This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Australian Standard

ENGINEERS’ STRAIGHTEDGES
AS 1003—1971

METRIC UNITS
 The following scientific, industrial and governmental organizations and departments
were officially represented on the committee entrusted with the preparation of this
standard:

Associated Chambers of Manufactures of Australia

Australian and New Zealand Railways Conferences
CSIRO Division of Applied Physics
Department of the Army
Department of Supply (Small Arms Factory)
Electricity Supply Association of Australia
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries
Metal Trades Industry Association of Australia
Petroleum Refinery Engineers Advisory Committee
Society of Manufacturing Engineers
The Institution of Engineers, Australia
The Institution of Production Engineers
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

The Tractor, Farm Machinery and Construction Equipment Association

of Australia
University of New South Wales
Weapons Research Establishment

This standard, prepared by Committee ME/27, Metrology, was approved by the

Mechanical Engineering Industry Standards Committee on behalf of the Council of the
Standards Association on 23 February 1971.

Review of Australian Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Australian Standards are subject
to periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue of amendments or new edit ions as necessary. It is
important therefore that Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edit ion, and any
amendments thereto.
Full details of all Australi an Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards Australia
Catalogue of Publi cati ons; this informati on is supplemented each month by the magazine ‘The Australi an
Standard’, which subscribing members receive, and which gives details of new publi cati ons, new edit ions
and amendments, and of withdrawn Standards.
Suggesti ons for improvements to Australian Standards, addressed to the head offi ce of Standards Australi a,
are welcomed. Noti fi cati on of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in an Australian Standard should be made
without delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate action taken.

This standard was issued in draft form for public review as Doc. 1576.
 AS 1003—1971

Australian Standard
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

ENGINEERS’ STRAIGHTEDGES

METRIC UNITS

First publi shed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1971

PUBLISHED BY STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

(STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA)
1 THE CRESCENT, HOMEBUSH, NSW 2140
 AS 1003—1971 2

PREFACE

This standard was prepared by the Subcommittee on Measuring Tools and Equipment of the
Committee on Metrology as a part of a general programme of bringing up-to-date and rationalizing
Australian metrology standards, and of introducing metric unit standards.
This standard provides for cast-iron, steel and stone straightedges in metric units; imperial unit
straightedges are specified in a separate standard, AS B307, which supersedes AS B71 and AS B73.
Both the metric and imperial unit standards differ from the superseded standards by providing
for stone straightedges and particularly for those of higher accuracy (Grade AA) with the tolerances
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

equal to half of the values of the former highest Grade A. The material clauses and the general
arrangement of the standards have also been modified.

This Australian standard is one of a series in which the requirements are

expressed solely in metric units. Certain new standards, including revised
standards formerly expressed in imperial units, are identified by a four-digit
reference without a prefix letter.
 3 AS 1003—1971

CONTENTS
SECTION 1. GENERAL
1.1 Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 5
1.2 Nomenclature . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 5
1.3 Terms and Definitions . . . . . . ... .. .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 5
1.4 Standard Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . ..... ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 7
1.5 Methods of Support . . . . . . . .. .. ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 7
1.6 Side Faces and Corners . . . . . . ... .. .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 8
1.7 Marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 9
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

1.8 Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 9

1.9 Protection against Damage and Deterioration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . 10

SECTION 2. CAST-IRON STRAIGHTEDGES

2.1 Bow-shaped Straightedges—Design and Dimensions . . .. .. . .. .. .. ... . .. .. . . 11
2.2 I-section Straightedges — Design and Dimensions . . . . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. ... . 11
2.3 Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . ... . . . .. . . . ... . 13
2.4 Stabilizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . . .. ... . 13
2.5 Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .... .. ... . .. ... . 13
2.6 Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . ... . . . ... . .. ... . 13
2.7 Area of Bearing Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .... .. ... . .. . .. . 13
2.S Surface Texture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .... .. ... . .. ... . 13
2.9 Requirements for Side Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .... .. ... . .. ... . 13

SECTION 3. STEEL STRAIGHTEDGES OF RECTANGULAR SECTION

3.1 Design and Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . .. . .. . . . . . . . 14
3.2 Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . 14
3.3 Stabilizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . . 15
3.4 Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . . . ... . .. . . . . 15
3.5 Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . .. ... . .. . . . . 15

SECTION 4. STONE S TRAIGHTEDGES

4.1 Design and Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . 16
4.2 Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . 16
4.3 Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . 16
4.4 Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . 17
 AS 1003—1971 4

SECTION 5. ACCURACY
5.1 Flatness of Working Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.2 Local Flatness of Working Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 18
5.3 Parallelism of Working Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 18
5.4 Flatness of Side Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 18
5.5 Local Flatness of Side Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 18
5.6 Parallelism of Side Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 20
5.7 Squareness of Side and Working Faces of Steel and Type S
Straightedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

