Technological University of the Philippines Visayas

Capitan Sabi St., Talisay City, Negros Occidental

Tel. No. (034) 712-6403
Website: www.tup.edu.ph

Name: Mary Rose Senillo Course & Section: BSECE 1A

Subject: EM112-V Date: September 18, 2019
Instructor: Engr. Diego Aguado

Comparators

Comparators can give precision measurements, with consistent accuracy by eliminating

human error. It is a device which picks up small variations in dimensions, magnifies it and
displays it by using indicating devices, by which comparison can be made with some standard
value. It is an indirect type of instrument and used for linear measurement. It gives only the
difference between actual and standard dimension of the work piece.

Mechanical Comparators

It is self controlled and no power or any other form of energy is required. It employs

mechanical means ( gears, pinions, linkages, levers, springs, etc. ) for magnifying the small
movement of the measuring stylus. The movement is due to the difference between the standard
and the actual dimension being checked.

Types of Mechanical Comparators

1. Dial Indicator

It operates on the principle, that a very slight upward pressure on the spindle at the contact
point is multiplied through a system of gears and levers. It is indicated on the face of the dial by
a dial finger. Dial indicators basically consists of a body with a round graduated dial and a
contact point connected with a spiral or gear train so that hand on the dial face indicates the
amount of movement of the contact point. They are designed for use on a wide range of standard
measuring devices such as dial box gauges, portal dial, hand gauges, dial depth gauges, diameter
gauges and dial indicator snap gauge.

2. Johansson Mikrokator

This comparator was developed by C.F. Johansson. It works on the principle of a Button
spring, spinning on a loop of string like in the case of Children’s toys.

It employs a twisted metal strip. Any pull on the strip causes the centre of the strip to rotate.
A very light pointer made of glass tube is attached to the centre of the twisted metal strip. The
measuring plunger is on the slit washer and transmits its motion through the bell crank lever to
the twisted metal strip. The other end of the twisted metal strip is fastened to the cantilever strip.
The overhanging length of the cantilever strip can be varied to adjust the magnification of the
instrument. The longer the length of the cantilever, the more it will deflect under the pull of the
twisted metal strip and less rotation of the pointer is obtained.

3. Mechanical - Optical Comparator

In mechanical optical comparator, small variation in the plunger movement is magnified:

first by mechanical system and then by optical system. The movement of the plunger is
magnified by the mechanical system using a pivoted lever. High optical magnification is possible
with a small movement of the mirror.
The important factor is that the mirror
used is of front reflection type only.

4. Sigma Comparator

It is provided with a frictional less

linear movement. Its parts is more than
the other mechanical comparators. It is
composed of plunger, knife edge. Cross
strip hinge, Slit diaphragm, a pointer and some other small components.

The plunger is attached to a bar which is supported between the bending plates at the top and
bottom portion.The bar is restricted to move in the vertical direction. A knife edge is fixed to the
bar.The knife edge is attached to the sapphire plate which is attached to the moving block. The
knife edge extorts a force on the moving block through sapphire plate. Moving block is attached
to the fixed block with the help of crossed strips. which is attached to the moving block transmits
the rotary motion to the driving drum of radius r. This deflects the pointer and then the reading is
noted.

5. Reed Type Mechanical Comparator

The instrument used to measure linear

displacement of spindle with the help of the reed
mechanism. It is a device magnifying small motions of
spindle. It is frictionless.

Types of Electronic Comparators

Electronic Comparators

It works by using amplifier, digital signal etc. Transducer induction or the principle of
application of frequency modulation or radio oscillation is followed. It uses frequency
modulation and calibrate and projected it to the scale.
1. Op-Amp Comparator

It compares one
analogue voltage level with
another analogue voltage
level, or some preset
reference voltage and
produces an output signal
based on this voltage
comparison. It compares the
magnitudes of two voltages.

2. Digital Comparator/Magnitude Comparator

It is a hardware electronic device that takes two numbers as input in binary form and
determines whether one number is greater than, less than or equal
to another number. It is used in central processing units and
microcontrolle
rs.

3. Sigma Electronic Comparator

The sigma electronic comparators work like this:

The movement at the probe tip actuates inductance transducer which is supplied with an a.c.
source from the oscillator. The transducer converts this movement into an electrical signal which
is then amplified and fed via an oscillator to the demodulator. The current in D.C. form, then
passes to the meter and the probe tip movement is displayed as a linear measurement over a
circular scale.

4. Analog Comparator

It is an amplifier that compares the magnitude of two

voltages at two inputs. An analog comparator is an operational
amplifier with negative feedback removed, and with no feedback
and very high gain, the output voltage goes to one extreme to the
other.

It is use as a key componet in A/D converters, and are also

used in level detection, on-off controls, clock recovery circuits,
window detectors and Schmitt triggers.
5. Voltage Comparator

An integrated circuit equivalent to

operational amplifier, with two NPN
transistors added to the output of each
amplifier. Its purpose is to provide digital
output from an analog input. It is use in
flashing LEDs found in audio system signal
level meters, as well as in wide range of mixed
signal sensor circuit applications, used to
compare measurements that could be translated
into corresponding electrical signals.