Checking gauge having integrated features and method of making the same
View Patent ↗A gauge for checking the tolerance of a manufactured tube having at least one bend therein is digitally manufactured layer-by-layer using an additive manufacturing machine. Multiple features of the gauge are integrated with each other within a common reference coordinate system to precisely locate the features relative to each other.
1. A method of making a gauge for checking a tolerance of a manufactured tube having at least one bend therein, comprising:
forming at least a first gauge block by successively laying down a material in layers using an additive manufacturing machine, including forming a radiused tube channel having a predefined tolerance boundary for the tube.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the gauge block includes integrally forming a visible tolerance marker on the gauge block as the material is being laid down in layers.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the radiused tube channel includes:
forming sidewalls configured to provide tolerance boundaries, and
forming cutouts in the sidewalls of the radiused tube channel as the material is being laid down in layers which allow a manufactured tube placed in the radiused tube channel to be grasped.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein building the gauge block is performed layer-by-layer using numerically controlled additive manufacturing.
5. A gauge for checking a tolerance of a manufactured tube having at least one bend therein, comprising:
at least a first gauge block formed of fused layers of material and including an integrally formed radiused tube channel having a predefined tolerance boundary, and a plurality of features integrated within a common reference coordinate system.
6. The gauge of claim 5 , further comprising:
at least a second gauge block formed of fused layers of material and including an integrally formed radiused tube channel having a predefined tolerance boundary, and a plurality of features integrated within the common reference coordinate system; and
a base, wherein the first and second gauge blocks are mounted on the base and are aligned within the common reference coordinate system.
7. The gauge of claim 6 wherein the base and the first and second gauge blocks are integrally formed with each other.
8. A gauge for checking a tolerance of a manufactured tube having at least one bend therein, comprising:
at least a first gauge block including an integrally formed radiused tube channel having a predefined tolerance boundary including a visible tolerance marker to indicate whether an end of the manufactured tube is within a length tolerance, and a plurality of features integrated within a common reference coordinate system.
9. A gauge for checking a tolerance of a manufactured tube having at least one bend therein, comprising:
at least a first gauge block including an integrally formed radiused tube channel having a predefined tolerance boundary, and a plurality of features integrated within a common reference coordinate system,
the radiused tube channel including sidewalls configured to form the tolerance boundary, and cutouts in the sidewalls of the tube channel which allow a manufactured tube placed in the tube channel to be grasped.