Surface Notes

This tutorial discusses aspects of measuring roundness, including the concept of roundness as long-frequency form, the short frequencies that we refer to as roughness, and the effects of employing a cutoff filter frequency.

“I have a surface finish specification. Where do I begin?” “I’m new to the field of surface measurement. What do I need to know?” This tutorial is provided to help you hit the high points of surface measurement, including roughness, waviness, filtering, and basic surface texture parameters.

People often ask, “How do I do R&R (Repeatability and Reproducibility) studies for my surface finish instruments?” A better question may be, “Should I use an R&R study when dealing with surface finish?” Often the answer should be, “No!” In other cases, the answer could be, “Maybe, but be very careful.”