Thread inspection systems and methods

1. A screw thread inspection system, comprising:

a body comprising a first portion configured as a datum reference, and a second portion configured to support a dimension measurement system;

the dimension measurement system operationally coupled to the second portion and comprising a measurement tip;

the dimension measurement system configured to determine distance from the datum reference to the measurement tip along a first measurement axis;

the dimension measurement system also configured so that the measurement tip can translate relative to the body along a second axis perpendicular to the first measurement axis.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second axis is a second measurement axis, and the dimension measurement system is configured to determine distance along the second axis.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the dimension measurement system comprises a trolley configured to translate along the second axis relative to the second portion.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dimension measurement system comprises a slider, a measurement head at one end of the slider and the measurement tip associated with the measurement head.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the dimension measurement system comprises a support structure configured to augment the structural rigidity of the dimension measurement system.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a visual indicator configured to display distance along the first axis between the measurement tip and the datum reference.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the visual indicator is a dial indicator, scaled rule, or digital display.

8. A method of inspecting a screw thread system with the system of claim 1 , comprising:

contacting the datum reference to a dimensional reference associated with the screw thread system;

translating the measurement tip associated with the dimension measurement system along the first axis to a first thread system artifact;

zeroing the dimension measurement system along the first axis at the first artifact;

translating the measurement tip along the second axis away from the first artifact;

translating the measurement tip along the first and second axes to a second thread system artifact;

and

displaying the distance along the first axis between the first and second artifact on a visual indicator.

9. A method of inspecting a wedge thread system having a plurality of stab flanks and a plurality of load flanks with the system of claim 1 , comprising:

providing a wedge thread inspection system comprising a body comprising a first portion configured as a datum reference, and a second portion;

a dimension measurement system coupled to the second portion of the body and configured to determine distance from the datum reference along a first axis defined by the body;

the dimension measurement system also configured to translate along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and

a visual indicator configured to display distance data from the dimension measurement system;

contacting the datum reference to a dimensional reference associated with the wedge thread system;

translating a contact element associated with the dimension measurement system along the first axis to a first thread system artifact;

zeroing the dimension measurement system along the first axis to the first artifact;

translating the datum reference along the first axis to a second thread system artifact; and

displaying the distance between the first and second artifact along the first axis on the visual indicator.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first thread system artifact is a stab flank and the second artifact is a load flank.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

acquiring a plurality of additional stab flank distances along the first axis for the thread system; and

determining a stab flank lead for the thread system.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

acquiring a plurality of additional load flank distances along the first axis for the thread system; and

determining a load flank lead for the thread system.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: determining whether the thread system suffers one or more drunken leads.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and second artifacts are associated with a predetermined thread design sweet spot having a design distance from the dimensional reference.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the visual indicator is a dial indicator, scaled rule or digital display.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the visual indicator is a dial indicator, scaled rule or digital display.

17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first thread system artifact is a stab flank and the second artifact is a load flank.

18. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first and second artifacts are associated with a predetermined thread design sweet spot having a design distance from the dimensional reference.

19. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

acquiring a plurality of additional stab flank distances along the first axis for the thread system; and

determining a stab flank lead for the thread system.

20. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

acquiring a plurality of additional load flank distances along the first axis for the thread system; and

determining a load flank lead for the thread system.