You’ve heard the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” This is very true in the analysis of 3D (areal) surface texture. While parameters with numerical values offer some degree of understanding… a picture can often be more instructive.* The false colors in this 3D surface map (from our OmniSurf3D analysis software) indicate the … Read more
If you work with coatings, electrical contacts, sliding surfaces, substrates for painting, etc., you know that controlling surface peaks can be the difference between a functional part and a failed one. The Peak Analysis in OmniSurf3D is an interactive tool for visualizing the peak material. Click and drag the cutting plane on the Material Ratio … Read more
Our new article, “Hidden Waviness: When measuring roughness cannot solve quality challenges,” appears in the June 2020 issue of Quality Magazine. This article was written in conjunction with Don Cohen of Michigan Metrology. Specifications for surface texture frequently focus on surface “roughness”—the finer structures in the texture—often to the exclusion of the “waviness”—the larger structure … Read more
When we look at an areal (3D) measurement of a surface it can appear as a vast landscape of many sizable features: An optical, areal measurement typically includes millions of points. On the other hand, a stylus-based, 2-dimensional measurement typically includes just thousands of points. But just how big are the areas covered by these … Read more
Optical measurement of surface texture is becoming more and more widespread, and new technologies are providing faster measurement of larger areas. However, in the quest to measure faster over larger areas, we sometime lose touch with the ability to resolve smaller features. Most of the time there are hints at performance in the measuring system’s … Read more
Many surfaces are dominated by a repeating, pattern or shape in their texture. Sometimes this texture is desired, as on a gripping surface. Other times it is something we try to avoid, such as “orange peel” in paint, or chatter in a bearing raceway. In each of these cases it is helpful to isolate the … Read more