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If you work with plateaued surfaces, you're most likely familiar with the Rk surface texture parameters, based on the material ratio curve. But there are aspects of plateaued surfaces that the Rk parameters can't always detect. This is where the Rq parameters come in. In this Surface Notes blog post we look at this important limitation of Rk parameters, and how the Rq family can help.

The measurement settings for roughness gages can be intimidating. There are a lot of options, and it's not always clear what they do, or which are most important. In this video we make it easy for you as we point out the two most important settings: the wavelengths which define “roughness” (filtering and cutoffs), and the length of data we would like to evaluate (evaluation length).

TraceBoss now supports the LITEsurf roughness tester from SM Metrology Systems! Now you can see and explore your surface data from an even wider range of handheld roughness gages. Visit the TraceBoss page for the full line of supported instruments, and see why TraceBoss has quickly become essential software for so many shops!

In laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), an additive manufacturing technique, manufacturers sometimes need to know the size and number of partially melted powder particles on the finished surface—but isolating them from the “striped” pattern created by the additive layering process is a challenge. In this blog post we show how directional filtering, a standard feature in OmniSur3D, makes it easy to isolate the particles from the larger layered pattern.

What surface texture makes a stone look good and feel good to the touch as well? We recently collaborated with stone enthusiast and retired metrologist Bob Rother to understand exactly what gives a stone a pleasing shape and texture. See how we did it in this Surface Notes blog post.

Engine cylinder bore surfaces are among the most “engineered” surfaces in the world. In this Surface Notes blog post we look at some of the very different shapes that you might find in a cylinder bore.

A stylus on a surface roughness gage is susceptible to outside influences such as vibration, which will introduce errors to the measurement. A larger-radius "skidded" probe will stabilize the stylus...but it can cause other errors as well. In this Notepad Series video we describe how a skid can help improve your data, and potential pitfalls that you need to be aware of in order to make reliable measurements.

What can surface texture tell us about how biological communities evolve? Dr. Jessica Arbour and her team at MTSU are using OmniSurf3D software to study the differences in the physical traits of fish. Their goal is to better understand why some species “stay with one biological plan” while others diversify into many forms.

Sometimes roughness matters along a curved path — but a stylus can’t measure along a curve. What can you do? A new tool in OmniSurf3D lets you construct a curved path over your data and analyze the profile along that curve. Find out more in this Surface Matters blog post.