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Maharashtra SSC Mechanical Technology Pre-Voc/NSQF study materials
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Maharashtra SSC Mechanical Technology Pre-Voc/NSQF practice questions

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Question 1Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

In the mechanical workshop, which colour is conventionally used to mark fire-fighting equipment and its location so that it can be found quickly in an emergency?

  1. Blue
  2. Yellow
  3. Red Correct answer.
  4. Green

Explanation

Safety colour coding reserves red for fire protection equipment, alarms and their locations, so a worker can identify a extinguisher or hose reel instantly under stress. Green is used for safe conditions and first-aid points, yellow for caution, and blue for mandatory instructions.

Question 2Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

A trainee is about to file a small job held in a bench vice. Which personal protective equipment is most essential for this operation?

  1. Safety goggles Correct answer.
  2. Ear plugs
  3. Rubber apron
  4. Welding helmet

Explanation

Filing throws fine metal chips and file pin dust towards the face, so eye protection is the primary requirement at the bench vice. Ear plugs, a rubber apron and a welding helmet protect against hazards that are not present in ordinary hand filing.

Question 3Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

Before starting a pedestal grinding machine, the operator should check the gap between the tool rest and the wheel. What is the accepted maximum clearance?

  1. About 3 mm Correct answer.
  2. About 10 mm
  3. About 25 mm
  4. About 20 mm

Explanation

The tool rest must be set close to the wheel, conventionally within about 3 mm, so that the workpiece cannot be dragged into the gap and jammed. A larger gap allows fingers or thin jobs to be pulled between the rest and the rotating wheel.

Question 4Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

Which action correctly follows workshop discipline when a machine is found running with its guard removed?

  1. Run the machine at half speed so the risk is reduced
  2. Continue working carefully and refit the guard at the end of the shift
  3. Ask a fellow trainee to hold a piece of sheet metal in place of the guard
  4. Stop the machine, switch off and report the defect before any further use Correct answer.

Explanation

An unguarded machine is a reportable unsafe condition; the correct discipline is to stop and isolate it, then inform the instructor or supervisor so the guard is refitted. Working around a missing guard, improvising a substitute, or slowing the machine does not remove the hazard.

Question 5Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

In a workshop first-aid arrangement, which item is kept specifically to flush a chemical or foreign particle out of a worker's eye?

  1. Eye wash bottle with clean water Correct answer.
  2. Kerosene
  3. Cotton waste
  4. Compressed air line

Explanation

Eye irrigation must use clean, preferably sterile, water delivered gently from an eye wash bottle or station. Cotton waste, kerosene and compressed air would all add contamination or injury to an already damaged eye.

Question 6Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

Why is it unsafe to wear a loose shirt with dangling sleeves while operating a centre lathe?

  1. Loose clothing interferes with the reading of the micrometer
  2. Loose clothing causes the cutting tool to wear faster
  3. Loose clothing makes the operator feel cold near the machine
  4. The sleeves may be caught by the rotating chuck or workpiece and pull the operator in Correct answer.

Explanation

Rotating parts such as the chuck, faceplate and workpiece grip loose fabric and wind the operator's arm into the machine. Workshop discipline therefore requires sleeves to be rolled up or fastened and loose clothing removed before starting a lathe.

Question 7Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

A worker must carry a long mild-steel bar across the workshop. Which practice best demonstrates correct manual handling and workshop discipline?

  1. Ask a second person to help and carry it horizontally at waist level, warning others Correct answer.
  2. Carry it on the shoulder with the ends projecting behind and ahead
  3. Drag it along the floor to save effort
  4. Hold it vertically and walk quickly through the gangway

Explanation

Long stock should be carried level, with a helper at the far end where needed, and other people warned so that the ends do not strike anyone. Carrying on the shoulder or dragging on the floor risks striking overhead fittings or tripping others.

Question 8Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

What is the correct order of actions when a fire starts in an oil container on the workshop floor?

  1. Run to the store room to look for sand and return later
  2. Open all windows to blow the flames out
  3. Throw water on the flames and then raise the alarm
  4. Raise the alarm, switch off power if safe, then smother the fire with a foam or dry-powder extinguisher Correct answer.

