How to choose a thickness gauge

When buying a used car, it is necessary to make sure of the quality of its paintwork and in the absence of serious repairs after traffic accidents. This will help compact thickness gauge - a device that allows you to accurately measure the layer of paint and varnish and determine whether the repair and painting of a specific body element, or the car is in factory paint.

Top Thickness Manufacturers

Due to the fairly simple design, to manufacture thickness gauges at the present time began a variety of manufacturers. Preference should be given to proven brands used by professional painters:

1. Megeon

2. Etari

3. Keeper

4. Horstek

5. ADA

6. Condrol

The products of these companies have a decent functionality and allows you to quickly perform accurate measurements of the paintwork. User feedback on specific models can be found on the Internet.

Types of thickness gauges LPC

Magnetic Thickness Gauges

The oldest type of device, based on the principle of operation of which is the magnetic field. A magnet is installed in the device case, and an arrow serves as an indicator. Depending on the thickness of the paint layer, the position of the arrow changes, so that one can judge the state of one or another element.

Virtues

• Simple;

• Do not require a power source;

• Unpretentious;

disadvantages

• Only ferromagnetic metals are measured;

• Low accuracy of the results;

Electromagnetic Thickness Gauge

The principle of operation is similar to the above, the difference lies in the source of the magnetic field. In the role of the latter is the electromagnet, powered by batteries. The electromagnetic field generated by it and serves as an indicator of the thickness of the coating layer in the measured place.

Virtues

• Inexpensive;

• Relatively accurate;

• Reliable enough;

disadvantages

• Requires replacement of batteries;

• Only able to measure ferromagnetic materials;

Eddy current meters

The principle of their work is based on the creation of eddy currents on the measured surface. The signal is processed by a special sensor and, depending on the strength of the eddy currents in a particular place, it is concluded that the factory paintwork or the car was repaired.

Virtues

• High measurement accuracy;

• Allow to make measurements in any conditions;

• Simple construction;

disadvantages

• Designed to work exclusively with non-magnetic metals (aluminum, magnesium);

• Enough expensive;

Ultrasonic Thickness Gauges

The most advanced type of device that allows you to perform accurate measurements of any metals and "punch" a layer of paint and putty up to 3000 microns. The principle of operation is based on ultrasound, reflected from a solid surface and returning back. Allow to measure any type of material, including plastic.

Virtues

• The most functional, measure all types of materials, without exception;

• Compact size;

• High accuracy of measurements - up to 3%;

disadvantages

• High price;

The main criteria for the selection of thickness gauges

After the buyer has decided on a specific amount that he is willing to spend on the purchase of a thickness gauge, and determined the class of suitable devices for his needs, it is necessary to pay close attention to the basic technical aspects of the operation of these devices.

1. Power supply. All models of thickness gauges, with the exception of magnetic, work from an external power source. Its functions can perform as batteries, and built-in battery. The latter are more preferable because they allow you not to think about the need to buy batteries;

2. The design. On sale you can meet the device type and model of the hammer, equipped with a sensor. The first require pressing the trigger to perform the measurement, the second begin the measurement automatically as soon as the sensor touches the surface;

3. Display size and backlight availability. The larger the display size, the more readable the device readings will be, and thanks to the backlight, it is possible to measure in the dark;

4. Units. The most popular are devices that measure in millimeters or microns. In principle, this is the same thing, only with different gradation - micron is a thousandth of a millimeter. Respectively, the devices showing in microns, possess bigger frequency rate and display more detailed information on a condition of a paint and varnish covering of the car;

In the following articles we tell how tochoose car alarm and what to look for when buying a used car.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.