How to spot fake Mitutoyo calipers - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: HwAoRrDk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2022, 12:41:53 pm
content: Very interesting video about fake Mitutoyo digital calipers.It's a mystery to me how whoever is producing these fakes fails to notice or get right some of the most basic things - like black stripes on the packaging versus grey? I mean I can understand that perhaps a native Chinese speaker might not understand the nuances of latin typography (kerning, proportions, etc.), but basic shapes and colours?He says that there's nothing particularly wrong with these fakes (apart from the higher power consumption and lower battery life) functionality- or quality-wise in terms of their ability to do the job, but at the end of the day, if you're happy with these things, you might as well be buying a no-name brand for a lower price, rather than a fake that is overpriced for what it is.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 29, 2022, 12:54:44 pm
content: Which reminds me, this week in Lidl UK there are quite decentdigital calipersfor £9.99.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2022, 05:11:12 pm
content: 'Big Clive' did a teardown of cheap carbon fiber eBay calipers for £5.Apparently, they are not too bad. It looks like they can still be found.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2022, 05:14:26 pm
content: This is not "decent". This is a typical Chinese junk. There are hundreds of those sold under various names, but they all are universally bad.iGaging Absolute Origin are much cheaper compared to Mitutoyo, but they have very similar feel and performance.The carbon ones are really good for what they are. I have a pair of those for quick measurement. Their accuracy is usually good enough for electronics-related stuff. I would not use them as the main tool though.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2022, 09:49:33 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on August 29, 2022, 05:14:26 pmIn what way? They are very accurate and some are smooth and work well. Only downside is the short battery life (<1 year on SR44). I've used 4 of the cheapies.For $15 I think its a fair deal.For $70 or whatever people are paying for a few pieces of paper that say "Mitutoyo" of course its a rip offQuoteYes igaging is one of the best calipers for the money once you go above the $15 mark. $40 is well worth it if you use your calipers more than a few times a year.https://www.igagingstore.com/6-Digital-Caliper-ABSOLUTE-ORIGIN-Digital-IP54-Ex-p/205450.htm

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2022, 10:00:33 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on August 29, 2022, 09:49:33 pmAnd others are full of machining dust and scratchy out of the box. And there is no way to guess in advance. They also lose count on rapid movement.You can get used to them and after some cleanup they may even feel fine. I used those cheap calipers for a long time. That is until I held real Mitutoyo and iGaging calipers. And I'm never going back.But I'm also not going to Mitutoyo. There is no functional difference between Mitutoyo and iGaging. In some cases you may need some traceability or certifications requirements, of course. But if you just need a tool, go with iGaging.Quote from: thm_w on August 29, 2022, 09:49:33 pmIt is a standard price for those cheap calipers. It is not a good deal, it is a standard deal for them. 6" iGaging calipers are $42 on Amazon and the price difference totally worth it, IMO.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2022, 10:10:06 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on August 29, 2022, 10:00:33 pmSure, thats what Amazon or buying in store is for, you try them in store. I wouldn't buy a pair for $15 on ebay/Ali unless the store was highly rated, as there is no way to return them.QuoteYeah I edited from good to fair, to agree with you, $40 was cheaper than I remembered.Yes the price difference is worth it for us.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 02:46:35 am
content: James is a !@#$tard andmade mego out and buy a secondhand set of 'real' 8" used (because I am poor) Mitutoyo Calipers two hours after his video dropped. Might also be because I am really really weak when casually trawling evilbay tooPrice on these BTW was the same price as the new Fake ones.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 03:11:14 am
content: There have been a few threads on the forum where fake Mitutoyo calipers have been discussed. Mitutoyo themselves once released a document intended to help identify the fakes from the real thing. I posted a copy of it in an older thread but they may have put out an updated one since then.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/nice-mitutoyo-calipers-that-were-on-sale/msg610521/#msg610521

author: aeberbach
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 05:22:50 am
content: I have fake 150mm Mitutoyo calipers. They worked really well for about three years during which time I never knew they were fake; bought from Amazon first party, not suspiciously cheap, worked smoothly and seemed accurate. As it was my first calipers I should have known that they should turn off automatically and these did not.It's actually confusing watching that video. By some measures mine appear genuine (case details, paperwork quality, battery supplied, battery compartment, printing), on others it matches the fakes (depth rod mill, no dashes on battery insert, recessed origin button). I think it is possibly just a superior fake compared to what's out there now.Now I have 300mm "Neiko" calipers. Just as smooth, not pretending to be anything else, turn off automatically. Almost certainly the same as the Shars calipers as mentioned in the video.

