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Surface Roughness

High-precision surface characterization, including roughness measurements, is typically acquired with microscope-type instruments in quality control laboratories. In production line inspections however, any delay in identifying a surface defect and fixing a possible line problem lowers yield.

In contrast to microscope-type instruments, Novacam’s low coherence profilometers are suited to scan and measure surfaces in both lab and production environments. They acquire in-line micron-precision roughness measurements at high speeds (2-20 kHz/sec or higher), generate surface depth profiles (Figure 1) or surface maps (Figure 2), and provide real-time feedback on the manufacturing or coating process. Production runs can be continuously monitored to identify roughness variation and out-of-spec product.

In-process roughness measurements are made possible with Novacam’s small-diameter non-contact probes which are fiber-based and therefore deployable far from the profilometer enclosure, without signal degradation. The probes:

• Operate at a standoff distance of a few mm to 150 mm.
• Measure in the depth range of 3 to 8 mm.
• Withstand harsh environments, including radiation, and very high or cryogenic temperatures
• Can be time-multiplexed, so that multiple probes connected to a single profilometer measure several features of a part on production line at once.

A probe is mounted to a multi-axis scanning mechanism customized for each application. It can be mounted above a continuously moving web or adjacent to a rotating cylindrical shaped part. Alternatively, the probe is mounted inside a machining centre to measure grooves in a part as soon as they are made.

• For more details and examples of profilometry in hard-to-reach spaces, see application note Surface Characterization and Roughness Measurement [PDF, 0.3 MB].
• For our products, see Novacam’s profilometers.

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