You need to measure thicknesses in manufacturing. What are the best thickness gauges to use?

1 Ultrasonic Thickness Gauges

Ultrasonic thickness gauges use high-frequency sound waves to measure the thickness of materials. They consist of a transducer that emits and receives the sound waves, a couplant that transfers the sound waves between the transducer and the material, and a display that shows the thickness reading. Ultrasonic thickness gauges are suitable for measuring materials that are homogeneous, smooth, and flat, such as pipes, tanks, and plates. They can measure thicknesses from 0.1 mm to 500 mm, depending on the material and the frequency of the sound waves.

2 Eddy Current Thickness Gauges

Eddy current thickness gauges use electromagnetic induction to measure the thickness of conductive materials, such as metals and alloys. They consist of a probe that generates an alternating current, a sensor that detects the changes in the magnetic field caused by the eddy currents in the material, and a display that shows the thickness reading. Eddy current thickness gauges are suitable for measuring materials that are thin, curved, or coated, such as wires, tubes, and foil. They can measure thicknesses from 0.01 mm to 10 mm, depending on the material and the probe size.

3 Optical Thickness Gauges

Optical thickness gauges use light to measure the thickness of transparent or translucent materials, such as glass, plastic, and film. They consist of a light source that emits a beam of light, a detector that measures the intensity or the wavelength of the reflected or transmitted light, and a display that shows the thickness reading. Optical thickness gauges are suitable for measuring materials that are flat, smooth, and uniform, such as windows, lenses, and screens. They can measure thicknesses from 0.001 mm to 100 mm, depending on the material and the light source.

5 How to Choose the Best Thickness Gauge

Choosing the best thickness gauge for your application depends on several factors, such as material type, shape, surface, thickness range, accuracy requirement, measurement speed, and environment. Generally speaking, non-conductive materials like plastics, composites, and ceramics should be measured with an ultrasonic or optical thickness gauge. Conductive materials like metals and alloys should be measured with an eddy current or mechanical thickness gauge. Transparent or translucent materials like glass, plastic, and film should be measured with an optical or mechanical thickness gauge. Thin, curved, or coated materials like wires, tubes, and foil should be measured with an eddy current or mechanical thickness gauge. Soft, flexible, or non-abrasive materials like rubber, leather, and paper should be measured with a mechanical or ultrasonic thickness gauge. Homogeneous, smooth, and flat materials like pipes, tanks, and plates should be measured with an ultrasonic or eddy current thickness gauge. Flat, smooth, and uniform materials like windows, lenses, and screens should be measured with an optical or mechanical thickness gauge. For high accuracy measurements you should use an optical or eddy current thickness gauge. For high speed measurements you should use an eddy current or ultrasonic thickness gauge. Lastly for harsh environment measurements such as high temperature or corrosive conditions you should use an ultrasonic or eddy current thickness gauge.