EXPERIMENT NO.

22
Object: Use of three wire method to determine the effective diameter of external threads.
Apparatus Required: Thread measuring metric wire set, bolt carrying thread on it,
pitch gauge, micrometer.
Theory: The effective diameter or pitch diameter of a thread is the diameter of an
imaginary co-axial cylinder whose surface passes through the thread at a point where the
width of the thread is equal to the space. From the diameter over wires, the diameter at
the point of contact can be calculated, knowing the thread angle. From this value the
diameter where the width equals half the pitch can be calculated, which is effective
diameter.
Three wire thread measuring method is an effective, fast and accurate method for
measuring the threads effective diameter !pitch diameter".
Fig.22.1: Wire holders with standard wire set.
The figure shows holders with wires which are made with standard dimensions. These
holders are available with set with metric wires of various measurements.
#n order to provide for accurate tightening of screws and for accurate mating of outside
thread to fasteners with inside threads, outside thread must be meticulously measured for
uniformity.
Procedure:
1. $easure the pitch of the given thread using pitch gauge by ad%usting the best fit
gauge onto the thread hori&ontally.
2. 'elect a suitable set of wire, the wire si&e is given by !p()"cos* where p is the
pitch of thread, and * is the half the included angle. The nearest available set is
chosen for the experiment.
3. +old the threaded ob%ect vertical in a suitable device.
4. #nsert the wire holder on the micrometer and apply over the thread so that the pins
are located between the micrometer faces and thread as shown in figure.
Fig.22.2: Three Wire Method using micrometer anvils.
5. ,ently rock the micrometer while closing it so that it beds down well on the wires
and at the same time rotates it about the plug to find the greatest reading !i.e. a
diameter".
6. -ote the diameter over wires.
7. .epeat the same procedure at different positions along the around the thread.
8. /alculate the effective external diameter.
9. /heck the same using empirical formula for amount of error.
Foru!ae:
For metric thread.
*0123
d0 !p()" cos*
$0456d-7.8788p
or 40$-6d57.8788p.
9here,
*0Thread :ngle.
d0diameter of required single wire of standard holder.
p0pitch of the thread
$0mean diameter of the thread
40;ffective 4iameter of thread.
Check by ;mpirical Formula<
402.=>p
Obser"atio# Tab!e:
S. no. Pitch of thread
(p)
Best ire dia.
re!"ired (d)
#ia. o$er
%ire (&)
'ffecti$e
dia. (#)
7.
).
6.
Precautio#s:
$. The wires should be chosen as near as possible to the best fit wire.
2. There should not be any play between the wire holder and thread.
%. .eading should be taken carefully.
&. $icrometer should be ad%usted accurately.
'. The surface of threads should be made clean before any measurement is taken.
(. 9ire holder used should be of metric si&e.
)o#c!usio#:
#t has been observed that Three 9ire $ethod for measuring the effective diameter of
thread is accurate, easy and economic. The causes of errors in measurement are due to
improper selection of best fit wire and manual measurements.