Dtyjlui

This is an attempt of a 3d answer. I acknowledge and appreciate comments by KJO that made me realize that this is not really realistic and by Raaja that made me choose a perhaps more intuitive offset. ;-)

documentclass[tikz,border=3.14mm]{standalone}

usepackage{tikz-3dplot} 

usetikzlibrary{3d,calc}



begin{document}



tdplotsetmaincoords{00}{00}

foreach Z in {1.5,3,...,30,28.5,27,...,3}

{tdplotsetrotatedcoords{0}{Z}{00}

pgfmathsetmacro{VernierLength}{Z/2} % <- this is the length in mm you want to show

begin{tikzpicture}[tdplot_rotated_coords,font=sffamily]

%  begin{scope}[xshift=-5cm]

%    draw[-latex] (0,0,0) -- (1,0,0) node[pos=1.1]{$x$};

%    draw[-latex] (0,0,0) -- (0,1,0) node[pos=1.1]{$y$};

%    draw[-latex] (0,0,0) -- (0,0,1) node[pos=1.1]{$z$};

%  end{scope}

 path[tdplot_screen_coords,use as bounding box] (-3,-3) rectangle (5,3);

 path[tdplot_screen_coords] (5,3) node[anchor=north east] 

    {$mathsf{L}=VernierLength$};

 begin{scope}

   begin{scope}[canvas is yz plane at x=0]

    path (0,0) coordinate (M1);

    draw (180:1) arc(180:0:1);

   end{scope}

   begin{scope}[canvas is yz plane at x=1.5]

    path (0,0) coordinate (M2);

    draw let p1=($(M2)-(M1)$),n1={0*atan2(y1,x1)+atan2(1,1.5)/2.5} in

     ($(M1)+(-n1/2:1)$) coordinate (TL) -- ($(M2)+(-n1/2:2)$) coordinate (TR)

     ($(M1)+(180+n1/2:1)$) coordinate (BL) -- ($(M2)+(180+n1/2:2)$) coordinate (BR)

     (BR) arc(180+n1/2:-n1/2:2);

   end{scope}

   begin{scope}

    draw plot[variable=t,domain=0:360,smooth] 

      (-VernierLength/10-0.5,{cos(t)},{sin(t)});

    draw[clip] plot[variable=t,domain=0:180,smooth] 

      (-VernierLength/10-0.5,{cos(t)},{sin(t)})

      -- plot[variable=t,domain=180:0,smooth] 

      (0,{cos(t)},{sin(t)}) -- cycle;

    draw[thick] (-VernierLength/10,0,1) -- (0,0,1) 

      plot[variable=t,domain=60:110,smooth] 

      (-VernierLength/10,{cos(t)},{sin(t)});

    path let 

      p1=($(-VernierLength/10,{cos(120)},{sin(120)})-(-VernierLength/10,{cos(110)},{sin(110)})$),

       n1={90+atan2(y1,x1)} in (-VernierLength/10,{cos(120)},{sin(120)})

        node[rotate=n1,yscale={cos(30)},transform shape]{0};         

    pgfmathtruncatemacro{Xmax}{VernierLength/2}

    ifnumXmax>0

    foreach X in {1,...,Xmax}

    {ifoddX

      draw plot[variable=t,domain=90:110,smooth] 

      (-VernierLength/10+X/5,{cos(t)},{sin(t)});

%     path let 

%       p1=($(-VernierLength/10+X/5,{cos(120)},{sin(120)})-(-VernierLength/10+X/5,{cos(110)},{sin(110)})$),

%        n1={90+atan2(y1,x1)} in (-VernierLength/10+X/5,{cos(120)},{sin(120)})

%         node[rotate=n1,yscale={cos(30)},transform shape]{X};

     else

      draw plot[variable=t,domain=90:70,smooth] 

      (-VernierLength/10+X/5,{cos(t)},{sin(t)});

%     path let 

%       p1=($(-VernierLength/10+X/5,{cos(60)},{sin(60)})-(-VernierLength/10+X/5,{cos(70)},{sin(70)})$),

%        n1={-90+atan2(y1,x1)} in (-VernierLength/10+X/5,{cos(60)},{sin(60)})

%         node[rotate=n1,yscale={cos(30)},transform shape]{X};

     fi

     }

    fi

   end{scope} 

   %

   begin{scope}[canvas is yz plane at x=3.5]

    path (0,0) coordinate (M3);

    draw (180:2) arc(180:0:2);

    draw ($(M2)+(0:2)$) -- ($(M3)+(0:2)$)

