Buiskaliber

Buiskaliber, literally meaning “tube caliber” in Dutch, is a family of instruments used to determine the inside diameter of tubes, pipes, and bores. In English technical usage, the term is often equivalent to bore gauge or inside-diameter gauge. Buiskalibers are common in manufacturing, quality control, and maintenance where accurate internal dimensions are required.

Most buiskalibers fall into two broad categories: contact gauges and plug-type gauges. Contact gauges include telescoping or dial bore gauges that expand or travel along the bore axis to measure a diameter, while plug gauges are fixed or adjustable plugs calibrated to specific diameters. Digital variants provide direct readouts, reducing interpretation errors. Some buiskalibers combine features, offering both a mechanical and digital readout.

To use a buiskaliber, the instrument is inserted into the bore and the relevant measurement is read, depending on the gauge type. For go/no-go or tolerance checks, fixed-size plug gauges verify whether the bore falls within specified limits. Accurate use relies on calibration against reference standards, proper alignment with the bore axis, and sometimes temperature compensation, since measurements can be affected by thermal expansion.

Typical tolerances depend on size and application, ranging from a few micrometers in precision work to hundredths of a millimeter in general-purpose piping. Proper storage, cleanliness, and periodic calibration against certified gauges are standard practices in metrology laboratories and industry shops.

See also: bore gauge, inside micrometer, go/no-go gauge, calipers, metrology.