BTM2133 METROLOGY

CHAPTER 8

Surface Measurement
 Overview
• Surface metrology, which includes the commonly
recognized elements finish and roundness, is important
consideration in manufacturing.

• Surface metrology examines the deviation between one

point (or points) on a surface and another points(other
points) on the same surface.

• Surface metrology is a concern of many branches of

science and widely involved in the world of commerce and
manufacturing.
 Overview
• In machining, to meet the performance requirements, the
surface must be prepared for the job: from rough (like
cast, forged or rolled) to finishing.

• Machining from rough turning and milling to fine diamond

turning/milling, creates textures on the surface.

• The finest machined surface with abrading process such

as grinding and lapping produce the surface by chip
lifting action from the surface area.
 Surface metrology
• Surface metrology or surface topology refers to
the geometry and texture of surfaces.
• The condition of surface is defined by its
characteristics:
–Surface texture (finish)
–Roundness (a function of geometry)
–Material
–Hardness
–Surface metallurgy
 Surface metrology..cont.
• Three forms of asperity:
1. Roughness
2. Waviness
3. Error of form
• The fourth asperity is not distinguish by
wavelength; it is flaw.
• Lay is the direction of the asperities which in
most cases means that roughness and waviness
are perpendicular to each other.
Surface assesment
• Roughness–the finest of the
asperities.
• Waviness-concern the more
widely spaced ones.
• Flaw –surface defect.
• Lay–The direction of the
asperities.

* Asperity is defined as
unevenness of surface.
Various lay configuration

• This chart categorizes

the various lay
configurations and
shows the standardizes
symbols used on
drawing.
 Measurement method of surface roughness

• Inspection and assessment of surface roughness

of machined workpieces can be carried out by
means of different measurement techniques.
• These methods can be ranked into the following
classes:
1. Direct measurement methods
2. Comparison based techniques
3. Non contact methods
4. On-process measurement
 1) Direct measurement method
• Direct methods assess surface finish by means of stylus
type devices.
• Measurements are obtained using a stylus drawn along
the surface to be measured.
• The stylus motion perpendicular to the surface is
registered.
• This registered profile is then used to calculate the
roughness parameters.
• Disadvantage-This method requires interruption of the
machine process, and the sharp diamond stylus may
make micro-scratches on surfaces.
Stylus instrument
 Stylus instrument
• Why we use stylus method??
–It is the most familiar method for practical
shop work.
–It the best demonstrate the fundamental
principles of surface metrology.
–Standard is based on the stylus method.
Stylus instrument
 Stylus instrument
• The stylus instrument widely used technique for measuring a
surface profile.
• This technique uses a fine diamond stylus with tip size
approximately 0.1 to 10 μm to transverse the surface.
• As the stylus tracks the surface peaks and valleys, its vertical
motion is converted to a time varying electrical signal that
represent surface profile.
• Stylus instruments operate like a phonograph pickup: the
stylus is drawn across the surface and generates electrical
signals that are proportional to the changes in the surface.
• The changes in height can be read directly with a meter or on
a printed chart.
 Stylus instrument
• Two types of stylus instruments:

1. True-datum or skidless instruments.

2. Surface-datum or skid type instrument.
 True-datum instrument
• With this instrument, we draw across the surface in a
very precise, mechanically controlled movement.
• Advantages:
–The resulting graph is nearly a true representation of
the surface along that one line showing roughness,
waviness, errors of form and flaws.
• Disadvantages:
–Very difficult to set the instrument up; must precisely
align the surface being assessed with the path of the
instrument.
True-datum instrument
 Surface datum instrument
• Can easily set up because they use the
surface being assessed as the datum.
• A supporting slide (skid, a rounded
member fixed to the head, a shoe, a flat
pad) mounted in the head rests on the
surface and slides the stylus pickup along.
• Skids may be located, in front of, behind,
or on the opposite side of the stylus.
Surface datum instrument
Surface datum instrument

*The description is in next page.

 Surface datum instrument

• The radius of a skid must be relatively great

compared with the feature being assessed as
shown in figure A.
• As the wavelength of the asperity increases, the
skid approaches the stylus in its movement until,
as in C, they are the same. At this point, the
asperity to be assessed will not appear on the
graph.
 Movement of stylus

