MEASUREMENT OF SURFACE FINISH

6.1 Terminology,
6.2 Importance of surface finish,
6.3 Symbol representing surface finish on
drawing,
6.4 Principle & operation of stylus probe
instrument
6.5 Tomlinson surface meter and Taylor-Hobson
Surface Talysurf.
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 Surface Finish
An engineering component may be cast,
forged, drawn, welded or stamped, etc.
All the surfaces may not have functional
requirements and need not be equally
finished
Some surfaces (owing to their functional
requirements) need additional machining
that needs to be recorded on the drawing

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 MEASUREMENT OF SURFACE FINISH
1. SURFACE TEXTURE:
“ The characteristics quality of an actual surface due
to small departures from its general geometrical
form which, occurring at regular or irregular
intervals, tend to form a pattern or texture on
the surface”

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1. SURFACE TEXTURE

– FACTORS PRODUCING SURFACE IRREGULARITY:

• Faulty tools
• Inherent imperfections in the m/c tools
• Errors due to personal element

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 2. METHODS OF MEASURING S. FINISH

1. SURFACE INSPECTION BY COMPARISON

MEHODS: these include:
i. Touch inspection
ii. Visual inspection
iii. Scratch inspection
iv. Microscopic inspectioon
v. Surface photographs
vi. Micro interferromter
vii. Wallace surface dynamometer
viii. Reflected light intensity
ix. Comparison by standard specimens
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 2. METHODS OF MEASURING S. FINISH

1. Direct Instrument Measurement

i. Intersection method
ii. Interference method
iii. Stylus method

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3. NUMERICAL EVALUATION OF SURFACE
TEXTURE
• Practice adopted for obtaining numerical
evaluation of surface texture is to use a
parameter based on the cross-sectional profile of
the surface under examination
• There are two system for Numerical evaluation of
surface finish, i.e:
a. Centre line average (CLA)
b. Root mean square (RMS) value of height undulations
of the surface
• The CLA system is more popular in UK, while the
RMS is more popular in USA

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 Surface Finish Measurement
Finish: surface texture of machined part
Roughness: peaks and valleys left by cutting
• Measured by Ra, in microinches or micrometers
Waviness: variation over larger surface
Measured by comparator or profilometer

FIGURE 2.4.102 Surface finish

roughness and waviness.
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FIGURE 2.4.103 The basic concept of Ra surface finish measurement.
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 Surface Roughness
The geometrical characteristics of a surface include,
– Macro-deviations,
– Surface waviness, and
– Micro-irregularities.
The surface roughness is evaluated by the height, Rt and
mean roughness index Ra of the micro-irregularities.

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 Surface roughness number
Represents the average departure of the surface
from perfection over a prescribed sampling
length, (usually selected as 0.8 mm)

Surface roughness number (Ra) is expressed in

microns.
Ra = (h1+h2+-----+hn)/n

The measurements are usually made along a line,

running at right angle to the general direction of
tool marks on the surface.

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• Actual profile, Af
–It is the profile of the actual surface obtained by finishing
operation.

• Reference profile, Rf
–It is the profile to which the irregularities of the surface is
referred to. it passes through the highest point of the actual
profile.

• Datum profile, Df
–It is the profile, parallel to the reference profile .it passes
through the lowest point B of the actual profile

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 Mean Profile, Mf
It is that profile, within the sampling length chosen (L) such
that the sum of the material-filled areas enclosed above it by
the actual profile is equal to the sum of the material void area
enclosed below it by the profile.
Peak to valley height, Rt
It is the distance from the datum profile to the reference
profile.
Mean roughness index, Ra
It is the arithmetic mean of the absolute value of the highest
hi between the actual and mean profile.
x=L
Ra = 1/L ∫x=0 |hi| dx , where L is sampling length
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 FIGURE 2.4.104 Surface
finish ranges produced by
various machining
operations.
© Cengage Learning 2012

FIGURE 2.4.105 Some of the various

types of surface finish symbols that may
be encountered in the machining industry.
© Cengage Learning 2012
Surface Roughness expected from manufacturing processes

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Surface Roughness expected from manufacturing processes

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 Measurement of roughness
The roughness may be measured, using any of the following :
» Straight edge
» Surface gauge
» Optical flat
» Tool marker’s microscope
» Profilometer
» Profilograph
» Talysurf

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 Mean Profile, Mf
It is that profile, within the sampling length chosen (L) such
that the sum of the material-filled areas enclosed above it by
the actual profile is equal to the sum of the material void area
enclosed below it by the profile.
Peak to valley height, Rt
It is the distance from the datum profile to the reference
profile.
Mean roughness index, Ra
It is the arithmetic mean of the absolute value of the highest
hi between the actual and mean profile.
x=L
Ra = 1/L ∫x=0 |hi| dx , where L is sampling length
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FIGURE 2.4.106 Method for specifying lay patterns
with a surface finish symbol.
© Cengage Learning 2012
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 Symbols with Additional Indications.

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 Ways to represent roughness

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 Separate note is written
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 Surface finish grades specified

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FIGURE 2.4.107 A surface finish
comparator gives examples of machined
surfaces at different levels of roughness.
© Cengage Learning 2012

FIGURE 2.4.108 A portable

profilometer measuring the surface
finish of the hole in a machined
component.
Courtesy of Fred V. Fowler Company, Inc.
 More Measuring Technologies
Optical comparator
Projects magnified image on screen for measurement
Toolmaker's microscope
Use micrometer dials to measure
Can connect to cameras or computers
Coordinate measuring machine (CMM)
Identifies locations in an X, Y, Z coordinate system using an
electronic probe
FIGURE 2.4.109 An optical comparator magnifies
small parts and projects them on a screen for
measurement. A digital readout measures
dimensions as the table is moved.
© Cengage Learning 2012

FIGURE 2.4.110 A toolmaker’s microscope

with video output for display on a computer.
© Cengage Learning 2012
FIGURE 2.4.111 A coordinate measuring
machine can inspect dimensions of complex
parts like this engine cylinder head by moving
the probe to touch part surfaces.
© Cengage Learning 2012