# What Does Inc Stand For On My Mitutoyo Caliper



## tackit (Jul 14, 2016)

Can someone tell me what INC stands for on my Mitutoyo caliper? In the upper left hand corner of the picture. thanks


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## Bob Korves (Jul 14, 2016)

Incremental?


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## Paul in OKC (Jul 14, 2016)

Incremental would be my thought as well. Not sure why on a caliper, but.......


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## Wreck™Wreck (Jul 14, 2016)

Incremental mode can be zeroed with a gauge then when measuring multiple parts will tell the operator how big or small of the target size it is,, this is useful for employees that have little or no skill at taking measurements. It will read +.oo something or -.00 something, removes a lot of the actual thinking and associated mistakes.


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## Billh50 (Jul 14, 2016)

Wreck is correct. I had a set like that years ago. well until an apprentice dropped a part on the display and broke it in pieces.


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## tackit (Jul 14, 2016)

Thanks for the education guys, it's puzzled me for a long time.


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## T Bredehoft (Jul 14, 2016)

My $9.99 Harbor Freight digital caliper doesn't say INC, but it works that way. Set zero on a .500 gage block and measure drill rod, It shows plus or minus whatever. 

I never thought of using it for that. Thanks.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Jul 15, 2016)

T Bredehoft said:


> My $9.99 Harbor Freight digital caliper doesn't say INC, but it works that way. Set zero on a .500 gage block and measure drill rod, It shows plus or minus whatever.
> 
> I never thought of using it for that. Thanks.


If you ever program CNC machines be extremely aware that they have an absolute mode and an incremental mode, absolute is the way most drawings are made. However I run some machines with conversational controls that will turn from ABS to INC at the wrong push of a button, this will result in a serious crash.

I believe G90  is absolute, G91 is incremental both are modal and stay in effect until changed by another line or the program ends.


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## T Bredehoft (Jul 18, 2016)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> I believe G90 is absolute, G91 is incremental both are modal and stay in effect until changed by another line or the program ends.



I was working toward that as I read your first line. Yeah, I knew that, just hadn't converted my mind to associating G90/91 with a hand held tool.


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