author: eugene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 02:32:41 pm
content: Quote from: aeberbach on August 31, 2022, 05:22:50 amNone of the Mitutoyo digital calipers that I have used turned off automatically. I have assumed they are all genuine. Certainly at least some of them are.

author: Jester
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 04:41:21 pm
content: I have watched a few fake Mitutoyo videos, the C42 version is more detailed than the others. IMO The most important aspects pointed out, because they can be verified from online images:1) the machining of the fixed jaw2) the non parallel lines on the outer envelopeI guess we will have to wait and see how long it takes them to correct those?

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 04:52:06 pm
content: Quote from: Jester on August 31, 2022, 04:41:21 pmeven from the thumbnail it is very clear that the color of the display is very different on the fakes, but if buying online who knows if they use pictures from Mitutoyo and not pictures of what they are selling

author: aeberbach
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 01:13:06 am
content: Quote from: eugene on August 31, 2022, 02:32:41 pmMaybe I saw a fake vs. real video from a guy that had two different kinds of fake and just thought he finally had a real one because it was different

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 01:23:27 am
content: I don't think my iGaging ones turn off either, at least not within a few hours. They may turn off after a day or two.Their power consumption is not that different in an off state, and I can see how it would be annoying to constantly turn them on in a professional setting. I hate that my multimeters turn off by default. If I could increase turn off time to 8 hours or so, I'd be really happy.

author: xavier60
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 04:17:29 am
content: My igauging OriginCal calipers will stay on indefinitely. I'd like to think that it doesn't affect the battery life by much.

author: exmadscientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 05:08:46 am
content: Quote from: eugene on August 31, 2022, 02:32:41 pmThe "standard" models (500-196-30 and friends) do not shut off automatically. The "harsh environment" IP67 models (500-753-20 etc.) do. The solar models obviously do not ever intentionally turn off, but you don't want them because they're generally annoying to use (any button presses lock up the stupid things for ~10sec).

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 06:18:35 am
content: Bonjour, for $5 we found a mint genuine Fowler caliper, at a street or garage sale, plastic not metal but accurate, mm/in/ft. and has interface connector.https://www.fowlerprecision.com/6-150mm-Xtra-Value-Cal-Electronic-Caliper-with-Regular-Display-54-101-150-2Bon Chance!Jon

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 07:23:51 am
content: This one popped back up in my YouTube feed today from around a year ago from James and goes to the other part not mentioned in the real vs fake Mitutoyo one are they cheap ones any good?I have had 3 pairs of cheapies (always metal jaws) over the years and two of them are still in good working order. Accuracy wise they stack up well in general against known standards and my Mitutoyo outside Micrometers. All Verniers digital or mechanical are at best a 'good' approximation of a measurement rather than an absolute.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 07:28:53 am
content: I sometimes have to measure magnets and use a cheap plastic jaw caliper.Are there any good quality calipers that are made of none magnetic steel?Or what do people use that have to measure strong magnets?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 07:53:22 am
content: Funny most of mine are non digital, simply because I got used older ones, and they work for me well. Batteries not needed, and for my use perfect, though having a 1m caliper is something I rarely use.For magnetic material use either plastic, carbon fibre or get the stainless steel non magnetic versions, though you also can use the intrinsically safe versions, at an eye watering price, that are made from Beryllium copper and alubronze.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 08:17:53 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on September 01, 2022, 07:28:53 amThere is a bunch of commercial extended jaws available for verniers some for brake calipers like below or the centre to centre ones for hole spacings. Or roll your own out of Brass/Aluminium or similar would work. Mitutoyo make a set of Carbon Jawed ones too but unless you have a spare kidney to sell best you don't ask the price

