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.
Parameter Primer: Sds (Summit Density)
February 9, 2019Sds, the Summit Density, is one of the so-called “Hybrid” surface texture parameters. Sds counts the number of summits per unit area of the surface. The summits are derived from
Surface texture measurement – did you set the cutoff lengths properly?
January 21, 2019Along with specifying the surface roughness with Ra (average roughness), one must establish the cutoff lengths used to measure the surface. A specification of Ra alone is inadequate, since measurement
Take a hike! Understanding form, waviness and roughness in terms of a good walk
January 8, 2019The terms “roughness,” “waviness” and “form” are used everywhere in discussions of surface texture. But do we really understand how they are defined? For many years I have used an
If you need less sliding friction, should you make the surface rougher or smoother?
July 6, 2018How is sliding friction affected by the surface texture of two dry parallel sliding surfaces? The relationship of dry (sliding) friction to surface texture is linked to the notion of
Patent attorneys and surface texture
March 3, 2018When an invention is in an esoteric field, such as tribology or surface metrology, it is especially important for the inventor to assist the patent attorney in understanding the novel