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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Wall thickness measuring method and apparatus

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6771069
An apparatus for measuring the wall thickness of a nonmagnetic article having a housing supporting a magnet and a contiguous supporting surface. The tubular article and the housing are releasably secured to the supporting surface and a support member of an optical comparator, respectively. To determine the wall thickness of the article at a selected point, a magnetically responsive ball is positioned within the tubular article over said point and retained therein by means of a magnetic field produced by the magnet. Thereafter, an optical comparator is employed to project a magnified image of the ball on a screen and the wall thickness at the selected point is calculated by using a ball surface measurement taken with the comparator in conjunction with a previously determined base line measurement.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
Assignee:
TIC; EDB-88-179308
Patent Number(s):
PATENTS-US-A6105154
OSTI ID:
6771069
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English