Welcome to the Surface Roughness Analysis Blog
Why do brakes squeak? When will a gasket leak? What caused the haziness in my painted finish?
Surface texture and function are tightly linked. Understanding the relationship between texture and function, and sharing that information with engineers and quality professionals, is what Michigan Metrology is all about.
The articles in this blog explore the concepts of surface texture analysis and measurement. We show how you can apply these concepts to solve problems related to leaks, squeaks, appearance, wear, noise, fit, friction, vibration, adhesion, and many other functions.
Looking for more information on specific surface texture parameters? Visit our Surface Texture Parameters Glossary for an introduction to dozens of 3D surface roughness analysis parameters.
And, if you want to learn much more about surface texture consider attending our online and in-person classes for an immersive introduction to the many concepts in surface analysis.
Controlling parting lines in molded plastics
July 22, 2024In plastic molding, parting lines can form on the component where portions of the mold meet imperfectly. These ridges and/or valleys may lead to several types of functional problems with
New Full-Day Surface Metrology and Tribology Class, 11/14/24
July 15, 2024Registration is open for the new one-day Surface Metrology and Tribology class, which will be held in Livonia, Michigan, Nov. 14, 2024. The full-day metrology class – tribology class offers
Controlling Knit Lines in Plastic Molding
July 15, 2024In the molding process, knit lines form where the material does not weld together seamlessly as it moves through the tooling. The cause may be related to the mold surface,
High-Res, Large FOV…and High Speed, too?
June 17, 20243D optical profilers provide high-resolution measurement of surface roughness and shape. Earlier optical profilers were limited by the size of their measurement areas (Field-of-view, or FOV), typically less than 1mm
3D Optical Profiler Modes
June 5, 2024Download this article as a PDF In the early days of 3D optical profiling, we needed to know an alphabet soup of measurement modes in order to operate the systems.
Remembering Roger Simpson
May 16, 2024Michigan Metrology opened its doors in the Detroit area in 1994. I’d spent the previous several years working with the team at WYKO, developing the ”white light interferometry” technology that enables
What surface finish do you need for lighting applications?
April 29, 2024Lighting and automotive lighting applications require more complex lens shapes and textures. To support these high-performance designs, manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of plastics, and the molds required to make
Getting the most from your 3D optical profiler
April 23, 2024Give us a shout! We’re happy to help—often free of charge. 3D optical profilers can make amazing, high resolution measurements, very fast. But the measurement settings and software options can
Bringing 3D optical measurement to Detroit
March 19, 2024Remembering the early days, Part 2 Michigan Metrology, LLC is approaching our 30th anniversary, and we’re taking a look back on some of the highlights of our history. In this
Average Roughness
February 29, 2024If you rely on average roughness (Ra) to control your surfaces, check out this short animation. It shows that very different surfaces can all have the same Ra value…and Ra
A measurement lab can be a development partner
February 20, 2024Startups, incubators, “skunk works…” when a company is in startup mode, everything is happening at once. Manufacturing processes are being designed while funding is being secured and sales are being
Anthony Musci’s “rock star” engineering career
January 31, 2024Where can your career take you after your first job has you designing Aston Martin engines? The answer is: everywhere! Anthony Musci describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur,” having applied