Explanation

The sequence is to warn others first, isolate the electrical supply where it is safe to do so, and then attack an oil fire with foam, dry powder or carbon dioxide, never water. Water on burning oil causes violent spitting and spreads the fire.

Question 9Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

A grinding wheel is being mounted on a bench grinder. Which check is essential before the wheel is run at full speed?

  1. Ring test for cracks and confirming the wheel's marked maximum speed exceeds the spindle speed Correct answer.
  2. Measuring the wheel diameter with a vernier
  3. Oiling the wheel face
  4. Painting the wheel with coolant

Explanation

A cracked wheel can burst at speed, so a ring test is done and the wheel's marked permissible speed must be at least the spindle speed. Painting, measuring diameter or oiling the face does not detect a dangerous wheel.

Question 10Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

Which statement correctly describes the purpose of a permit-to-work system for a maintenance job inside a machine enclosure?

  1. It allows production to continue while repairs are carried out
  2. It records the operator's daily output for the supervisor
  3. It formally confirms that the machine is isolated, locked off and made safe before work begins Correct answer.
  4. It replaces the need for personal protective equipment

Explanation

A permit-to-work documents isolation, lock-off, and any residual hazards, and authorises named persons to work only after the machine is proved safe. It does not measure output, remove the need for PPE, or permit production during repair.

Question 11Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

During a demonstration, a trainee notices that the chuck key has been left in the lathe chuck. What is the correct immediate response?

  1. Start the lathe slowly so the key falls out on its own
  2. Remove the key before the spindle is started and remind the operator of the rule Correct answer.
  3. Ask the operator to sign a register before removing it
  4. Leave it, because the key is attached by a spring

Explanation

A chuck key left in the chuck becomes a high-speed projectile the moment the spindle turns, so it must be removed and the self-retracting key habit reinforced. Starting the machine, relying on a spring, or paperwork does not remove the immediate danger.

Question 12Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

Which practice correctly applies the principle of good housekeeping in a fitting shop?

  1. Leaving swarf on the floor until the end of the week
  2. Keeping cutting oil in an open tray near the bench edge
  3. Stacking finished jobs in the walkway to save trips
  4. Storing files in a rack and keeping the bench free of chips and oil Correct answer.

Explanation

Housekeeping means each tool has a place, benches are cleaned of chips and oil, and walkways are kept clear. Swarf on the floor, jobs in the gangway and open oil at the bench edge all create slip, trip or fire hazards.

Question 13Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

A worker receives a slight cut on the hand from a sharp sheet-metal edge. What is the correct first-aid and reporting sequence?

  1. Ignore it because minor cuts need no record
  2. Clean the wound, apply a sterile dressing, report the injury and record it Correct answer.
  3. Apply machine oil to the cut to stop bleeding
  4. Wrap the hand in cotton waste and continue working

Explanation

A cut must be cleaned and dressed with sterile material, then reported so that the injury is recorded and the cause can be corrected. Cotton waste, machine oil and silence all risk infection and hide a recurring hazard.

Question 14Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

Which precaution is specific to arc welding and is not required for ordinary bench fitting?

  1. Keeping the workplace tidy
  2. Reporting damaged tools
  3. Wearing safety footwear
  4. Using a screen with filter glass to protect against ultraviolet radiation Correct answer.

Explanation

The arc emits intense ultraviolet and infrared radiation, so a welding screen or helmet with the correct filter shade is essential to prevent arc eye and skin burns. Footwear, tidiness and tool reporting are general workshop requirements, not welding-specific.

Question 15Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

An air compressor receiver in the workshop has a pressure gauge and a safety valve. Why must the safety valve never be plugged or removed?

  1. It releases excess pressure before the receiver can burst Correct answer.
  2. It measures the air consumption of the tools
  3. It keeps the receiver cool during operation
  4. It filters moisture from the compressed air

Explanation

The safety valve is the last line of defence against over-pressure; it lifts at its set pressure and vents air so the receiver cannot rupture. Cooling, consumption measurement and moisture removal are functions of other components entirely.

Question 16Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

A workshop uses a portable electrical hand drill with a damaged cable showing exposed conductors. What is the correct disciplined action?

