TOOLING UP: Smart Measurement: Reference-Grade Precision on the Shop Floor

Watch time: 8:43 minutes

Supplier: TESA Technology

Posted date: Mar 23, 2026

Video series: Tooling Up , Season 5

Looking for full transcript of video? Read now

In this episode of Tooling Up, host Toni Neary is joined by Uwe Burkardt and Sebastien Granges from Tesa Tech to explore how the TESA-Hite and TESA-Hite Magna height gauges are helping manufacturers bring reference-grade measurement directly onto the shop floor. As production demands increase, traditional inspection methods such as handheld tools or offline metrology labs can introduce delays, variability, and unnecessary complexity.

Designed to replace conventional tools like calipers and micrometers, the TESA-Hite family delivers a more consistent, accurate, and efficient measurement solution. Viewers will gain clarity on the differences between TESA-Hite and TESA-Hite Magna, and how to align performance, durability, and cost with their specific shop environment.

At the center of the conversation is the concept of a “measurement island,” where these high-precision height gauges enable instant validation at the point of production. By keeping measurement close to the machine, manufacturers can reduce bottlenecks, stabilize processes in real time, and make quality a seamless part of everyday operations.

The conversation also looks ahead to connected manufacturing, with modular solutions that enable measurement data to be captured and integrated into digital workflows. Watch the full episode to learn how Tesa Tech’s smart measurement solutions help manufacturers improve accuracy, reduce inspection time, and bring quality control directly into the production environment.

To learn more about Tesa’s smart measurement solutions, connect with your MSC metalworking specialist or visit mscdirect.com.

For even more metalworking insights and expertise, check out MSC's Knowledge Center.

For more Tooling Up videos, check out the MSC Tooling Up playlist and subscribe to our channel.

Video Transcript

Uwe Burkardt: What if precision no longer lived far from the machine? With a measurement island on the shop floor, centered around a high-precision high-gauge, reference grade measurement becomes instantly available where machining happens. Operators get immediate validation, processes stabilize in real time, and quality becomes a seamless part of production.

Narrator: This episode of Tooling Up is brought to you by Tesa Tech. Tesa Smart Measurement Solutions. If you're looking for real-world insights, tips from leading industry experts, and the latest trends in products and technology, you've come to the right place. From MSC Industrial Supply, this is Tooling Up.

Toni Neary: Hi everyone, and welcome to Tooling Up. I'm your host, Toni Neary, and I'm so glad that you've joined us today. Before we get started, please go ahead and click those like and subscribe buttons so you never miss an episode from MSC and our industry partners. Today, we're talking about smart measurement solutions and how manufacturers can bring reference-grade precision directly onto the shop floor.

Joining me from Tesa Tech are Uwe Burkardt, Director of Marketing and Technology, and Sebastien Granges, Product and Service Manager. Uwe and Sebastian, welcome to Tooling Up, and thanks for joining us today.

Uwe Burkardt: Hello, Toni. Thank you very much. We are really happy to be here.

Toni Neary: We know that Tesa has deep roots in Swiss precision manufacturing. So before we dive into the technical side of things, tell us a little bit about your backgrounds and journey in this industry.

Uwe Burkardt: Yeah. From my side I began my career with a technical apprenticeship in electrical engineering, gaining real shop floor experience that still shapes my approach today. Building on this foundation, I earned a master's degree in electronics, and I've spent more than 18 years at Tesa leading R&D service, product management, and marketing communications. My passion is precision, and my focus is on bringing metrology closer to production to enable higher quality and productivity.

Sebastien Granges: For me, it's been a pretty similar journey because I have a master's degree in electrical engineering, and I've been with Tesa for almost 20 years now. When I started as a trainee many years ago, I quickly moved into a project manager role. I had the chance a few years ago to take over new responsibilities as a worldwide service manager, and that was really great to have both caps mixed together because a degree then gave me a broad perspective about the entire product life from A to Z and that's really an advantage when you are involved, like me, in product development, because it ensures that the end-to-end customer experience is fully taken into account.

Toni Neary: The combination of Swiss engineering heritage and real-world production experience really sets the stage for this conversation. So let's jump in. Now, I know in many facilities, dimensional inspection still happens away from production, either with handheld tools that vary by operator or by sending parts to the metrology lab. So why is that becoming a bottleneck? And more importantly, why does measurement need to stay closer to the machine?

Uwe Burkardt: Good question, Toni. So many production environments still lose time moving parts to the metrology lab, waiting for results, and dealing with variability from handheld tools. What if precision no longer lived far from the machine? With a measurement island on the shop floor centered around a high-precision high gauge, reference grade measurement becomes instantly available where machining happens. Operators get immediate validation, processes stabilize in real time, and quality becomes a seamless part of production.

