As early as the sixth (6th ) century, calipers have been used as evidenced by the recovered instruments found in shipwrecks or sunken ships. A caliper simply is a tool to measure the distance between two points that are located opposite one another. It is rather cumbersome, even with experts in measurement to determine the distance between two points located at opposite sides. However, with the advent of the invention of the digital caliper, all a person has to do is to read out from the LED screen or display the accurate measurement of the distance between the points. This is the reason why, nowadays, many prefer digital caliper instead of that of the analog one.
The precision of digital calipers extends to the range of 0.0001 of an inch or equivalent to one (1) micrometer. All that a user has to do is to manipulate the device with a simple touch of a button. After processing, the digital caliper would then display the result or reading on the LED display or screen. As in if a person would wish to compare different objects, the measurement can be done repeatedly in order to make a good comparison of the results as to its accuracy.
Due to the various variations of the designs of different manufacturers which boast astonishing features, there is now a popular refinement of design wherein the analog dial is replaced with a digital one in order for the display to be easily read as a single value. There are also other variants were with only a push of a button, the user can switch to the desired units of the output value, like in centimeters, millimeters, and inches. The design provides for easy and convenient reading from the LED display even in technically impossible or awkward angles and environmental conditions.
There is a heavy market competition where numerous companies have invested in the production of digital calipers, however, those that are made in China can be purchased at a relatively low cost without compromising the quality of the performance of the device. There are however some notable considerations to keep in mind when purchasing a digital caliper. One is the battery current and switching functions. There are numerous brands of calipers that do not stop consuming power from the battery even if the device is turned off. They appear only to be shut down by turning off the display but still, power is being drawn from the battery.
The current consumption could be as much as twenty microamperes which are relatively higher than that of some respectable brands. The main drawback is that whenever the battery voltage has become low or insufficient, the digital caliper may not work properly. As compared to alkaline button cells like LR44, silver cells like SR44 are proven to deliver a constant voltage all throughout their battery life.
Now, there is massive production of digital calipers which boast a serial data output for easy interconnectivity with other devices such as a personal computer or a recording medium. This new advancement provides for the convenience of recording the measurements made, and the readability of the records taken. Examples of such serial data output are RS-232, Universal Serial Bus, or wireless connectivity interface. With the prolific software available in the market, such records can be directly processed and converted or incorporated into spreadsheets, or software that functions to process statistics and control, or any other similar application.
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Purpose of Digital Calipers
The digital caliper serves numerous purposes such as in mechanical engineering studies, technical researches, dimension-making methods, and domestic purposes. The circuitry designed and implemented inside this electronic device is responsible for the diverse readings done in a manner that is almost automatic.
When it comes to accuracy with respect to digital calipers, the level of accuracy reaches up to the extent of 0.02 millimeters and a resolution of 0.01 millimeter. Due to this high level of accuracy, many consumers are impressed with the quality of performance of digital calipers as there are no time lags when it comes to the readings to be displayed on the electronic scale. Likewise, it is possible to obtain readings in both imperial units and the metric system of units.
Digital calipers are usually made of high-grade stainless steel materials which accounts for the durability and tenacity of the device aside from its characteristic of being resistant to corrosion and scratches which can be obtained while measuring the dimensions of different subject materials.
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