  1. Use the drill only for light jobs so the current stays low
  2. Tape the exposed part with insulating tape and continue using the drill
  3. Wear rubber gloves and use the drill as normal
  4. Withdraw the drill from service, tag it as defective and report it for repair Correct answer.

Explanation

Damaged portable electric tools must be taken out of service, tagged and reported so that no one else uses them. Taping, light use or gloves do not restore the insulation and leave a shock risk on the shop floor.

Question 17Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

A workshop floor is being cleaned with an oil-based solvent while a welding operation is in progress nearby. What is the main hazard that workshop discipline should control?

  1. The solvent may increase the hardness of the concrete
  2. The solvent may freeze the floor
  3. Solvent vapour may ignite from welding sparks or spatter Correct answer.
  4. The solvent may change the colour of the floor

Explanation

Volatile solvent vapour forms a flammable cloud that can be ignited by welding sparks, spatter or hot slag, so cleaning and hot work must be separated or ventilated. Freezing, colour change and concrete hardness are not ignition hazards.

Question 18Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

A trainee is asked to lift a heavy machine vice from a low shelf to a bench. Which combination best reflects correct manual handling technique?

  1. Keep feet together, bend the back and twist while lifting
  2. Hold the load at arm's length and jerk it upwards
  3. Keep the load close, bend the knees, keep the back straight and lift smoothly without twisting Correct answer.
  4. Lift with straight legs and a rounded back for speed

Explanation

The load should be held close to the body, the knees bent, the back kept straight and the lift made smoothly with the leg muscles, avoiding twisting. Feet together, arm's-length loads, jerking and a rounded back all load the spine dangerously.

Question 19Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

A bench grinder's wheel has been dressed and the machine restarted. The operator notices a slight vibration and a new sound. Which interpretation and action are most appropriate?

  1. Normal running noise; continue grinding and report at the end of the week
  2. The wheel is getting sharper; press the job harder to finish quickly
  3. The bearing needs oil; add oil while the machine is running
  4. Possible wheel damage or imbalance; stop the machine, isolate it and have it inspected before further use Correct answer.

Explanation

A new vibration or sound after dressing can indicate a cracked, chipped or unbalanced wheel, which may burst. The machine must be stopped and isolated for inspection rather than run on or adjusted while moving.

Question 20Safety Practices and Workshop Discipline

In a small workshop, a worker is asked to clear metal chips from inside a running milling machine with a hand brush. Which reasoning best explains why this is refused?

  1. The brush may remove the machine's alignment
  2. Reaching into the cutter zone exposes the hand to the rotating cutter, so the machine must be stopped and isolated first Correct answer.
  3. The chips may be too hot to sweep
  4. The brush may be worn out by the chips

Explanation

Clearing chips near a rotating cutter puts the hand directly in the cutting zone, where a slip or a cutter grab can cause severe injury. The disciplined rule is to stop and isolate the machine, then use a brush or hook, never a hand.

Question 21Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which property of a metal describes its ability to be drawn into thin wires without breaking?

  1. Malleability
  2. Brittleness
  3. Ductility Correct answer.
  4. Hardness

Explanation

Ductility is the capacity of a material to undergo plastic deformation under tensile stress, allowing it to be stretched into wire. Malleability is similar but refers to compression into sheets, while brittleness means fracture without deformation.

Question 22Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

In a mechanical workshop, a component must resist wear on its sliding surface while keeping a tough core. Which treatment is most suitable for a low-carbon steel part?

  1. Full annealing before machining
  2. Normalising at high temperature only
  3. Stress-relief annealing after welding
  4. Case carburising followed by hardening and tempering Correct answer.

Explanation

Case carburising diffuses carbon into the surface of low-carbon steel, and subsequent hardening plus tempering gives a hard wear-resistant skin with a tough, ductile core. Annealing and normalising soften or homogenise the structure and do not produce a hard case.

Question 23Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

The eutectoid reaction in the iron-carbon system occurs at approximately which temperature and carbon content?

  1. 910 °C and 0.02 % carbon
  2. 723 °C and 0.8 % carbon Correct answer.
  3. 1539 °C and 0 % carbon
  4. 1147 °C and 4.3 % carbon

Explanation

At about 723 °C and 0.8 % carbon, austenite transforms into pearlite, a lamellar mixture of ferrite and cementite, in the eutectoid reaction. The other values correspond to different critical points such as the ferrite solubility limit or the melting point of pure iron.

