Are You Measuring “Average Roughness” Correctly? There’s More to It Than You May Think

Figure 1. A stylus measurement of surface roughness on a shaft (left), and a 3D measurement of the surface texture (right).

by Mike Zecchino and Mark Malburg

Calibration labs frequently need to certify the average roughness (Ra) of calibration specimens or samples. This seemingly straightforward task, however, involves more than running a roughness gage across the surface and reading the Ra value. Variations in basic settings can result in Ra values that differ by orders of magnitude.

To properly measure and report average roughness, we need to establish measurement protocols to ensure that the value is measured accurately and that it is measured the same way every time, both in the calibration laboratory and by the customer.

Read the full article (PDF)

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply