IN-PROCESS MEASUREMENT OF SURFACE-ROUGHNESS USING LIGHT-SCATTERING

This article presents an instrument applicable to in-process measureme nt of surface roughness. In the process a grinding machine is used. In the first experiment surfaces in the roughness area of 0.09 mu m less than or equal to R-a less than or equal to 0.16 mu m were measured, i n the second 3.0 mu m less than or equal to R-a less than or equal to 3.4 mu m. The instrument is based on light scattering and the roughnes s of the surfaces is classified in the same order as when using a styl us instrument. The method presented here is generally applicable, i.e. , more rough surfaces can be measured if a laser with appropriate wave length and a detector sensitive to that wavelength is chosen. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.