Tapers are identified by two different means in the machining industry. The first is angular dimension, and the second is:
a. total length of part.
b. diameter of part at one end.
c. both length of part and diameter change.
d. None of the above.
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is b. diameter of part at one end.
Explanation:
In the machining industry, tapers are commonly used when parts need to gradually change in diameter from one end to another. The two primary ways to identify or describe a taper are by angular dimension and diameter at one end.
- Angular Dimension: This is the angle formed by the tapered surface relative to the horizontal or vertical axis. It is often given in degrees, indicating the slope of the taper. The angular dimension is crucial because it specifies the rate of change in the diameter over the length of the tapered part. For example, a 5° taper means that for every unit of length along the part, the diameter changes by a proportional amount determined by the angle.
- Diameter at One End: The second way to identify a taper is by the diameter at one end. Since the taper has a gradual change in diameter from one end to another, knowing the diameter of the part at one end allows the machinist to calculate the degree of taper or the angle of the taper, assuming the total length of the part is known. In other words, the diameter at one end is one of the key dimensions that helps to define the taper, along with the angular dimension.
While the total length of the part (option a) and the change in both length and diameter (option c) are important in certain contexts, they do not directly identify the taper in the same way the diameter at one end does. The total length only tells us how long the part is, and while the diameter change over the length is important, it’s the diameter at one specific end that, along with the angle, helps identify the taper.
Thus, the most accurate way to describe a taper, besides the angular dimension, is by the diameter of the part at one end.