    ($(M2)+(180:2)$) -- ($(M3)+(180:2)$);

   end{scope}

     pgfmathtruncatemacro{Offset}{180+10*VernierLength*7.2-12.5*7.2}

     pgfmathtruncatemacro{Xmin}{10*VernierLength+1-12.5}

     pgfmathtruncatemacro{Xmax}{Xmin+23}

    foreach X [evaluate=X as Y using {int(mod(X,5))},

      evaluate=X as LX using {int(mod(X,50))}] in {Xmin,...,Xmax}

    {ifnumY=0

       draw[thin] let 

       p1=($(0.6,{(1+0.4)*cos(Offset-X*7.2)},{(1+0.4)*sin(Offset-X*7.2)})-

       (0,{cos(Offset-X*7.2)},{sin(Offset-X*7.2)})$),

       p2=($(0.6,{(1+0.4)*cos(Offset-X*7.2)},{(1+0.4)*sin(Offset-X*7.2)})-

       (0.6,{(1+0.4)*cos(Offset-X*7.2+1)},{(1+0.4)*sin(Offset-X*7.2+1)})$),

       p3=($(0.6,{0},{(1+0.4)})-

       (0.6,{(1+0.4)*cos(91)},{(1+0.4)*sin(91)})$),

       n1={atan2(y1,x1)},n2={veclen(x2,y2)/veclen(x3,y3)} in

       (0,{cos(Offset-X*7.2)},{sin(Offset-X*7.2)})

        -- (0.6,{(1+0.4)*cos(Offset-X*7.2)},{(1+0.4)*sin(Offset-X*7.2)})

        node[pos=1.5,rotate=n1,yscale={n2},transform shape]{LX};

     else

       draw[thin] (0,{cos(Offset-X*7.2)},{sin(Offset-X*7.2)})

        -- (0.3,{(1+0.2)*cos(Offset-X*7.2)},{(1+0.2)*sin(Offset-X*7.2)});

     fi}

 end{scope}

end{tikzpicture}}

end{document} 

And here is a trick to draw the ticks. Call the point where the diagonal points intersect P. Then the ticks point to this point. Of course, in the end you want to remove the excess lines by clipping.

documentclass[tikz,border=3.14mm]{standalone}

usetikzlibrary{calc}

begin{document}

begin{tikzpicture}[font=sffamily]

 draw (0,0)--(-2,0) (0,-2)--(-2,-2);

 draw[thin] (0,0)--(0,-2);

 draw (0,0)coordinate (TL) --(1.5,1) coordinate (TR)  --(3.5,1) ;

 draw (0,-2) coordinate (BL)--(1.5,-3)  coordinate (BR) --(3.5,-3) ;

 draw[thin] (1.5,1)--(1.5,-3);

 draw (-2,-2) to[out=130,in=-130] (-2,-1) to[out=130,in=-130] (-2,0);

 draw[very thin] (-2,-1) to[out=50,in=-50] (-2,0);

 draw (3.5,1) to[out=-50,in=50] (3.5,-1) to[out=-50,in=50] (3.5,-3);

 draw[very thin] (3.5,-1) to[out=-130,in=130] (3.5,-3);

 path (intersection cs:first line={(TL)--(TR)}, second line={(BL)--(BR)})

  coordinate (P);

 clip (TL) -- (TR) -- (BR) -- (BL) -- cycle;

 foreach X [evaluate=X as Y using {int(mod(X,5))}] in {1,...,17}

 {ifnumY=0

   draw[shorten >=-20pt] (P) -- (0,-2+X/9) node[pos=1.65]{X};

 else

   draw[shorten >=-7pt] (P) -- (0,-2+X/9);

 fi  }

end{tikzpicture}

end{document}

Adaptions:

• I set the orign to the "0" of the horizontal scale.

Description:

• added 3 parameters:
  
  
  
  
  • 
    lenx is the horizontal length
  
  
  • 
    xscale is the scaling of one horizontal length unit
  
  
  • 
    startrange is the starting number of the vertical scale
  
  
  
  


