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.
How Do We Define Average Roughness?
October 17, 2023Average Roughness—in surface texture measurement, it’s one of the most frequently specified surface roughness parameters. In this video we look at how average roughness (Ra, or Sa) is calculated. We
Honing Plates (Sharpening Stones)
September 26, 2023Hone plates, or sharpening stones, are used to produce a fine edge on knives, scissors, and other tools. A kit of stones provides progressively finer grit sizes and spacings to
How Do We Define “Roughness?”
September 13, 2023“Roughness” can mean a lot of things, but in surface texture analysis, it has a very specific meaning. In this short video we look at how 2D and 3D surface
Noise May be Hiding in the Waviness
September 5, 2023Download this article as a PDF Abrasive wear can greatly impact the performance of engines and machinery. This kind of wear can be caused by excessive roughness on either of
How “Rough” is Roughness?
August 21, 2023We know that measuring surface roughness is important for performance, quality, and durability. But how “rough” are the typical “average roughness” values that we see on prints and specifications? In
Friction and the Real Area of Contact
July 25, 2023If I need to push a long, heavy block, it seems like it should be easier if I stand the block up rather than laying it flat on its face…and
Dashboard surface texture
July 7, 2023When you’re thinking about the most engineered surfaces in a car, you may think of cylinder bores, clutches, brakes, etc. But we’d like to put one more item on your
Cavitation erosion
June 22, 2023Cavitation is the formation of air bubbles in a fluid as it goes from high pressure to low pressure. The dissolved gas can grow into bubbles—and under certain conditions those
Why do some bearings look shiny with wear?
April 25, 2023We tend to think of “new” surfaces as shiny and smooth, and “worn” surfaces as rough, dull, or uneven. But for a bearing surface, the opposite is often true: the
Visualizing “filtering” — an animation
April 18, 2023Surface texture can be described as a spectrum of spatial wavelengths. “Filtering” is the process to isolate the wavelengths that matter for our application. But what does that really look
A plant with self-cleaning leaves?
March 29, 2023A lot of effort goes into creating materials that can resist sticking, repel water, or keep oils off of cell phone screens. But some plants are able to accomplish tasks
Paint finish and spatial wavelengths
March 14, 2023Two lots of steel pass inspection for surface roughness. Yet, when we paint a panel from each lot, one looks great, and the other…does not. How can it be, when