industries have raised demand for the use of gauging systems for improving material qualities such as strength, dimensional accuracy, flatness, surface, and formability. The use of thickness gauges has become popular because  it is an ultrasonic non-destructive technique, a viable replacement for the destructive method of measuring the thickness of a material.

Ultrasonic thickness gauges for Industrial Use

Ultrasonic thickness gauges use sound waves to non-destructively measure thickness and are a popular choice. Some traditional thickness gauges are limited to taking readings on steel and aluminum panels — check the materials that your gauge measures before purchasing.

Ultrasonic gauges can be used to measure the thickness of metallic and nonmetallic materials, such as steal, plastics, and glass. Applications include scanning pipes to find areas of corrosion and weak spots that may be problematic unless treated.

Today’s thickness gauges are simplified and advanced devices that are more sensitive than the thickness gauges of yesterday. Understanding the equipment available and how to utilize it to process control, item quality, and cost control, depending on the type of coating, thickness range, substrate material, and size and state of the part, operators can swing in any number of measuring procedures. Commonly used new advancements include magnetic measurement, ultrasonic coating thickness measurement and eddy current measurement.

Many companies today use ultrasonic method in their quality programs as it is more time efficient. They avoid the use of destructive tests which require retests or reworks. Thickness gauges that use the ultrasonic principle also replace the destructive measurement techniques for concrete, wood, and plastic applications. Regardless of the method used, operators must have knowledge of coating thickness testing when operating for the first time.

GAOTek’s Thickness Gauges are designed and engineered for long-term use in various applications. GAOTek duly ensures compliance with industry standards. Our thickness gauges use a non-destructive testing technique as this technique does not permanently change the material it tests. These thickness gauges are reliable, high quality, and affordable instruments that provide an accurate measurement and offer an efficient and quick means of inspection or testing. They are compact, easy to carry and portable devices allowing the user to work in complex conditions. They are available for sale in the United States and Canada as well as globally.