Ch. 5.

Surface Roughness Assessment

5.5. Measurement of Surface Roughness

➢ A number of instruments and techniques are in use for the purpose of

surface roughness assessment;

1- Electrical integration stylus instruments.

2- Tactile (finger nail) surface assessment and its development in the

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form of mechanical instruments.

3- Optical instruments.

4- Pneumatic instruments.

5- The production of plastic replicas of the surface.

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 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
➢ There are many factors that affect the method and instrument to be used,
the most important factors are;

1- Surface roughness degree of the measured surface.

2- Parameters to be assessed.

3- Degree of accuracy desired in measuring the surface.

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4- Geometrical shape of the surface.

5- Mechanical properties of the surface material.

6- Degree of reflectivity of the surface.

7- Costs of the measuring operation.

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 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.1. Electrical integration stylus instruments

➢ The measuring head of this instrument

consists of a diamond stylus of about
0.002 mm tip radius and skid or shoe
which is drawn across the surface by
means of a motorized driving unit. A
neutral position in which the pick-up can
be traversed manually is also provided.

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➢ The arm carrying the stylus forms an
armature which pivots about the center
piece of E-shaped stamping. On two
legs of (outer pole pieces) the E-shaped
stamping there are coils carrying an a.
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c. current.
 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
➢ These two coils with other two resistances form an oscillator. The
amplitude of the original a. c. current flowing in the coils is modulated
because of air gap between the armature and E-shaped stamping. This is
further demodulated so that the current now is directly proportional to the
vertical displacement of the stylus only.

Filtered wave form

filter

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C

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Engineering Metrology Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.2. Tactile surface assessment
➢ Drawing a finger nail across the surface and by the same technique
making a comparison with a range of electroformed test blocks.
➢ The assessment is complete when the two standard blocks in the set have
been found which represent a “rougher” and “smoother” surface than the
one under test.
➢ The “rougher” test block is taken to be the grade of roughness of the

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surface under test.
➢ Advantages
• Superior to visual examination alone.
• Does not require skill in setting up and
operating an electronic instrument.
• Portable.
• Fast and simple check.
➢ Disadvantages
• Subjectivity - individuals may obtain 29
different readings for the same component.
• Practice and skill is required in maintaining
consistent results.
 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.3. Mechanical roughness instruments
1) Mechanical roughness indicator (Mecrin gauge)
➢ It is recent development from the tactile
method. It is suitable for non-regular surfaces.
On regular surfaces of rougher values, it is
used as a comparator against surface
roughness blocks to decide which is rougher.
➢ It is a common experience that a thin metallic
blade when pushed against a surface at a
certain angle will either slide or buckle

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depending on; (a) the surface roughness, and
(b) the angle of attack, i.e. the angle of the
blade to the surface. At angles below the
critical angle the blade tip will simply slide
along the surface but if the angle is
successively increased, at a certain angle the
blade just begins to buckle. This angle is the
critical angle of attack.
➢ The smoother the surface the greater the 30
critical angle and thus this angle is a function
of the degree” of roughness encountered.
 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.3. Mechanical roughness instruments (cont.)

➢ Calibration of the instrument is against hardened carbon steel specimens having

nominal values of 0.1 and 0.4 μm Ra which are accurate to within ± 12%.

➢ The Mecrin instrument can be used for the following purposes:

- To provide μm Ra values for relatively smooth irregular surfaces.
- As a comparator for two surfaces to decide which is the rougher.
- As a limit gauge for roughness.

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- To establish the direction of the lay of a surface to determine the
direction of maximum roughness if the surface has a definite lay.
- To measure short lengths down to 1 mm which may be inaccessible to
stylus instruments.
- As a comparator for non-metallic surfaces, e.g. paper, plastic, wood,
painted surfaces, etc.
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 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.3. Mechanical roughness instruments (cont.)
2) Dial depth gauge
➢ The dial depth gauge has been developed
primarily to measure rougher surfaces such as
rough turned, shaped, milled, or cast surfaces,
etc.
➢ The Rz and similar parameters are those most
usually preferred.
➢ An advantage of the instrument is that a quick
measurement can be made.

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➢ The gauge is first set to zero on a setting
standard and the surface measured by
pressing the gauge on to it.
➢ This procedure is repeated at, at least, four
other points on the surface and the average of
the readings equals the Rz value; the highest
reading is the Rt value or maximum depth.
➢ When the Ra value is required, empirical form 32
Rz ≈ 4 Ra to a tolerance of ±15% may be used.
 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.4. Optical instruments
1) Light interference microscopes
➢ A beam of monochromatic light is reflected by the measured surface.
➢ As a result of the small differences between the heights of the points of the
surface, there will be a series of reflection planes each consisting of the points
having the same height.
➢ When the difference between successive planes is of the order of half a
wavelength of the light, then an interference fringes are seen corresponding to the
contour lines of the surface.

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 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.4. Optical instruments (cont.)
Advantages of light interference microscopes:
1- Its noncontact and three-dimensional measurements can be made rapidly
without moving the sample or the measurement tool.
2- No instrument recalibration is required.
3- Wide range of magnifications and recording of patterns.
4- Very high resolution (scratch spacing less than 0.5 μm wide and scratch depth of
the order of 2 nm) are easily seen.

Limitations of light interference microscopes:

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1- They can only be used for reflective surfaces.
2- When dealing with thin films, incident light may penetrate the film and can be
reflected from the film-substrate interface.
3- Limited to the examination of smoother surfaces (peak to valley heights of less
than 2 μm).
4- Can only be used for direct observation of external surfaces on components
within the size capacity of the instrument.
5- Assessment of surface faults can not directly be related to the Ra parameter but a 34
good correlation with peak to valley parameters is possible.
6- High cost of the instrument.
 5.5.4. Optical instruments (cont.)

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Engineering Metrology Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment

 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.4. Optical instruments (cont.)
2) Light section tester (Schmaltz tester)
➢ A beam of light is projected on the measured surface through a narrow slit. The
reflected beam is viewed with a microscope providing an image of the surface
shape.
➢ From the reflected image, the parameter Rmax can be approximately measured.

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 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.4. Optical instruments (cont.)

Advantages of light section tester:

1- The reflected view can provide informative pattern.
2- The method is non-destructive as there is no contact with the measured surface.
3- No instrument recalibration is required.

Limitations of light section tester:

1- The main disadvantage of light section tester is that the surface roughness is

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assessed through an inclined plane.
2- The tester is insensitive for finely finished surfaces.
3- They can only be used for reflective surfaces.
4- Only the roughness parameter Rmax can be approximately assessed.

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 Ch. 5. Surface Roughness Assessment
5.5.5. Surface replicas

➢ This technique is used when a surface is inaccessible to instruments or

when the part is too large to mount or bring to an instrument.
➢ The technique involves either;
- pressing a piece of softened plastic on the surface, or
- placing a plasticine wall or metal ring round the specimen area and
pouring in a plastic fluid.
➢ In either case, after a suitable setting time the replica may be removed

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and an instrument reading taken using a lightly loaded stylus.

➢ Very high fidelity approaching 100% is obtainable using the fluid method
and softened plastic sheet offers about 80% fidelity.

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