Do’s and don’ts with dial indicators

Just because dial indicators have been around since the early 1900s, do not expect them to fade away with the last century. This tool’s long-term popularity is well earned. Dial indicators offer good resolution at low cost but that is not the main reason people still use them.

Beyond providing easy-to-read quantitative measurement, dial indicators give users a comparative sense that their parts are in the ballpark. You simply see if the indicator's needle is within tolerance bands or, simpler still lies within red sections highlighted on the dial. No interpreting is necessary. Not every result may read like a home run, but as long as it is not in the outfield, it scores as a good part.