For decades the Dimensionair® dial was the default air gage on American shop floors. Plants still run them by the dozen, often in several magnifications side by side. Mahr has now discontinued the Dimensionair dial gages and directs buyers to its Millimar C1202 electronic amplifier. If one of yours fails, or your quality system wants data the dial can't give, here are the realistic options and what each costs you.
First: your tooling is worth more than the readout
A plant with 20 Dimensionair stations usually owns far more in air plugs, air rings and certified setting masters than in the dials themselves. Whatever you choose, the question that matters is whether you can keep that tooling. Find your model and tool code with the Dimensionair model and order-number lookup.
Option 1: Keep running and repair
If the dial reads, masters and repeats, there is no rule that says it has to go. Clean, dry, regulated air is the biggest factor in keeping one healthy. See air gage care and maintenance.
Trade-offs: the dials are discontinued, so repair parts and service will only get harder to find, readings are still taken by eye and written down, and every magnification needs its own spare.
Option 2: Buy used or surplus dials
Used Dimensionair dials turn up on auction sites and from surplus dealers. It's the cheapest way to keep a line running for now.
Trade-offs: unknown history and calibration, no warranty, and you are buying a readout that will face the same problem again.
Option 3: Mahr's Millimar C1202
Mahr's recommended replacement is the Millimar C1202, a compact electronic amplifier with a color display and data output. It reads air tooling through a separate pneumatic measuring module.
Trade-offs: the advertised price is for the readout only. To gage with air you also buy the pneumatic module and its accessory kit (which includes the air preparation), bringing it to approximately $3,200. That still doesn't include a stand where you connect your tooling directly to the front, the way you did on the Dimensionair. See the C1202 vs. Air Gage Pro cost breakdown.
Option 4: Air Gage Pro, a digital drop-in replacement
The Air Gage Pro is a complete bench station built around the Metro M5 digital readout, with the filter-regulator, pressure gauge and quick-connects built in. It is made for exactly this job: replacing a Dimensionair without replacing the tooling.
- Same tooling, same masters. The M5-L runs tool codes 20 and 50 (D-2500 to D-8000). The M5-H runs tool codes 5 and 10 (D-10000 to D-32000). The M5 Dual runs any two-master tooling.
- One model replaces four. A single M5-L covers all four low-amp dial magnifications.
- Digital and color-coded. Green, yellow and red against your tolerance, with a dial view your operators already know.
- Data out. USB export to Excel/CSV, RS232 to SPC, Modbus RTU.
- Priced online. $2,895 for 1 input, $3,595 for 2 inputs.
Watch one go in: a Dimensionair replaced in under 2 minutes.
Side by side
| Repair / used dial | Millimar C1202 | Air Gage Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keeps your tooling | Yes | Confirm with seller | Yes |
| Price for air gaging | Repair cost or used price | Approximately $3,200, no stand | $2,895 complete |
| Reading | Dial, by eye | Digital, color display | Digital, color-coded to tolerance |
| Data output | None | Yes | USB, RS232, Modbus RTU |
| Air preparation | Separate | In the module accessory kit | Built in |
| Complete bench station | Yes | No: readout, module and kit bought separately; no front-connection stand | Yes |
Replacing a whole plant
Most plants don't switch all at once. Pilot one station, then roll out by line. Send us a list of order numbers or D-numbers and we will match every one. See upgrading a plant full of Dimensionair gages.
Dimensionair, Mahr, MahrFederal, Federal and Millimar are trademarks of their respective owners, used only to identify compatible equipment. Air Gaging LLC is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.