Question 24Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which of the following is a ferrous metal commonly used for making machine tool beds because of its good vibration damping?

  1. Copper
  2. Commercial pure aluminium
  3. Grey cast iron Correct answer.
  4. Zinc

Explanation

Grey cast iron contains flake graphite, which absorbs vibration and gives excellent damping capacity, making it a traditional choice for machine tool beds and bases. Aluminium, copper and zinc are non-ferrous and lack this damping behaviour.

Question 25Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

A steel specimen is heated and held at 850 °C, then cooled very slowly in the furnace. Which microstructure is most likely to result?

  1. Fine martensite
  2. Coarse pearlite with proeutectoid ferrite Correct answer.
  3. Tempered martensite
  4. Bainite

Explanation

Very slow furnace cooling is annealing, which allows diffusion so that austenite transforms into coarse pearlite, with proeutectoid ferrite in hypoeutectoid steels. Martensite and bainite require faster cooling that suppresses diffusion.

Question 26Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which crystal structure is possessed by alpha-iron at room temperature?

  1. Hexagonal close-packed
  2. Body-centred cubic Correct answer.
  3. Simple cubic
  4. Face-centred cubic

Explanation

Alpha-iron, stable below about 910 °C, has a body-centred cubic lattice with lower packing density. Gamma-iron at higher temperature has a face-centred cubic structure, which is why it can dissolve more carbon.

Question 27Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

A plain carbon steel with 0.6 % carbon is heated above its upper critical temperature and quenched in water. Which phase forms first as a result of the quench?

  1. Spheroidite
  2. Martensite Correct answer.
  3. Ferrite
  4. Pearlite

Explanation

Rapid quenching suppresses diffusion, so austenite transforms by a diffusionless shear mechanism into martensite, a hard and brittle supersaturated phase. Pearlite, spheroidite and ferrite all require diffusional transformation at slower cooling rates.

Question 28Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which non-destructive test is best suited for detecting internal cracks and voids in a cast steel component?

  1. Magnetic particle testing
  2. Radiography Correct answer.
  3. Visual inspection
  4. Dye penetrant testing

Explanation

Radiography passes X-rays or gamma rays through the component, and internal voids or cracks show as differences in film density, revealing sub-surface defects. Penetrant and magnetic particle methods detect only surface or near-surface discontinuities.

Question 29Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

The addition of chromium to steel improves which property most directly?

  1. Ductility at room temperature
  2. Corrosion resistance Correct answer.
  3. Electrical conductivity
  4. Machinability in the annealed state

Explanation

Chromium forms a thin adherent passive oxide film on the steel surface that protects the base metal from further oxidation and corrosion. It is not added primarily to improve conductivity, ductility or machinability.

Question 30Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

A cutting tool made of high carbon steel becomes soft during high-speed machining. Which material property is inadequate?

  1. Hot hardness Correct answer.
  2. Wear resistance at low temperature
  3. Toughness
  4. Density

Explanation

Hot hardness is the ability of a tool material to retain hardness at elevated temperatures generated during cutting. High carbon steel loses hardness above about 200 °C, whereas tool steels, carbides and ceramics retain it better. Toughness, room-temperature wear resistance and density are not the limiting factor here.

Question 31Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which of the following is a thermosetting plastic commonly used for handles and electrical switchgear?

  1. Bakelite Correct answer.
  2. Polyethylene
  3. Polyvinyl chloride
  4. Polystyrene

Explanation

Bakelite is a phenol-formaldehyde thermosetting resin that cannot be remelted once cured and offers good electrical insulation and heat resistance. Polyethylene, PVC and polystyrene are thermoplastics that soften on heating.

Question 32Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

During a Brinell hardness test, a 10 mm ball is used with a 3000 kgf load on a steel specimen. Which quantity is directly measured to calculate the hardness number?

  1. Length of the scratch
  2. Rebound height of the ball
  3. Depth of the indentation
  4. Diameter of the indentation Correct answer.

