SURFACE ROUGHNESS TESTERS
precision SURFACE TEXTURE measuring
Surface roughness, often shortened to just "roughness", is a component of surface texture. It is quantified by the deviations in the direction of the normal vector of a real surface from its ideal form.
If these deviations are large, the surface is rough; if they are small, the surface is smooth. In surface metrology, roughness is typically considered to be the high-frequency, short-wavelength component of a measured surface. However, in practice it is often necessary to know both the amplitude and frequency to ensure that a surface is fit for a purpose.
Roughness plays an important role in determining how a real object will interact with its environment. Rough surfaces usually will wear more quickly and have higher friction coefficients than smooth surfaces. Roughness is often a good predictor of the performance of a mechanical component, since irregularities on the surface may form nucleation sites for cracks or corrosion. On the other hand, roughness may promote adhesion.
Roughness can be measured by manual comparison against a "surface roughness comparator" (a sample of known surface roughness), but more generally a surface profile measurement is made with a profilometer.
There are many different roughness parameters in use, but Ra is by far the most common, though this is often for historical reasons and not for particular merit, as the early roughness meters could only measure Ra. Other common parameters include Rz, Rq, and Rsk.
Here on GreatGages.com, we are proud to be able to offer a variety of Surface Roughness Testers that can meet your roughness Measurement needs.
