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Conhecimento
Parâmetros de rugosidade (2D)
Amplitude parameters (peaks and valleys)
Maximum height of the roughness pro le (Rz)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the sum of the maximum value of profile
peak height Zp on the profile curve, and the maximum value
of profile valley depth Zv in a sampling length.
* Profile peak: The portion above the average line (X axis) of
the profile curve (in the direction from the material side
towards the space side).
* Profile valley: The portion below the average line (X axis)
of the profile curve (in the direction from the space side
towards the material side).
Pz: Maximum height of the primary profile
Wz: Maximum height of the waviness profile

POINT These are commonly-used parameters. They are

often used for evaluation of gloss and luster, surface
strength, surface treatability, frictional force, electrical
contact resistance, etc.

Maximum pro le peak height of the roughness pro le (Rp)

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（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the maximum value of peak height Zp on the
profile curve, in a sampling length.

Pp: Maximum profile peak height of the primary

profile
Wp: Maximum profile peak height of the waviness
profile

POINT These are used for evaluation of frictional force and

electrical contact resistance.

Maximum pro le valley depth of the roughness pro le (Rv)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the maximum value of valley depth Zv on
the profile curve, in a sampling length.
Pv: Maximum profile valley depth of the primary
profile
Wv: Maximum profile valley depth of the waviness
profile

POINT These are often used for evaluation of surface

strength and corrosion resistance

Mean height of the roughness pro le elements (Rc)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the mean of height Zt of the profile curve 
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elements, in a sampling length.

*Profile curve element: An adjacent peak and valley
*Minimum heights and minimum lengths identifying peaks
(valleys)
Minimum height discrimination: 10% of Rz
Minimum length discrimination: 1% of sampling length
Pc: Mean height of the primary profile elements
Wc: Mean height of the waviness profile elements

POINT These are often used for evaluation of high-grade

feel, adhesion performance, and frictional force.

Total height of the roughness pro le (Rt)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the sum of the maximum value of the profile
peak heights Zp and the maximum value of profile valley
depth Zv on the profile curve but in the entire evaluation
length. Not only the sampling length.
*The relationship Rt≧Rz is satisfied for all profile curves.
Pt: Total height of the primary profile
Wt: Total height of the waviness profile

POINT This is a measurement in the evaluation length, so it

is a stricter standard than Rz.

Amplitude parameters (average of ordinates)

Arithmetical mean deviation of the roughness pro le (Ra)

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（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the arithmetical mean of the absolute values
of Z(x) in a sampling length.
Pa: Arithmetical mean deviation of the primary profile.
Wa: Arithmetical mean deviation of the waviness
profile.

POINT These are commonly-used parameters. The

influence of a single injury on the measurement value
becomes extremely small, so stable results can be obtained.

Root mean square deviation of the roughness pro le (Rq)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the root mean squared of Z(x) in a sampling
length.
Pq: Root mean square deviation of the primary
profile.
Wq: Root mean square deviation of the waviness
profile

POINT These are mainly in common use in the USA.

Skewness of the roughness pro le (Rsk)

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（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the cubic mean of Z(x) in a sampling length
rendered dimensionless as the cube of the root mean
squared height, Rq. It means the degree of skew, and
expresses the symmetry of peaks and valleys using the
average line as the center.

Rsk=0 ： Symmetrical about the average line (normal

distribution)
Rsk>0：Skewed downward relative to the average line
Rsk<0：Skewed upward relative to the average line
Psk: Skewness of the primary profile
Wsk: Skewness of the waviness profile

POINT These are often used for evaluation of gloss and

luster.

Kurtosis of the roughness pro le (Rku)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the biquadratic mean of Z(x) in a sampling
length rendered dimensionless as the biquadratic of the root
mean squared height Rq. This means the kurtosis which is a
yardstick for the sharpness of a surface, and expresses the
pointing (sharpness) of the height distribution.

Rku=3：Normal distribution
Rku>3：The height distribution is sharp.
Rku<3：The height distribution is not sharp. 
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Pku: Kurtosis of the primary profile

Wku: Kurtosis of the waviness profile

POINT These are often used for evaluation of gloss and

luster.

Spacing parameters
Mean width of the roughness pro le elements (RSm)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the mean of the width of the profile curve
elements, in a sampling length.
*Minimum heights and minimum lengths discriminate peaks
(valleys)
Minimum height discrimination: 10% of Rz
Minimum length discrimination: 1% of sampling length
PSm: Mean width of the primary profile elements
WSm: Mean length of the waviness profile elements

POINT These are often used for evaluation of gloss and

luster, high-grade feel, adhesion performance, and surface
treat.