APPENDIX A. NOTES ON SUPPORTING OF STRAIGHTEDGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

APPENDIX B. D ETERMINATION OF B EARING A REA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

FIGURES
1 Alternative Working Attitudes of a Straightedge . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . ... . . . .. . 8
2 Methods of Using Parallels to Support a Straightedge . . . . . . ... . . .... . . . .. . 9
3 Methods of Indicating the Positions of Support . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . ... . . . .. . 9
4 Design and Basic Dimensions of Bow-shaped Straightedges . ... . . ... . . . . .. . 11
5 Design and Basic Dimensions of I-section Straightedges . . . . .. .. . .. .. . . . .. . 12
6 Design of Steel Rectangular Straightedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .. .. . . . .. . 14
7 Design and Basic Dimensions of Stone Straightedges . . . . . . ... . . .... . . . .. . 16
A1-A3 Example of Influence of Positions of Supports on Deflection . ... . . ... . . . . .. . 22

TABLES
1 Nomenclature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... . .... .. . ... 6
2 Standard Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... .. ... . . . ... 7
3 Basic Dimensions of Bow-shaped Straightedges . . . . . . . . . .. ... .. ... .. . ... 12
4 Basic Dimensions of I-section Straightedges . . . . . . . . . . . ..... ..... .. . ... 12
5 Basic Dimensions of Steel Straightedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... .. ... .. . ... 14
6 Basic Dimensions of Stone Straightedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... .. ... .. . ... 16
7 Tolerances for Flatness of Working Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .. ... .. .. . ... 18
8 Tolerances for Local Area Flatness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .. ..... .. . ... 18
9 Tolerances for Parallelism of Working Faces . . . . . . . . . . . ..... ..... .. . ... 19
10 Tolerances for Flatness of Side Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... ..... .. . ... 19
11 Tolerances for Local Flatness of Side Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . .... . .. . ... 19
12 Tolerances for Parallelism of Side Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... .. ... .. . ... 20
13 Tolerances for Squareness of Side Faces to Working Faces . .... . . ... . . . . ... 20
A1 Distance from the Ends of Straightedges of Uniform Section
to their Supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
 5 AS 1003—1971

STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard Specification

for
ENGINEERS’ STRAIGHTEDGES
(METRIC UNITS)

SECTION 1. GENERAL
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

1.1 SCOPE. This standard relates to engineers’ precision straightedges in metric units. It
covers four standard types and provides for three grades of accuracy, as follows:
Cast-iron Straightedges — Bow-shaped—Grades A and B
Cast-iron Straightedges — I-section—Grades A and B
Steel Straightedges — Rectangular section Grades A and B
Stone Straightedges — Rectangular section—Grades AA and A
The standard specifies requirements for dimensional accuracy, materials, general quality,
finish, marking and packaging, together with those design features necessary to ensure
convenience in use, rigidity, stability and durability of straightedges.
It provides for two varieties of cast-iron straightedges differing in the accuracy of their side
faces (see Clause 2.9) and designated Type N (normal) and Type S (special).
NOTES:
1. For engineers’ str aightedges in imperi al unit s, see AS B307.
2. For toolmakers’ str aightedges see AS B72.

1.2 NOMENCLATURE. The terms relating to the more important features of the various
types of straightedges covered by this standard are given in Table 1.
1.3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS.
1.3.1 Flatness Tolerance — the maximum permissible distance between two imaginary
parallel planes which just enclose the surface under consideration.
NOTE: For very narr ow surf aces (edges) the term “str aightness” is oft en used in the same sense as “fl atness”.

1.3.2 Squareness Tolerance — the maximum permissible distance between two imaginary
parallel planes, which just enclose the surface under consideration and which are normal to
the surface taken as datum
1.3.3 Parallelism Tolerance — the maximum permissible variation in the distance separating
the surfaces under consideration.
1.3.4 Bearing Surface — the surface established by high spots on the surface under
consideration (see Appendix B).
 This is a free preview. Purchase the entire publication at the link below:

AS 1003-1971, Engineers' straightedges (metric

units)
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Looking for additional Standards? Visit SAI Global Infostore

Subscribe to our Free Newsletters about Australian Standards® in Legislation; ISO, IEC, BSI and more
Do you need to Manage Standards Collections Online?
Learn about LexConnect, All Jurisdictions, Standards referenced in Australian legislation
Do you want to know when a Standard has changed?
Want to become an SAI Global Standards Sales Affiliate?

Learn about other SAI Global Services:

LOGICOM Military Parts and Supplier Database

Metals Infobase Database of Metal Grades, Standards and Manufacturers
Materials Infobase Database of Materials, Standards and Suppliers
Database of European Law, CELEX and Court Decisions

Need to speak with a Customer Service Representative - Contact Us