Analog vs. Digital
In recent years, the digitization of measuring instruments has steadily progressed. For example, finding a hand caliper or micrometer with a digital counter is no longer rare. Whereas practice was once required to accurately read the Vernier scale on a pair of hand calipers, digital hand calipers instantaneously display measurements in units as small as 1/100.
However, digital measuring instruments do not provide advantages only. With digital instruments, the display may change frequently due to the adjustment of the applied force during measurement when the measured value exceeds the accuracy limit. Especially for digital measuring instruments that can measure in units as small as 1/1000, the measured value may not be fixed depending on the measurement target, which can lead to confusion about which value to select.
Depending on the work, an analog measuring instrument may be preferred to determine dimensions in a more intuitive and easy-to-understand manner. In general, choosing between an analog or digital measuring instruments must be decided according to the application and the required accuracy.