• for loops and modulo calculations are used for drawing the scales

Code:

documentclass[margin=3mm,tikz]{standalone}



begin{document}



newcommand{lenx}{5.3} % e.g.: 0.4 or 5.3

newcommand{xscale}{.2}

newcommand{startrange}{0} % e.g.: 0 or 7



begin{tikzpicture}

    % scale right

    foreach i in {1, ..., 18} {

        pgfmathparse{Mod(i-1+startrange,5)==0?1:0}

        ifnumpgfmathresult>0

            % long line with number

            draw[blue] (lenx*xscale, -1+i*2/19) -- (lenx*xscale+.5, -1+i*2.5/19 -.25) node[right]{pgfmathparse{int(i-1+startrange)}pgfmathresult};%

        else

            % short line

            draw[blue] (lenx*xscale, -1+i*2/19) -- (lenx*xscale+.25, -1+i*2.25/19 -.125);

        fi

    }



    % horizontal scale (left)

    draw[red] (0,0) -- (lenx*xscale,0);

    draw[thick] (0,.3) -- (0,-.15) node[below]{0};

    pgfmathparse{int(lenx)}

    foreach i in {0, ..., pgfmathresult} {

        pgfmathparse{Mod(i,2)==0?1:0}

        ifnumpgfmathresult>0

            draw (i*xscale,0) -- (i*xscale,.15);

        else

            draw (i*xscale,0) -- (i*xscale,-.15);

        fi

    }



    % borders

    draw[thin, green] (lenx*xscale,1)--(lenx*xscale,-1);

    draw (-.5,1)--(lenx*xscale,1);

    draw (-.5,-1)--(lenx*xscale,-1);



    draw (lenx*xscale,1)--++(1.5,1)--++(2,0);

    draw (lenx*xscale,-1)--++(1.5,-1)--++(2,0);

    draw[thin] (lenx*xscale+1.5,2)--++(0,-4);



    % curvy lines (left and right)

    draw (-.5,-1) to[out=130,in=-130] (-.5,0) to[out=130,in=-130] (-.5,1);

    draw[very thin] (-.5,0) to[out=50,in=-50] (-.5,1);

    draw (lenx*xscale+3.5,2) to[out=-50,in=50] (lenx*xscale+3.5,0) to[out=-50,in=50] (lenx*xscale+3.5,-2);

    draw[very thin] (lenx*xscale+3.5,0) to[out=-130,in=130] (lenx*xscale+3.5,-2);

end{tikzpicture}

end{document}

Results:

A PSTricks solution just for fun purposes. I focus on the scale. The aesthetic aspects are too trivial.

documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt,12pt]{standalone}

usepackage{multido}

usepackage[nomessages]{fp}



makeatletter

defvernier#1{%

    begingroup

    psset{yunit=2mm,xunit=1mm,linecolor=red,linewidth=.8pt,linecap=0}

    pspolygon[fillcolor=yellow,fillstyle=solid,opacity=.9,linestyle=none,linewidth=.8pt,linearc=1pt](0,-6)(0,6)(6,7.5)(10,7.5)(10,-7.5)(6,-7.5)

    multido{iy=-5+1,in={numexpr#1-5relax}+1}{11}{%

        pst@modin{50}lbl

        pst@modlbl{5}tmp

        psline(0,iy)(!tmpspace 0 ne {2} {5} ifelse iyspace)

        ifnumtmp=0uput[0](3.5,iy){textcolor{red}{$lbl$}}fi

    }

    psline(.5pslinewidth,-5)(.5pslinewidth,5)

    endgroup

}



newcommandmicrometer[1]{%

bgroup

psset{xunit=.2mm,yunit=1cm,linewidth=1.6pt}

begin{pspicture}[linecolor=black,linecap=2](0,-1.3)(150,1.7)

    FPevalargs{trunc(#1*100:0)}

    pst@mod{args}{100}position

    FPevallbl{trunc(args/100:0)}

    multido{ix=0+50}{4}{%

        pst@modix{100}rem

        ifnumrem=0

                psline(ix,-17pt)(ix,17pt)

                uput[90](ix,16pt){lbl}

                FPevallbl{trunc(lbl+1:0)}

        else

                pst@modix{50}rem

                ifnumrem=0

                    psline(ix,-5pt)(ix,5pt)

                fi

        fi}

    psline(150,0)

    rput(dimexprpositionpsxunit-.4ptrelax,0){vernier{args}}

    rput(75,1.75){scriptsize#1}

end{pspicture}

egroup

}

makeatother



begin{document}

multido{n=3.00+0.01}{100}{micrometer{n}}

%micrometer{2.34}

end{document}

Foreword: This answer is only a tiny improvement of @dexteritas' answer so that the output figure fits the given figure more accurately.¹ Don't accept this answer.

I make a little change in the startrange definition and the y-coordinate of points in the horizontal scale.

