Evaluation of the anisotropy of machined 3D surface topography

The anisotropy of surface topography has great effect on the functional per formance of an engineering surface. In this paper, through the analysis of the profile spectral moments and the surface spectral moments, a quantitati ve evaluation method is proposed, which is based on the application of frac tal geometry theory. Using the 2nd spectral moments and fractal dimension, the anisotropic evaluation parameter Lambda of 3D surface topography is pre sented. Experimental results indicate that the surface topography machined by finish turning is anisotropic, and the ground surface is isotropic. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.