Mold Maker Saves 40% in Time
Using New Height Gage

	Marland Mold Inc. (Pittsfield, MA), manufacturer of complex metal molds, saves up to 40% in time using the Sylvac Z-Cal height gage. Operators at Marland Mold used to use separate height gages and indicators for each part feature. According to Wayne Ciepiela, quality assurance manager for Marland Mold, it took several hours to set up all the measuring stations needed to assure a good mold.
	The Z_Cal can be operated with one hand and measures heights, lengths and slots, as well as centerline locations and center distances, and internal and external diameters using a light measuring pressure.

Measuring Step Reduction Equals Time Savings
"We needed a single tool that could measure diameters, heights and depths," said Ciepiela. "Often, we had to scrounge around the plant to collect enough measuring devices to check the parts produced by our cylindrical grinders." Jim Asmussen, computer numerical control (CNC) machine operator, and Al Sirois, quality technician for Marland Mold, said adding the gage has made it much easier to measure certain parts such as, the position of a hole in a block of steel. With the height gage, if hole positions are on the length of a bar, diameter and location is measured in a single operation. "If you use a regular indicator, height gage and transfer stand, you would have to sweep the top and bottom of the hole and transfer to the indicator then to the height gage," said Sirois. "With the Z-Cal, you cut out 75% of these steps, beside getting all the calculations done for you." The gage can be operated with one hand and measures heights, lengths and slots, as well as centerline locations and center distances, and internal and external diameters using a light measuring pressure. It has an accuracy of 0.00014 inch (0.004) millimeter and 0.00024 inch (0.006) millimeter. Marland Mold uses the optional probes that have diameters of 1 millimeter and 2 millimeters for miniature parts. The Z-Cal has a repeatability of 0.00008 inch @ ±2 sigma.
According to Ciepiela, the gage has reduced the number of rejected parts caused by human errors and made the measurements more reliable as well as being easy to operate. "With the Z-Cal, which is easy to operate, we're saving 30% to 40% of the time it used to take to make measurements," Ciepiela said.	Z_Cal Primary benefits A 40% time savings in measuring diameters, height and length Reduction in rejects caused by human error. Measurements are done with one tool vs. several height gages indicators