In a recent article we talked about applications where a stylus may be the best measurement option and others where optical measurement is preferable. Here’s another interesting case: a Mahle HV385 thermal spray coated piston ring, courtesy of Andy Durham from Durham Racing Engines. Measuring the piston ring with an optical 3D profiler Here is … Read more
“Why would you use that antique measuring system? Today we have optics!” If you use a stylus based system (aka a “profilometer” or a “roughness gage”) to measure surface texture you may have heard some version of that statement over the years. Measuring with a stylus can seem low tech or even old fashioned…but in … Read more
Mold-Tech created a set of standardized surface textures that can be applied to injection molded parts. The Mold-Tech MT-11010 texture is one of the more common surfaces for appliances, automotive panels, and consumer electronics. It’s a sand-like texture that hides plastic shine, molding defects, fingerprints, and minor dings and damage. But what makes an MT-11010…an … Read more
We spend a lot of time in the world of manufacturing—measuring cylinder walls, additive plastics, and the like. But 3D surface texture analysis goes into so many interesting place…sometimes even back in time! Dr. Thilina De Silva, an ornithologist and evolutionary biologist, is currently part of a team that’s creating a database of the surface … Read more
We write a lot about how controlling surface roughness can help you find untapped performance. It’s not often, however, that we get to write that it made the difference between a company staying in business or closing! Kyle Duernberger is the owner of KD Customs, a Wisconsin-based diesel engine machine shop. The company specializes in … Read more
Just about every week a company contacts us saying they’re stuck with a quality problem with no clear solution. Do any of these issues sound familiar to you? Our parts meet spec, but they’re failing in the field We can’ t trust our suppliers’ components, because we don’t know what they’re measuring Something changed in … Read more