The Fred V. Fowler Company and Bowers Metrology unveiled a new type of bore gage to the US market in 2004 called Smart Plugs. Smart Plugs are a dedicated plug gage that is specially manufactured to measure a specific size bore. These plug gages are available in sizes from .236”-11.025” (6-280mm) but each plug only has a maximum range of about .006”/.15mm. Smart Plugs are one of Fowler’s most popular selling bore gages.
Smart Plugs are a great production type gage and ideal for companies that need to measure the same size bore in a high volume of parts. These bore gages are build for speed and have a high degree of accuracy and repeatability. Operator influence is not really a factor as the gages are so dedicated and does not require much skill to use.
Smart Plugs don’t have to be used in a lab type environment and are most commonly used on the shop floor. The two-point contacts are great for companies who need to check if their bores have any roundness issues. An operator can measure the bore, then rotate the measuring contacts 90 degrees and take another measurement. If the measurements are the same, then the operator knows that there are not any roundness issues.
If a customer chooses a Smart Plug for their application, there are a variety of different types of indicators the end user can use for their readout. Typical delivery for Smart Plugs is about 4-6 weeks as they are custom made by Bowers for each specific application. If a company has to make a high volume of bore measurements of the same size and can wait the delivery time, Smart Plugs are highly recommended.
If you would like to learn more about Smart Plugs or would like a quote, please email [email protected].