Instrument Technician Tools Kit - YouTube

Without properly functioning measuring tools, you may not be able to get the job
done right, so it’s crucial that you keep your gages in optimal condition. Some of
these kinds of tools can be very sensitive, and slight variations in conditions can
cause them to malfunction and deliver inaccurate results. It’s essential that you
follow proper care and maintenance procedures with all of your measuring tools.

The Importance of Measuring

Tool Maintenance
Why is the proper care of measuring tools so important? Some of the benefits
include the following.
 Increase accuracy: If measuring tools don’t receive proper care and
maintenance, they’re more likely to take inaccurate readings. Some of
these tools take exact measurements, so even small changes can impact
the accuracy of measurements. Damaged instruments may also be off by
relatively large amounts. If you don’t realize your measurements are off,
these inaccuracies could get in the way of the success of a job. A wide
variety of factors can impact the accuracy of a measuring tool, from
improper storage temperature to excessive vibrations to physical damage
due to dropping it. Because damage or improper maintenance can affect
accuracy, it’s crucial that you’re careful to maintain them properly.
Measuring tools also fall out of calibration naturally over time, so
regular gage calibration is essential.
 Extend life: Caring for precision tools properly also helps extend their
life. With proper care, many measuring instruments can serve you well for
a long time. Without adequate maintenance, however, your tools will
break sooner, and you’ll have to replace them earlier. Improper care
increases the risk of a tool failing in the middle of a job or gradually
becoming less effective, reducing the efficiency and accuracy of your
work.
 Lower costs: Following the right care and maintenance procedures can
help you reduce your costs over the long term. It can help you avoid
costly breakdowns, more extensive repairs and downtime. It also means
you’ll have to replace your tools less often, meaning you get more out of
your investments in quality instruments.

Tips for Maintaining Precision

Tools
Every measuring tool has different maintenance needs, and you should receive
guidelines in the user manual for each device you purchase. It’s crucial to follow
these recommendations to keep your tools in optimal condition. In the following
sections, we’ll look at some overarching recommendations for the care of measuring
tools, as well as some more specific examples.

Storage
Storage is a critical element of measuring tool care, as these devices can spend
significant amounts of time in cupboards or cabinets where they may get
damaged. Be sure to follow the recommendations for how to store each tool you use.
Different types of gages and tools made of different materials often have different
storage requirements.
Many measurement devices come in cases, and it’s often a best practice to store
your tools in these cases. If your tool didn’t come with a case, purchase one that
meets the storage requirements of your instrument. Make sure it’s the right material,
size and shape and that it has the right features. Often, these containers will have
padding. For some types of gages, you may want to place them on a clean, dry cloth
inside a case. Keeping your tools in a case helps to protect them from airborne
contaminants and accidental physical damage.
Another crucial measure to take to prevent physical damage is to separate your
devices so that they don’t bump into and damage each other. You can separate
them using dividers or cases. Don’t stack devices on top of each other unless they’re
in cases that will protect them from damaging each other.
It can also be helpful to take time to organize your devices in a cart, tray, inspection
station or other location. Doing so can help make it easier to follow proper storage
procedures and enable you to access your tools more efficiently.
You also need to ensure that you store your devices in the proper temperature and
humidity and that other conditions are suitable for your tools as well. In general, you
want to keep gages in a cool, dry place, but some devices may also come with more
specific recommendations.
Be sure to keep the storage area at an appropriate temperature and keep your
devices away from sources of heat, including sunlight. If your gages get exposed to
sunlight or other sources that produce too much heat, they may expand as they heat
up and then contract as they cool, potentially damaging them and decreasing their
accuracy.
You also need to take steps to keep the humidity of the storage space at a suitable
level and to take care of any moisture issues that may arise. Doing so is crucial,
since excessive moisture can lead to corrosion. Air conditioning or a dehumidifier can
help you control humidity and reduce ambient moisture. Placing silica gel packets in
the drawers where you store your tools can help take care of any other excess
moisture.
Over time, vibration can cause measuring tools to fall out of calibration, so store
your instruments away from any equipment that may cause vibration or movement.

Cleaning
Another essential aspect of gage maintenance is keeping your instruments
clean. Like with measuring tool storage, there are different cleaning
recommendations for different types of gages and materials. Be sure to follow the
guidelines for your specific tools to ensure you thoroughly clean them and avoid
damaging them. Conscientiously cleaning your devices is crucial, as any residue that
remains on your device may impact the accuracy of your measurements.
The material your device is made of plays a significant role in the cleaning method
you should use. If an instrument is mostly aluminum, for example, avoid using
alcohol, as it can cause aluminum to deteriorate. For brass, it’s best not to use
anything except for a clean cloth that you’ve dampened with distilled water.
Some general cleaning tips include:
 Not leaving your instruments in contact with dirt or oil for long periods, as
oils can cause corrosion
 Avoiding touching gages with your bare hands, as skin oils can be
damaging
 Using a soft, non-abrasive cloth to clean your instruments and ensuring
the cloth is clean before using it
Scheduled Cleaning
As part of your routine gage maintenance, you should have a regular cleaning
schedule in place for your devices. Various factors influence how often you should
plan to clean your instruments.
 The environment in which you use it: Some situations may cause
measuring tools to require cleaning more often. If you use your tools in a
dusty manufacturing environment, for example, you may need to clean
them more often than if you work in a relatively controlled lab
environment.
 The task for which you use it: The job you use the tool for can also
impact how often it requires cleaning. For example, pressure gage
maintenance may involve cleaning it more often if you use it with liquids,
as opposed to solid items. Also, if the measurements are so precise that
small amounts of dirt or residue could throw them off, you’ll need to clean
your instruments more frequently.
 Legal requirements: In certain industries, rules and regulations may
require you to clean tools more often. For example, food-related
businesses must adhere to higher cleanliness standards than many other
industries.
It’s a smart rule of thumb to inspect and, if needed, clean instruments before each
use. Before using a device, look for foreign matter on it, as this material could affect
the readings.