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 10:13:59 pm
content: Quote from: beanflying on September 01, 2022, 07:23:51 amHe said they test OK.If you are measuring and uncertainty of +/- 0.0015" is good enough then calipers are a perfectly fine "absolute" measurement.If you need something more accurate, then of course you can't use them.

author: xavier60
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2022, 10:32:19 am
content: Quote from: xavier60 on September 01, 2022, 04:17:29 amI measured 6.6uA while on. The current gradually drops after it's switched off. I stopped measuring when it got down to 0.05 uA after a few minutes.It has a CR2032 cell.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2022, 11:17:03 am
content: Quote from: beanflying on September 01, 2022, 08:17:53 amYes, the Mitutoyo is crazy expensive!I ordered a cheap China made stainless steel caliper.Let's see how good that one is.Probably good enough to measure magnets to 1/10 of a mm

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2022, 11:28:59 am
content: Sorry to say but the few pairs of Stainless Calipers cheapies I have had so far are all still fairly magnetic. So likely they are made from 400 series stainless rather than 300 which is much less of an issue.Just a couple of ND magnets on them for an idea. I can still slide one between the jaws for a measurement but they then need to be demagnetised after or they become a PITA for general use.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2022, 11:30:55 am
content: Quote from: aeberbach on August 31, 2022, 05:22:50 amIMHO you probably blame genuine calipers. Origin button is almost flush with plastic around it at least on some of genuine calipers, like 0.1-0.2mm above plastic. Channel mill for genuine calipers had two different types in the video, depends on model. The main difference from fakes was milling quality.QuoteThis is the only thing that is suspicious. Which model it is? Do they automatically set to zero in any position calipers were left before reinserting the battery? Also if you remove the battery while calipers are OFF, you will need to wait for at least a few seconds before reinserting the battery to see dashes. I would certainly measure current consumption since all fakes have much higher than genuine.

author: aeberbach
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2022, 11:15:00 pm
content: I think they have to be fake. Model number is 500-196-20.- mill around inside of jaw is not as rounded as real ones.- origin button recessed a long way- not enough digits shown in inch range- tension adjustment holes line up badly- alignment of yellow swoosh above "ABSOLUTE"- darker back label printing- never display dashes- zero display on battery insert with calipers in open positionBut they do have the more complex battery contacts. So possibly a rare "transitional" fake before they realised they could be made cheaper and still sellhttps://imgur.com/gallery/ZOIFEaC

author: totalnoob
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2022, 11:52:12 pm
content: Not sure from your photos that it is fake. When I get into my shop tonight, I'll look. I have an older (bought in the late '90's) authentic Mitutoyo that looks similar to yours. It has the two battery contacts you show, one of mine broke off recently and I thought I'd have to replace them, finally, but its still working. The Origin button looks to be similarly recessed, I want to say it's in the wrong location on yours, but I could be wrong. I know mine is genuine because I bought it either from MSC or Travers, directly off of their site back then and I do not believe they would sell fakes as genuine, at least not on purpose. I saw C42's video and his checks really only apply to newer Mitutoyo's, older, genuine, ones may not pass his test, but that does not mean they are fakes, its just that Mitutoyo changed their design over the years. I hate the extremely recessed Origin, I can't tell you how many times I thought I pressed it enough only to find out the caliper did not zero out. I like that the newer ones have that button the same as the other buttons. But then, perhaps they copied an older Mitu design.I do agree with C42, though, if I were to replace my Mitu, it'd be with a mid-level brand, like the Shars, that don't pretend to be something they are not. I understand that the fakes probably are not bad all by themselves (I have a few of the $10 Harbor Freights that are pretty good, just not as nice of fit and finish as the Mitu, even then they don't pretend to be something they're not), but to portray yourself as something your not, is not what I want to support.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2022, 03:48:08 am
content: Milling on the slot and misalignment on the adjustment screws to the outer plastic case sort of increases the likelihood of a fake set. Add to that the shorter swoop over the Absolute and you are there I guess. The full line of dashes on new battery install also seems to be common even with the older 'real' ones.Backside of my new/old Mitutoyo's now they are on the bench. Very smooth in the action and very well machined and all edges all properly broken unlike the cheap ones.Re the magnetics of them about the same as my cheapies so no gain to be had there.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2022, 09:26:01 am
content: Quote from: aeberbach on September 04, 2022, 11:15:00 pmYeah, certainly fake as there is no last digit in inch mode to satisfy resolution spec.