Hybrid parameters
Root mean square slope of the roughness pro le (RΔq)

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（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the root mean squared of the ordinate
slopes dz/dx in a sampling length.
PΔq: Root mean square slope of the primary profile
WΔq: Root mean square slope of the waviness
profile

POINT These are often used for evaluation of gloss and

luster, surface treatability, frictional force and corrosion
resistance.

Curves and related parameters

Material ratio of the roughness pro le (Rmr(c))

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the ratio of the material length Ml(c) of a
profile curve element to the evaluation length at the
sectioning level c (% or μm)
Pmr(c): Material ratio of the primary profile
Wmr(c): Material ratio of the waviness profile

POINT These are often used for evaluation of wear

resistance.

Material ratio curve of the pro le

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The material curve expresses the material length ratio of profile curve elements, expressed as a sectioning level c function. A
probability density function expresses the probability density of a height Zx being obtained in the evaluation length. It is
obtained by differentiating the material ratio curve.

（For a roughness profile）

POINT Material ratio curve is also called Bearing curve or Abott-firestore curve.

Motif parameters
Determine surface texture by the motif method
The motif parameters are the parameters for assessing the contact state between surfaces on the basis of the envelope shape
of the sample obtained by joining the highest points of peaks of the profile.

R Mean depth of roughness motifs: The arithmetic mean of the roughness motif depth Hj calculated in the evaluation
length.
Rx Maximum depth of profile irregularity: The maximum value of Hj in the evaluation length
AR Mean spacing of roughness motifs: The arithmetic mean of the roughness motif length ARi calculated in the
evaluation length
W Mean depth of waviness motifs: The arithmetic mean of the waviness motif depth HWj calculated in the evaluation
length
Wx Maximum depth of waviness: The maximum value of HWj in the evaluation length
AW Mean spacing of waviness motifs: The arithmetic mean of the undulation motif length AWi calculated in the
evaluation length

POINT These are often used for evaluation of the slipperiness of lubrication mechanisms and the contact surfaces of gaskets
etc.
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Pro le section height difference of the roughness pro le (Rδc)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the difference in sectioning level c in the
height direction that matches the two material length ratios.
Pδc: Profile section height difference of the primary
profile
Wδc: Profile section height difference of the waviness
profile

POINT Rδc is often used for evaluation of electrical contact

resistance.

Relative material ratio of the roughness pro le (Rmr)

（For a roughness profile）

This expresses the material length ratio that is determined
from the reference sectioning level Co and the sectioning
level difference Rδc of the profile curve.
Pmr: Relative material ratio of the primary profile
Wmr: Relative material length ratio of the waviness
profile

POINT Rmr is often used for evaluation of wear resistance.

They are parameters for lubrication performance. They evaluate

the plateau structure of the surface. 
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The equivalent straight line is the straight line at which the secant line of the load curve, calculated for the center of the load
curve that includes 40% of the measurement points in the roughness curve, such that the load length ratio difference ⊿Mr is
40%, has the smallest gradient. The area between the two height positions where this straight line intersects with the ordinate
at the 0% and 100% positions in the core section.

Rk: Vertical difference in the core section: the difference between the upper level and the lower level in the core section
Rpk: Height of protruding peak: The height of the right-angled triangle which is constructed to have the same area as
the protruding peak area above the core section.
Rvk: Height of protruding valley: The height of the right-angled triangle which is constructed to have the same area as
the protruding valley area below the core section.
Mr1 Core section load length ratio: The load length ratio point of the intersection between the demarcation line,
between the protruding peak and the core section, and the load curve
Mr2 Core section load length ratio: The load length ratio point of the intersection between the demarcation line,
between the protruding peak and the core section, and the load curve

POINT These are suitable for evaluation of adhesion performance, surface treatability, and wear resistance, and the
lubrication performance of engine cylinder surfaces.

> Click here for detail about OLS4100, laser confocal microscopes

Surface Roughness The LEXT OLS4100

Roughness (2D) parameter Roughness (3D) parameter
Terminology Surface Measurement & Manufacturing
Optical Instruments Defining the Evolution of Surface Coming Age of Surface Metrology with Optical
Texture Measurement in Manufacturing Instruments

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Suporte 
Recursos 

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