Explanation

The Brinell hardness number is calculated from the diameter of the spherical indentation left by the ball, using the load and ball diameter in the formula. Depth measurement belongs to Rockwell, scratch to Mohs and rebound to Shore or Leeb methods.

Question 33Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which cast iron contains nodular graphite and offers higher strength and ductility than grey cast iron?

  1. Malleable cast iron
  2. White cast iron
  3. Grey cast iron
  4. Spheroidal graphite iron Correct answer.

Explanation

Spheroidal graphite iron, also called ductile iron, is produced by adding magnesium or cerium so graphite forms nodules instead of flakes, raising strength and ductility. White cast iron has cementite, and grey iron has flake graphite.

Question 34Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

A component is required to be wear resistant on the outside but tough inside, and it is made of medium carbon steel. Which process gives this combination with the least distortion?

  1. Carburising
  2. Induction surface hardening Correct answer.
  3. Full through hardening and tempering
  4. Cyaniding

Explanation

Induction hardening heats only the surface layer rapidly and quenches it, producing a hard case on a tough core with minimal distortion of the part. Through hardening hardens the whole section, while carburising and cyaniding are intended mainly for low-carbon steels.

Question 35Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which of the following best explains why steel can be hardened by quenching?

  1. Carbon content decreases during rapid cooling
  2. Grain size becomes extremely coarse
  3. Austenite transforms to martensite without carbon diffusion Correct answer.
  4. Ferrite converts directly into cementite

Explanation

Quenching cools the steel so fast that carbon atoms cannot diffuse out of the austenite lattice, and the lattice shears into the body-centred tetragonal martensite structure. This trapped carbon distorts the lattice and produces high hardness.

Question 36Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which metal is extracted from bauxite ore?

  1. Copper
  2. Zinc
  3. Iron
  4. Aluminium Correct answer.

Explanation

Bauxite is the principal ore of aluminium and is refined into alumina, which is then reduced by electrolysis in the Hall-Heroult process. Copper comes from ores such as chalcopyrite, iron from haematite and zinc from sphalerite.

Question 37Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

A machinist needs a material for a bearing surface that has low friction and can run with minimal lubrication. Which material is most suitable?

  1. White metal bearing alloy Correct answer.
  2. High carbon tool steel
  3. Mild steel
  4. Grey cast iron

Explanation

White metal bearing alloys, based on tin or lead with antimony and copper, are soft and embed dirt particles while providing a low-friction surface suitable for bearings. Tool steel, cast iron and mild steel are harder and not used as bearing lining materials.

Question 38Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which heat treatment is applied to relieve internal stresses in a welded steel fabrication without significantly changing its microstructure?

  1. Case carburising
  2. Stress-relief annealing Correct answer.
  3. Quenching
  4. Austempering

Explanation

Stress-relief annealing heats the weldment to a moderate temperature below the critical range and holds it, allowing residual stresses to relax without altering the phase structure. Quenching, carburising and austempering all deliberately change the microstructure.

Question 39Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

In the designation of a plain carbon steel such as EN8, what does the number generally indicate?

  1. Approximate tensile strength in the normalized condition Correct answer.
  2. Melting point in degrees Celsius
  3. Percentage of carbon
  4. Percentage of chromium

Explanation

In the British EN series of plain carbon steels, the number after EN relates to the approximate tensile strength in the normalized condition, for example EN8 corresponds to about 800 N/mm². It does not directly state carbon or chromium content.

Question 40Engineering Materials and Basic Metallurgy

Which property is measured by the Izod test?

  1. Hardness
  2. Tensile strength
  3. Fatigue limit
  4. Impact toughness Correct answer.

Explanation

The Izod test strikes a notched specimen with a swinging pendulum and measures the energy absorbed during fracture, giving a measure of impact toughness. Tensile strength, hardness and fatigue limit are measured by other tests.

Question 41Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

Which bench vice part is turned to move the movable jaw and grip the workpiece?

  1. The fixed jaw
  2. The anvil
  3. The swivel base
  4. The handle and screw Correct answer.

Explanation

The bench vice grips work when the handle rotates the square-threaded screw, which draws the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw. The screw converts the turning effort into a strong clamping force along the slide.

Question 42Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

A steel rule marked with both metric and inch graduations is being used to check a dimension. Which statement about reading it is correct?