author: totalnoob
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2022, 01:46:13 pm
content: Agreed. But the Origin button is in the correct place for a copy of an older Mitu. I confirmed with mine last night, it is located in that same area. But with a real Mitu, you get 4 decimal places. Even my HF cheapies you get 4 decimal places.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2022, 09:14:25 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on September 04, 2022, 11:17:03 ambeanflying was right!This cheap China made stainless steel caliper is magnetic like my normal Mitutoyo calipers.- In addition, it is not de-burred and has sharp edges everywhere- The installed battery is empty and leaked- It feels like junk.Well, I wasted Euro 7,99But .... the plastic case is better than the original Mitutoyo cases!So, to feel better, I bought an nice case,

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2022, 09:29:31 am
content: The hinges on my cheapy Caliper case broke so lucky I own a Laser CutterThis is my drafting/modeling kit so radius, thread and feeler gauges as well.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2022, 09:58:28 am
content: 404 Not Found

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 07, 2022, 10:21:10 am
content: I had posted these in an older thread but the attached Mitutoyo Imitation Leaftet PDF file was no good so here it is again.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2022, 11:59:53 am
content: And apart from the battery life, rougher finish the cheaper ones will be just fine for most is the realityThe issue for me is more WTF try or are they 'allowed to' pass off what are fairly obvious fakes even if you just take the provenance of the seller or location. Evilbay is complicit in this locally at least as there is no obvious way a potential purchaser can report the fake before a sale or have that followed by a bunfight over who is right after.Just playing with my new set of Toy Blocks and cleaning the preservative off, they are also a cheap and cheerful set but based on a quick check under 1/1000 between them on all dimensions and seem parallel face to face. I will put them on the surface plate and dial indicator tomorrow and compare them to some gauge blocks and see how close they really are. Gauge blocks are Grade0 and I have a 0.001mm DTI to avoid the man with two clocks issues 'for now'

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2022, 05:30:57 pm
content: Was looking at dial indicators, found all of the fakes in one place here:https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1100155041

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2022, 11:36:07 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on August 29, 2022, 10:00:33 pmI cannot emphasize enough how bad this is, if you get one that suffers from this. And “rapid” isn’t all that rapid, mind you.I’ve had to redo entire series of measurements and calculations due to this happening on cheap digital calipers (bought at Aldi, look just like one of the cheapies in a photo above). It’d skip in jumps of 0.1” and 0.2” (even in mm mode, so jumps of 2.54 and 5.08mm). I ended up having to verify every measurement against the analog scale to make sure it didn’t skip counts. Extraordinarily time consuming.The battery consumption was also ridiculous. Multiple LR44 batteries per year.I replaced it with a Mitutoyo vernier caliper, but I am planning to get a digital one, either a Mitutoyo, Mahr, or Sylvac.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 12:30:24 am
content: That's one of the tests I do to check the battery, rapidly slide it back and forth then close to make sure it still zeros out.I've never had any cheap/decent brands skip with a good battery. But I'm sure some terrible ones exist.The whole processor probably slows down as the battery dies, as the refresh rate of the LCD gets visually worse.Of course with either of those three quality brands you'll never have to bother worrying about this.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 01:54:53 am
content: The thing that impresses me is just how well the genuine stuff manages to work off of a single coin cell. That sort of low power low voltage, especially something with a microcontroller than can function down to less than a volt is an area of engineering I have not done much with.

author: KE5FX
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 02:29:41 am
content: Totally FM, I don't know how they do it either. My 500-197 will run two or three years on a single SR44... and I never bother to turn it off.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 06:38:15 am
content: I’m guessing they’re really low-frequency ASICs, similar to the chips in solar calculators, running at a few kHz.