Self Study Program 821003 – Metrics for Mechanics

VAG SSP 821003. As a technician, you use many different kinds of tools to make effective repairs, and to help make your job faster and easier. Some are common hand tools, used with skills that you developed early, through your own experience. Others are special tools and test equipment with very specific functions that may require special training. For this course, we want to focus on measuring tools.

After completing this self-study course, you should:

• Be comfortable with measurements and calculations using metric units
• Understand the functions, advantages and limits of various measuring tools
• Know why to choose a particular tool for a particular job

Like other special tools, these require some specialized knowledge and training. Precise measurement techniques are not foolproof. There are correct ways to use these tools to achieve meaningful results. Whether diagnosing a problem, evaluating wear, verifying proper specifications or making precise adjustments, accurate measurements can be the foundation of an entire repair. Remember, too, that any measurement is only as accurate as the tool you are using to make it. We need to understand the limits of our tools, and not expect more precision than they can deliver. Careful handling of the tools themselves is also necessary to ensure that they maintain their accuracy.

The title of this self-study course, Metrics for Mechanics, has a double meaning. Metric is a word that dictionaries define as a noun, meaning a standard of measurement or a means of specifying values. So, when we say metrics we refer to the science of measurement.

Metric is also defined as an adjective referring to the metric system  of measurement based on the unit of length called a meter.

In this course, we are concerned with both meanings. We will explore the use of measuring tools and the task of making measurements, including capabilities and limits of various tools, how to choose the best one for a particular task, and how to make accurate measurements.

We will also be almost exclusively talking about measurements based on units of the metric system. Volkswagen designers and engineers work in metric units. The factories check their work and evaluate quality using metric units. It follows, then, that the specifications we find in the repair literature and use in our repairs are also given in metric units. To start, we will highlight the basics, so this will also serve as a metric system refresher course.

The self-study program is divided into an introductory section, as well as separate sections on:

• Vernier calipers
• Micrometers
• Dial indicators

CONTENTS

• Introduction
• Metric System Basics
• Measurement Basics
• Vernier Caliper
• Micrometer
• Dial Indicator
• Dial Bore Gauge
• Feeler Gauge
• Torque Wrench
• Appendix

Language: English
Format: PDF
Pages: 63

Self Study Program 821003 – Metrics for Mechanics