• If it is desired to assess primary texture (roughness) shown as

A, a pointed stylus is needed. It must move in direction a.
• If A was not a concern, but the chatter marks, B, were to be
investigated, a wide stylus traveling in direction b would not
reveal the roughness, but would produce a graph of the
chatter marks.
 Cut-Off Length
• In basic terms, a cut-off is a filter and is used as
a means of separating or filtering the
wavelengths of component.
• Cut-offs have a numerical value which when
selected reduce or remove the unwanted
wavelength on the surface.
• For example, a roughness filter cut-off with a
numeric value of 0.8 mm will allow wavelengths
below 0.8 mm to be assessed. The higher than
0.8 mm will be reduced in amplitude.
 Cut-Off Length…cont.
• Too short cut-off length can lead for
inaccurate readings .
• Too long cut-off length returns an error
more often than not.
• The middle length returns a reasonable
result.
• The recommended cut-off length is shown
in Table 1.
 Assessment length
• An assessment length is the amount of
data left after filtering that is then used for
analysis.
• The measurement length is dictated by the
numerical value of the cut-off, which itself
is dictated by the type of surface under
inspection.
• Typically, a measurement may consist of a
traverse of 6-7 times of the cut-off
selected.
 2) Comparison based technique
• Comparison techniques use specimens of surface
roughness produced by the same process,
material and machining parameters as the surface
to be compared.
• Visual and tactile senses are used to compare a
specimen with a surface of known surface finish.
• Because of the subjective judgment involved, this
method is useful for surface roughness Rq / RMS
>1.6 micron.
 Surface roughness comparator
• The most common way to evaluate surface
finish is to compare it visually and by feel with
roughness comparison specimen shaving
various surface finishes.
• It consist of composite set of surface roughness
specimen standard.
Surface roughness comparator
 3) Non-contact method
• There have been some work done to attempt to measure
surface roughness using non contact technique.
• Here is an electronic speckle correlation method given
as an example.
• When coherent light illuminates a rough surface, the
diffracted waves from each point of the surface mutually
interfere to form a pattern which appears as a grain pattern
of bright and dark regions.
• The spatial statistical properties of this speckle image can
be related to the surface characteristics.
• The degree of correlation of two speckle patterns produced
from the same surface by two different illumination beams
can be used as a roughness parameter.
Electronic sparkle correlation method
 4) On-process measurement
• Many methods have been used to measure surface roughness in
process. For example:

– Machine vision.
In this technique, a light source is used to illuminate the surface with
a digital system to viewing the surface and the data being sent to a
computer to be analyzed. The digitized data is then used with a
correlation chart to get actual roughness values.

– Ultrasound.
A spherically focused ultrasonic sensor is positioned with a non
normal incidence angle above the surface. The sensor sends out an
ultrasonic pulse to the a personal computer for analysis and
calculation of roughness parameters.
 Microscope
• Examination of surfaces by
microscope can be
informative.

• But it does not usually allow

the heights of the asperities
to be determined without
destroying the test part by
cutting a taper through the
surface.
 Numerical value for assessment
• Arithmetic roughness average (Ra)
–This method is also known as roughness average and
by two earlier term; arithmetic average (AA) and center-
line average (CLA).
–The roughness average is the arithmetic average of the
absolute values of the deviation from the profile height
measured from the centerline along a specified
sampling length.
–Two method for determining the value:
i. Graphical method
ii. Electrical averaging
Numerical value for assessment
 Graphical method
• Establish a graphical centerline by determining
the areas between the centerline and the profile.

• Then place the line again so that the areas

above the line equal the areas below the line.

• Complex method.
 Electrical averaging method
• The instrument automatically average the
readings.

• Get different value(within 1% to 2% Ra

value) from graphical method because the
graphical centerline is a straight line and
electrical averaging centerline is wavy.
 Other standardized assessment methods

1. Root Mean Square Roughness (Rq or RMS)

2. Maximum Peak-Valley Roughness (Rmax or Rt)
3. Ten-Point Height (Rz)
4. Average Peak-to-Valley Roughness (R or H or Hpl)
5. Average Spacing of Roughness Peaks (Ar or AR)
6. Swedish Height of Irregularities (R or H)
7. Bearing Length Ration (Tp and others)
8. Leveling Depth (Rp and others)
9. Waviness Height (W)
 Root Mean Square Roughness (Rq or RMS)

• RMS or Rq is closely related to the roughness average

(Ra).
• Square the distances, average them, and determine the
square root of the result.
• The resulting value is the index for surface texture
comparison.
• RMS is usually 11% higher than the Ra value.
 Maximum Peak-Valley Roughness (Rmax or Rt)

• Determine the distance between the lines that contact

the extreme outer and inner point of the profile.
• Second most popular method in industry.
 Ten-Point Height (Rz)

• Averages the distance between the five peaks

and five deepest valleys within the sampling
length.
Leveling Depth (Rp and others)

• Measure the height between the highest peak

and the mean line.
 Waviness Height (W)

• Assess the waviness without regard to roughness by

determining the peak-to-valley distance of the total
profile within the sampling length.
 QUIZ (20 marks)
1. Explain the different between skid and skidless stylus
instruments. [6 marks]

2. With a sketch of surface profile, define the Ra and

Rz. [6 marks]

3. Explain cause of error of form on surface roughness

during machining [4 marks]

4. Give two machining processes that improve the

surface by chip lifting action. [4 marks]
Any Question??

Thanks ☺