Special Gaging Measuring Hot Steel During Rolling, Forging or Extruding Starrett Special Gage was asked by a customer to develop a new gage for measuring hot steel flat stock during the rolling process. The old measuring device utilized a gage with a crude fractional dial that did not provide accurate or repeatable results. In addition, it often stuck to the hot steel and ruined the piece being measured. Even worse, on several occasions, the old process caused burn injuries to the operator. The customer needed a new solution that provided precise and reliable results, a much lower scrap rate, and ensured operator safety. The application presented some unique challenges. Any operation that requires contact with hot steel is dangerous and must be of very brief duration. Da t aSure® Wireless Da t a Collection Starrett introduced the DataSure® Wireless Data Collection System several years after the hot steel gage was developed and it was a perfect fit for this application. With DataSure® ,the measurement data can be recorded and sent to a data collection application with 100% reliability immediately after it is recorded by the indicator. Many manufacturers now include DataSure when they order these gages, and existing gages have been field-retrofitted. The Hot Steel Gage is now a family of products with capacities up to 12" Hot Steel Gage with a DataSure® End Node Variation on a theme: A large caliper with long reach for web thickness of train tracks hot or cold. From Problem to Solution After collaboration between the engineering staffs of our customer and the Starrett Special Gage group, a radically different gage was developed that met all of the design criteria. The Hot Steel Gage • Takes measurements quickly, with only two seconds of contact • Uses an electronic indicator with a hold feature to lock the reading so it can be safely read away from the dangerous area, and in better light conditions • Nickel plated to minimize radiant heat transfer • The operator's hand stays 12" away from the hot steel • The gage is very accurate, measuring to ±.003" A Family of Gages A number of satisfied companies are now using the Hot Steel Gage. Starrett has developed a family of related products with capacities up to 12" (in 1" or 3" increments) and 2' or 3' in-reach capacity. Other variations have modified jaws for measuring round stock. 253 starrett.com S pecial G aging