On Monday I wrote about the mindset of always looking for simpler or easier ways to do something.
I got a strong reminder of this last week. I was watching a training video on how to repair or maintain a type of machine. Part of calibration requires a 3 mm spacer. On another similar machine, a 6 mm spacer is required. The degree of accuracy is plus or minus 0.1 mm. If spacers are not available, a person can try to measure if the part which is moving has moved 3 mm (or 6 mm, as the case may be).
I’ve tried measuring the amount of distance the moving parts have traveled when I didn’t have gauges. It was a bit frustrating.
Or, I can now do as the video narrator suggested and use 3 mm and 6 mm Allen wrenches as stand-ins for the gauges. I have 3 mm and 6 mm Allen wrenches. If you’d asked me, I would have said “Of course they are 3 mm or 6 mm between two parallel sides.”
It took someone else to point out to me I can use those 3 mm or 6 mm parallel sides in other applications where I need 3 mm or 6 mm parallel sides.
Yes, I did remind myself humility is good for the soul.