Easy maintenance tutorial for calipers with gauges

1、 Understand the structure of calipers with gauges

Main components: 1 Main ruler (with scale) 2 Travel ruler/slide 3 Gear and rack system (core) 4 Pointer/dial 5 Adjust screw 6 Depth ruler 7 Locking screw

2、 Preparation of maintenance tools

1. tool

   • Small clock screwdriver (straight/cross)

   • Precision tweezers

   • alcohol

   • Non woven fabric, cotton swab

   • Precision clock oil or light lubricating oil

   • Magnifying glass (optional)

2. working environment

   • Clean and dust-free workbench

   • Adequate lighting

   • Use anti-static pad (optional)

3、 Common faults and maintenance

Fault 1: The pointer does not move or jumps

Possible reasons：

• The gear rack has dirt

• Gear damage

• Spring failure

Repair steps：

1. Loosen the locking screw and remove the dial

2. Clean the rack and gear with an alcohol swab

3. Check if the gears have broken teeth (need to be replaced)

4. Check if the spring is detached or deformed

Fault 2: Inaccurate pointer zeroing

Possible reasons：

• Gear meshing position offset

• Loose pointer installation

adjustment method：

1. Close the caliper

2. Loosen the dial fixing screws (usually 2)

3. Rotate the dial to make the pointer point to "0"

4. Retighten the screws (alternate and evenly tighten)

5. Test whether multiple opening and closing cycles are stable and return to zero

Fault 3: Smooth sliding/stuck

Possible reasons：

• There are impurities on the guide rail

• Poor lubrication

• Deformation or wear

Repair steps：

1. Clean the guide rail

   • Wipe the guide rail with an alcohol cloth

   • Clean the groove with a fine needle

2. Check for scratches on the guide rail

3. Apply a small amount of lubricating oil

   • Only a small amount of oil at the guide rail point

   • Prevent oil stains from contaminating the gear rack

Fault 4: Blurred dial/bent pointer

repair：

1. Blurred dialYou can gently wipe the dial glass with an alcohol swab

2. The pointer is bent：

   • Gently correct with tweezers

   • If it breaks, it needs to be replaced

Fault 5: Depth gauge malfunction

Possible reasons：

• Depth scale bending

• Fixed looseness

process：

1. Check the straightness of the depth gauge

2. If there is slight bending, try to correct it with light pressure

3. Tighten loose screws

4、 Detailed disassembly steps (cautious operation)

Step 1: Safety preparation

1. Record the original state (take photos)

2. Prepare classified containers to place small parts

Step 2: Remove the dial

1. Remove the depth gauge (if any)

2. Loosen the dial fixing screw

3. Carefully remove the dial assembly

4. Be aware that there may be gaskets, do not lose them

Step 3: Cleaning and Maintenance

1. Rack cleaning：

   • Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to wipe unidirectionally along the rack direction

   • Avoid wiping back and forth

2. Gear cleaning：

   • Soak the gear components in alcohol

   • Gently scrub with a soft brush

   • Dry before assembling

3. Guide rail cleaning：

   • Check for burrs

   • Slight burrs can be lightly ground with fine sandpaper (1000 # or above)

Step 4: Assembly and Debugging

1. Assemble in reverse order of disassembly

2. Gear meshing adjustment:

   • There should be a slight gap but no looseness

   • Smooth and seamless movement without any lag

3. Pointer installation:

   • Ensure that the pointer is well matched with the gear shaft

   • Gently press into place

5、 Calibration and Testing

Calibration steps:

1. rough adjustment：

   • Close the caliper and adjust the pointer to "0"

   • Move 10mm and check if the pointer rotates once (mostly 1 circle=1mm)

2. fine-tuning：

   • Test using standard measuring blocks

   • Test multiple points: 10mm, 25mm, 50mm, etc

3. repeatability test：

   • Measure multiple times at the same position and observe the consistency of the pointer

Accuracy standard:

• Normal level: ± 0.02mm

• After precise adjustment, it should be able to reach within ± 0.03mm

6、 Daily maintenance and upkeep

After daily use:

1. Wipe the measuring surface with a clean cloth

2. Check the pointer zeroing status

3. Release the locking device

4. Put it back in the dedicated box

Weekly maintenance:

1. Clean the rack and guide rail

2. Check if the screws are loose

Monthly maintenance:

1. clean

2. Check gear wear

3. Add lubricating oil in moderation

7、 Important precautions

⚠️Maintenance restrictions：

• The rack is severely worn and requires professional grinding or replacement

• Gear breakage requires replacement of the entire set of gears

• Main ruler deformation should be returned to the factory for repair

• Inexperienced individuals are not allowed to disassemble the balance spring components

⚠️Operation warning：

1. Prevent the spring from bouncing off during disassembly

2. Do not use excessive lubricating oil

3. The tightening force of the screw is moderate

4. Avoid scratching gears with hard objects

8、 Simplified troubleshooting process

Pointer not moving → Check gear meshing → Clean rack → Check spring
Pointer jumping → Clean rack → Check gear wear → Check guide rail
Sliding stuck → Clean guide rail → Lubricate → Check for deformation
Inaccurate zeroing → Adjust pointer position → Check gear clearance

promptThe caliper with a gauge is a precision machine, and simple maintenance can only solve common problems. In case of complex faults or high precision requirements, it is recommended to send them to a professional repair point or return them to the factory for processing. Accuracy verification must be performed after repair before use.

If you have technical support (maintenance), please contact: Nal Industrial Equipment (Suzhou) Co., Ltd