Abstract: The milling machine disclosed herein offers significant advantages over prior milling machines, particularly in the field of milling composite panels. The structure of the milling machine, having a C-shaped frame with a clamping mechanism that cooperates with roller transfer balls, provides an accurate and stable reference during the milling operation. A vacuum system substantially eliminates the dust produced during the milling operation, so that the machine is cleaner and grinds more accurately. An electrical system, having a retractable bit control and emergency stopping modes, facilitates even more accurate grinding without undesirable results.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hole profile gage comprising a probe that senses deviations in the contour of the inner surface of a bore while it is retracted through the bore. The profile gage includes a processing unit that samples the output from the probe, develops a profile for the hole, and evaluates whether the profile is within predetermined tolerance limits. In a preferred embodiment, the probe comprises a split ball probe coupled with a transducer. In use, the probe is retracted through the bore by a spring coupled with a damping device.