Calipers

Article summary

Calipers or callipers are an instrument used to measure the linear dimensions of an object or hole; namely, the length, width, thickness, diameter or depth of an object or hole. The word caliper comes from a corrupt form of caliber. Many types of calipers permit reading out a measurement on a ruled scale, a dial, or an electronic digital display. A common association is to calipers using a sliding vernier scale. Some calipers can be as simple as a compass with inward or outward-facing points, but with no scale (measurement indication). The tips of the caliper are adjusted to fit across the points to be measured, and then kept at that span while moved to separate measuring device, such as a ruler, or simply transferred directly to a workpiece. Calipers are used in many fields such as mechanical engineering, metalworking, forestry, woodworking, science and medicine.

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