Toni Neary: So, Sebastian, give us the big picture overview. What is the TESA-Hite family designed to deliver? And really, what problems does this solve for manufacturers?

Sebastien Granges: Basically, if I have to summarize it, I would say the family has been developed to bring high-accuracy measurement directly to the shop floor. We are talking about a gauge that could replace the standard hand tools in the workshop, like calipers or micrometers, and that means we are touching a wider range of different uses. And that's one of the key purposes we kept in mind during the development, because we wanted it to be accessible to the widest possible audience.

Toni Neary: So let's break down the difference between the two. If I'm evaluating these systems for my facility, how do I decide between the two?

Uwe Burkardt: TESA-Hite, premium precision for applications demanding tight tolerances, maximum repair delivery, and optical reading. Steel column, air cushion movement engineered for the highest accuracy. TESA-Hite Magna, rock stability designed for harsh workshop conditions. Magnetic reading system, aluminum column, robust, reliable, and cost-efficient.

Toni Neary: So it's not about one being better than the other; it's about matching the level of performance to the environment and the application.

Uwe Burkardt: Exactly this. This is exactly right.

Toni Neary: Now, one feature that really stood out to me on the Hite is the air cushion system. So some high-end height gauges can be very heavy and difficult to reposition. What makes this system so different?

Sebastien Granges: Here we are talking about a typical practical use case, Toni. Most of the time during the measurement sequence, the part is moved and the gauge stays still. The right hand is on the displacement wheel, displacing the probe up and down, and the left hand is on the part itself to move the part and to position the probe in the measurement area.

But sometimes you need to move the instrument from one place to another on the granite surface, or you may face heavy or big parts to measure. So in these situations you need to move the gauge itself.

Toni Neary: Uwe, I think certification is also a really important part of this conversation, and something that customers don't always factor in when they're comparing systems. What makes Tesa’s approach different?

Uwe Burkardt: At Tesa, every height gauge leaves our factory fully tested and certified under the highest metrology standard. Each unit includes an SCS calibration certificate, which is internationally recognized and equivalent to the A2LA in the United States. Unlike many competitors who charge extra for the certification, Tesa delivers the instrument already verified, documented, and ready to use right out of the box.

For our customers, this means no hidden costs, no additional calibration steps, and complete confidence that every Tesa height gauge has been inspected to the strictest standard before it ever reaches the shop floor.

Toni Neary: So customers know they're getting certified precision with no surprises in their total cost.

Uwe Burkardt: That's exactly right.

Toni Neary: All right. So we've talked about performance and durability. Let's take it one step further because modern manufacturing is also about connected data. How easy is it to connect this system and start integrating all of that measurement data into a digital workflow?

Sebastien Granges: The idea is to send basically data from a tool to a computer on which you would have the need to centralize data or to create a measurement report. So the Tesa system is really modular. It's called TLC, Tesa Link Connector, and that basically just consists of a cap that is not a major investment. Could be wireless or not.

And with this cap, you can just basically upgrade most of Tesa's products.

Toni Neary: So before we wrap up today's conversation, if there's one thing that you want manufacturers to remember about the TESA-Hite family, what is it?

Uwe Burkardt: It brings reference-grade precision straight to the heart of the shop floor. No matter how tough the environment, it's stable, reliable, repeatable, and absolutely trustworthy.

Toni Neary: And at the end of the day, it's about bringing trusted reference-grade measurement right onto the shop floor. Uwe and Sebastien, thank you both for joining us today.

Sebastien Granges: Thank you.

Uwe Burkardt: Thank you very much.

Toni Neary: It was so great spending time with Uwe and Sebastien today. And if you want to learn more about Tesa’s smart measurement solutions, connect with your MSC Metalworking Specialist or visitwww.mscdirect.com/products/tesa-hite. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next time on Tooling Up.

Narrator: Want more insights and ideas to improve the efficiency and productivity of your operations? Check out the Tooling Up video playlist to hear tips that can take your company to the next level, and subscribe to our channel so you won't miss out.

Brought to you by TESA Technology

TESA Precision Measurement Instruments manufactures calipers, micrometers, dial and height gauges, lever-type dial test indicators and inductive probes. Known for quality, reliability, longevity, and precision machining with a unique expertise in micromechanics and proven experience in dimensional metrology, our global distribution network focuses on the mechanical engineering, micromechanical, automotive, aerospace, watchmaking and medical industries.