  1. The rule should be read with the edge lifted away from the work
  2. A steel rule can measure to 0.01 mm without any aid
  3. The smallest metric graduation on a typical rule is 0.5 mm, so a reading is estimated to about 0.5 mm Correct answer.
  4. The inch side is always graduated in tenths of an inch

Explanation

Ordinary steel rules are graduated in 1 mm and 0.5 mm divisions on the metric side, so the finest direct reading is about 0.5 mm with estimation beyond that. Finer work requires a vernier, micrometer or dial instrument.

Question 43Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

Which file is the correct choice for general bench work on mild steel where fast removal of metal is wanted before finishing?

  1. A single-cut smooth file
  2. A triangular saw file
  3. A needle file
  4. A double-cut bastard file Correct answer.

Explanation

A double-cut bastard file has two crossing rows of teeth that cut rapidly and is the standard roughing file for mild steel. Smooth single-cut files are then used to bring the surface to finish.

Question 44Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

What is the purpose of the deep centre punch mark made before drilling a hole?

  1. To harden the metal around the hole
  2. To remove the burr left by the drill
  3. To enlarge the hole slightly before drilling
  4. To guide the drill point so it starts accurately and does not wander Correct answer.

Explanation

A centre punch mark forms a small conical seat that locates the drill point and prevents it from skidding on the surface. The mark is made after a dot punch position is established from layout lines.

Question 45Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

Which hacksaw blade pitch is most suitable for cutting thin-walled pipe and sheet metal?

  1. A blade of 18 teeth per inch
  2. A coarse blade of 14 teeth per inch
  3. A blade with no set to the teeth
  4. A fine blade of 24 to 32 teeth per inch Correct answer.

Explanation

Fine-pitch blades keep at least two or three teeth in contact with thin sections, so the teeth do not snag or strip. Coarse blades on thin wall material catch and break easily.

Question 46Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

In a vernier caliper, the least count of 0.02 mm means that the difference between one main scale division and one vernier division is:

  1. 0.05 mm
  2. 0.2 mm
  3. 2 mm
  4. 0.02 mm Correct answer.

Explanation

Least count is the smallest measurement the instrument can read, and on a 0.02 mm vernier caliper the 50 vernier divisions span 49 main scale divisions of 1 mm. The resulting difference per division, and hence the reading resolution, is 0.02 mm.

Question 47Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

Which safety practice applies when using a chisel to cut a keyway in a bench vice?

  1. Strike with the ball of the hammer
  2. Use a chisel with a mushroomed head
  3. Hold the work with the hand instead of the vice
  4. Wear goggles and cut away from the body Correct answer.

Explanation

Chipping throws sharp chips, so eye protection is essential and the cut is directed away from the operator. The work must be held rigidly in the vice and the chisel head must be free of mushrooming.

Question 48Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

Which tool is used to check the squareness of two adjacent machined faces of a workpiece?

  1. An engineer's try square Correct answer.
  2. A centre punch
  3. A surface gauge
  4. An outside caliper

Explanation

An engineer's try square has a stock and blade set at exactly 90 degrees, so holding it against one face shows any departure from squareness on the other. Calipers measure distance, not angle.

Question 49Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

A workpiece must be held for filing flat on a surface plate while lines are scribed at a set height. Which combination of equipment is correct?

  1. Surface gauge on a surface plate with a V-block or angle plate Correct answer.
  2. Dividers and centre punch alone
  3. V-block and try square
  4. Micrometer and steel rule

Explanation

Scribing at a controlled height needs a surface gauge whose scribing point is set against the surface plate, with the work supported by a V-block or angle plate. The plate provides the true reference plane.

Question 50Hand Tools, Measuring Instruments and Bench Work

While filing a soft aluminium block, the file repeatedly clogs and scratches the surface. What is the most appropriate remedy?

  1. Use the file without a handle for better control
  2. Rub chalk on the file and clean it with a file card Correct answer.
  3. Switch to a smooth file and file dry without cleaning
  4. Press harder and use faster strokes

Explanation

Soft metals load the file teeth with chips, so chalking reduces adhesion and a file card clears the pinning. Keeping the teeth clean restores a smooth cutting action.