Dimensional Measurement Blog

If you work in an industry that requires dimensional inspection, you know how important it is to get accurate, precise measurements in a timely manner. Poor testing procedures and equipment can cost you a lot of time and money, both in the short-term and in the long-term. In order to meet minimum quality standards you need the right equipment and a trained staff that knows how to use it. 

Because such a high degree of specialization is required, many businesses opt to outsource dimensional inspection services to a provider that has the necessary expertise. In addition to being cost-effective, another benefit of outsourcing these services is the ability to obtain independent third-party validation.

Look for these seven features in a dimensional inspection service:

1. Equipment quality - State-of-the-art measuring instruments are required to get the most precise measurements. Ensure that any provider you work with uses only the best available equipment.
2. Facility quality - A good provider will have an environmentally controlled facility with high security standards. Customer confidentiality should be a priority and the provider's facilities and policies should be reflective of this commitment.
3. Testing diversity - There are countless measurement and inspection needs across a broad range of industries. A provider that works across multiple industries and provides a diverse range of testing methods will be able to meet your dimensional inspection needs, no matter how your business changes over time.
4. Trained staff - The most sophisticated equipment is useless without highly trained metrologists, test engineers, and technicians to operate it and analyze results.
5. Regulatory standards - Look for a provider that is ISO 17025 accredited to the minimum standards required in your industry. All measurements should also meet NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) traceability standards.
6. Reporting capability - Analysis of test results is a critical part of the dimensional inspection process. A good provider should be able to customize reports so that you and all other stakeholders can clearly and quickly understand the test results.
7. Portability - In some cases, you may need the equipment and the testing personnel to come to your facility.

Q-Plus Labs meets all these criteria and more. We are a full-service provider with expertise in a variety of industries, manufacturing methods, and testing technologies. Whether you need to validate a valve for a race car, the curvature of a prosthetic, or a surface profilometry measurement for a machined part, our highly trained staff has the expertise and the technology to do it. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of outsourcing your dimensional inspection needs.

A recent Frost & Sullivan report has indicated that more and more industries are cutting back on their internal dimensional inspection resources because of limited funds and a lack of skilled technicians.  The most viable solutions for many companies it to outsource this valuable service to third-party providers like Q-Plus Labs.

When it comes to dimensional inspection, the more accuracy you have, the better the outcome will be. In many cases, this means applying different measurement techniques for different applications. The same equipment and technology will not be used to measure both automobile parts, medical devices, and the sharpness of an instrument. By the same token, a diverse staff of trained professionals is required to provide dimensional inspection services across multiple categories.

Reasons to Include Dimensional Inspection in Manufacturing
Regardless of the industry or the type of dimensional inspection required, there are some universal reasons to include this valuable step in your manufacturing:

1. Risk management - Testing products or components before they enter the manufacturing process helps you reduce overall risk and liability. You can identify and solve problems before they become costly, or even worse, disastrous. Whether you are testing the roundness of a precision bearing or the curvature of the interior thread root of a bolt, accurate measurements can mean the difference between failure and success.
    
2. More effective decision making - Sometimes a process or product that looks good on paper does not seem like such a good idea when it becomes a reality. Advance measurements can help you make key decisions during the development process, before it's too late to make changes.
    
3. Ability to determine process capability - If the end product requires high levels of pressure, force, shear, or any other extreme environment, validating a process or equipment with a capability study before it is subjected to these conditions can save your business a lot of time and money. In fact, any products that will be going into high-volume production should have a capability study as part of process control.
    
4. Regulatory compliance - Depending on your industry, you may need to meet certain regulatory requirements. Validating these requirements before submitting to an audit is the best way to ensure that you are compliant.
    

Applications for Dimensional Inspection
The applications that can benefit from this type of measurement and testing are countless; these are just a few examples:

• Wall thickness of bottles, pipes, castings, and formed sheet metal
• Settling disputes between manufacturers and subcontractors
• Video, laser, and light scanning for objects that are too small or soft for contact measurements
• Nano measurements for surface finishes, extremely small parts, and high-precision instruments
• Fully-automated CMM inspection to test manufactured parts for conformance to engineering drawing requirements

Q-Plus Labs has the equipment, technology, and knowledge to provide the dimensional inspection services you need for your products. Whether you need to analyze large contours, measure dimensions at the nano level, or perform a specialized non-contact inspection, we have the necessary resources to provide accurate, unbiased results in whatever format you require. 

Contact us or download one of our many product and services brochures to learn more about dimensional inspection and the many other services Q-Plus Labs offers.

How has dimensional inspection benefited your business in the past?