Diagram 1:

documentclass[margin=3mm,tikz]{standalone}



begin{document}



newcommand{lenx}{5.3} % e.g.: 0.4 or 5.3

newcommand{xscale}{.2}

newcommand{startrange}{1} % e.g.: 0 or 7



begin{tikzpicture}

    % scale right

    foreach i in {1, ..., 18} {

        pgfmathparse{Mod(i-1+startrange,5)==0?1:0}

        ifnumpgfmathresult>0

            % long line with number

            draw (lenx*xscale, -1+i*2/19) -- (lenx*xscale+.5, -1+i*2.5/19 -.25) node[right]{pgfmathparse{int(i-1+startrange)}pgfmathresult};%

        else

            % short line

            draw (lenx*xscale, -1+i*2/19) -- (lenx*xscale+.25, -1+i*2.25/19 -.125);

        fi

    }



    % horizontal scale (left)

    draw (0,-.04) -- (lenx*xscale,-.04);

    draw[thick] (0,.26) -- (0,-.19) node[below]{0};

    pgfmathparse{int(lenx)}

    foreach i in {0, ..., pgfmathresult} {

        pgfmathparse{Mod(i,2)==0?1:0}

        ifnumpgfmathresult>0

            draw (i*xscale,-.04) -- (i*xscale,.11);

        else

            draw (i*xscale,-.04) -- (i*xscale,-.19);

        fi

    }



    % borders

    draw[thin] (lenx*xscale,1)--(lenx*xscale,-1);

    draw (-.5,1)--(lenx*xscale,1);

    draw (-.5,-1)--(lenx*xscale,-1);



    draw (lenx*xscale,1)--++(1.5,1)--++(2,0);

    draw (lenx*xscale,-1)--++(1.5,-1)--++(2,0);

    draw[thin] (lenx*xscale+1.5,2)--++(0,-4);



    % curvy lines (left and right)

    draw (-.5,-1) to[out=130,in=-130] (-.5,0) to[out=130,in=-130] (-.5,1);

    draw[very thin] (-.5,0) to[out=50,in=-50] (-.5,1);

    draw (lenx*xscale+3.5,2) to[out=-50,in=50] (lenx*xscale+3.5,0) to[out=-50,in=50] (lenx*xscale+3.5,-2);

    draw[very thin] (lenx*xscale+3.5,0) to[out=-130,in=130] (lenx*xscale+3.5,-2);

end{tikzpicture}

end{document}

Diagram 2:

documentclass[margin=3mm,tikz]{standalone}



begin{document}



newcommand{lenx}{0.4} % e.g.: 0.4 or 5.3

newcommand{xscale}{.2}

newcommand{startrange}{6} % e.g.: 0 or 7



begin{tikzpicture}

    % scale right

    foreach i in {1, ..., 18} {

        pgfmathparse{Mod(i-1+startrange,5)==0?1:0}

        ifnumpgfmathresult>0

            % long line with number

            draw (lenx*xscale, -1+i*2/19) -- (lenx*xscale+.5, -1+i*2.5/19 -.25) node[right]{pgfmathparse{int(i-1+startrange)}pgfmathresult};%

        else

            % short line

            draw (lenx*xscale, -1+i*2/19) -- (lenx*xscale+.25, -1+i*2.25/19 -.125);

        fi

    }



    % horizontal scale (left)

    draw (0,-.04) -- (lenx*xscale,-.04);

    draw[thick] (0,.26) -- (0,-.19) node[below]{0};

    pgfmathparse{int(lenx)}

    foreach i in {0, ..., pgfmathresult} {

        pgfmathparse{Mod(i,2)==0?1:0}

        ifnumpgfmathresult>0

            draw (i*xscale,-.04) -- (i*xscale,.11);

        else

            draw (i*xscale,-.04) -- (i*xscale,-.19);

        fi

    }



    % borders

    draw[thin] (lenx*xscale,1)--(lenx*xscale,-1);

    draw (-.5,1)--(lenx*xscale,1);

    draw (-.5,-1)--(lenx*xscale,-1);



    draw (lenx*xscale,1)--++(1.5,1)--++(2,0);

    draw (lenx*xscale,-1)--++(1.5,-1)--++(2,0);

    draw[thin] (lenx*xscale+1.5,2)--++(0,-4);



    % curvy lines (left and right)

    draw (-.5,-1) to[out=130,in=-130] (-.5,0) to[out=130,in=-130] (-.5,1);

    draw[very thin] (-.5,0) to[out=50,in=-50] (-.5,1);

    draw (lenx*xscale+3.5,2) to[out=-50,in=50] (lenx*xscale+3.5,0) to[out=-50,in=50] (lenx*xscale+3.5,-2);

    draw[very thin] (lenx*xscale+3.5,0) to[out=-130,in=130] (lenx*xscale+3.5,-2);

end{tikzpicture}

end{document}

¹ Micrometer is, of course, a tool for very accurate measurement, so I think the accuracy of the figure makes sense in this case.