Surface Roughness Measurement
Quantitative measurement of surface texture using a profilometer.
What It Measures
Surface roughness testing drags a diamond stylus across the material surface and records the height variations. The result is reported as Ra (arithmetic average roughness), Rz (average peak-to-valley height), or other parameters per the specified standard. For raw stock, this matters because the as-received surface finish affects machining allowance, coating adhesion, and sealing performance.
Why It Matters
A rough-rolled plate needs more machining allowance than a precision-ground one. If your design assumes Ra 1.6μm and the stock arrives at Ra 6.3μm, you need more material removal — and potentially a different raw stock size. Measuring surface roughness on incoming material prevents undersize parts and wasted machining time.
Standard Followed
ISO 4287 / IS 3073
Equipment Used
Contact profilometer with calibrated diamond stylus and reference specimen.
When You Need It
- Precision-machined parts with tight surface finish callouts
- Sealing surfaces (O-ring grooves, gasket faces)
- Parts going directly to coating or anodizing
- When comparing surface quality across makes or suppliers
Pricing
Sample Report
Sample report — coming soon. We will add anonymized real reports here.