Spot Cleaning
At times, you may need to do some maintenance beyond your typical scheduled
gage cleaning. This type of upkeep is spot cleaning, and is a more vigorous method
you use when your routine maintenance doesn’t remove all foreign matter. Spot
cleaning may involve using stronger cleaners, repeating cleaning processes until you
remove all contaminants or other techniques.

Handling
Another critical element of precision instrument care is handling measuring
instruments correctly during use. Taking care to avoid accidental damage and use
your tools correctly can help to extend their life and ensure accurate readings.
When using a measuring tool, it doesn’t have the protection of its case or storage
space, so it’s especially crucial to handle it carefully. Take care to avoid sudden
shocks or rough treatment such as dropping, throwing or banging the device against
hard surfaces. Placing rubber mats in workspaces can help protect tools from
damage should someone accidentally drop them.
It’s also essential that you only use your instruments for their intended purposes.
Never use measuring tools as hammers or to pry open other objects. Calipers, for
instance, have ID jaws that come to sharp points. They appear to be ideal for cutting
open boxes, but using calipers in this way cause burrs to form on the jaws. Even
though these burrs may be too small to see with the naked eye, they can still affect
the accuracy of the instrument.
As mentioned earlier, you may also want to avoid touching instruments that are
especially sensitive with your bare hands, as the oils on your skin can cause
corrosion. For some tools, minimizing the time you spend holding it or only touching
it at certain points may be enough. For the most sensitive instruments or those you
need to handle more frequently, you can use lint-free gloves or accessories, such as
tweezers, lifters and forks, made specifically to handle sensitive instruments.
Another reason to avoid handling measuring tools for long periods is the heat your
body produces. Holding an instrument for an extended period can cause it to heat
up, potentially throwing off the accuracy of the unit. You should also avoid setting it
on hot or cold sources and keep it away from sources of cold air or heat. Throughout
the entire process of using the instrument, be careful to keep it at the proper
temperature.
Training is vital for ensuring the proper handling of measuring equipment at all
times. Employees should receive sufficient training for each type of instrument they
will use, so they know how to take accurate measurements without damaging the
tools.

Maintenance
You will also need to periodically conduct preventive gage maintenance, including
regular lubrication and calibration. It’s helpful to create a schedule for when you will
perform maintenance so you can ensure the necessary tasks get done. You may also
want to create a system for keeping track of what maintenance tasks you complete
at which times and the conditions of your various instruments. You may want to do
some upkeep yourself and outsource other assignments to third parties.
One essential aspect of gage maintenance is lubrication, as it will prevent damage
caused by corrosion and oxidation. It’s crucial that you lubricate each device as
frequently as is recommended for each device and that you use the right lubricants
in the right amounts. For many types of precision measuring tools, lightly oil them
after each use. Be sure to remove any excess oil from the surfaces of the instrument
using a clean, dry cloth. If a device is visibly wet with oil, it may attract particles that
can cause internal wear of certain parts.
Be sure to use the right types of oils, and don’t use penetrating oils or other
substances made for purposes besides light lubrication. WD-40, for example, may
leave a film on your instrument that can affect its calibration. Even a thin layer can
throw off the accuracy of some sensitive instruments.
Calibration is another crucial part of proper gage maintenance. Many types of
measuring devices require regular calibration to ensure they perform correctly and
take accurate measurements. Calibration involves comparing a measurement made
by your instrument with the value of the same measurement, as defined by an
accepted standard. This comparison serves to check the accuracy of the tool. If the
device’s measurement differs from the standard to a significant degree, you will
need to repair the instrument so it is accurate. For some devices, you may want to
work with a professional calibration company that can ensure your devices have the
correct calibration.
You should calibrate your instruments according to the schedule recommended for
each device. All measurement devices drift out of calibration over time, so it’s vital
to recalibrate them regularly. In addition to your scheduled recalibrations, you may
also need to recalibrate your instruments in certain other situations, such as:
 When it’s undergone a shock such as a fall
 When it’s experienced harsh conditions
 When it’s producing readings that seem incorrect

Ensure Accurate Calibration

With MicronPA
To ensure proper care and maintenance of your measuring tools, it’s crucial to work
with partners who can provide the maintenance-related services you need. One such
partner is MicronPA.
We can perform calibrations to help you ensure your equipment is taking accurate
measurements. We have received accreditation from the American Association for
Laboratory Accreditation and are ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E) registered, and we are fully
qualified to provide calibration services to organizations across a range of industries.
We offer in-house and on-site calibration services, and our technicians will make
necessary minor repairs and adjustments to bring your devices into spec at no extra
charge. For every calibration, we provide a calibration label that identifies the
equipment number, calibration date, the due date of next gage calibration, the
identity of our laboratory and the person who conducted the calibration. Additionally,
we’ll provide a long-form certificate that documents and validates all work, and we
also offer online reporting and storage of calibration records.
We also offer a quick turnaround time, pickup and delivery options and calibration
training. We have a wide range of calibration capabilities, including mechanical and
electronic calibration, and we base all our calibration procedures on ANSI, ASTM,
ASME or NAVAIR procedures.