Role Of Surface Profilometer In Industries

By Author: Vishal Khosla
Total Articles: 19
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Different techniques are used in non-contact profilometer including the triangulation sensor. The sensor uses laser beams while confocal microscopy is used to measure smaller items. Contact profilometer is effective in measuring the surface of the sample excluding the dirt. It ensures accuracy in quantifying the roughness of the surface.

A surface profilometer is a scanning device that is used in measuring surface roughness for the purpose of quantifying its roughness. They operate in contact or non-contact modes where either optical orstylus methods are used to carry out the exact measurements of the surface of the sample. In contact profilometers, there exists a diamond stylus that is moved vertically in contact with the sample that is being measured. The stylus is then moved laterally across the sample for a specific length and also, contact force. The vertical position of the stylus generates a signal which is transformed from analog to digital signal. It is stored, analyzed and then presented for display.

There are advantages associated with the contact profilometers. Many surface finish standards around the ...
... world are written specifically for this type of surface profilometer. In that case, in order to follow the right procedure indicated, this type of profilometer is needed. In some environments, this type of profilometer is effective in measuring the surface of the sample excluding the dirt. This will ensure accuracy in quantifying the roughness of the surface. In addition to that, the stylus used in this type of profilometer has a small tip that improves accuracy in the measuring of even small vertical features.

The non-contact profilometer is an optical based profilometer which is also used in quantifying the roughness of the surface being measured. The difference is that, in this case the profilometer does not come into contact with the surface being measured. There are different techniques used in this type of profilometer which include the triangulation sensor. The sensor uses laser beams while confocal microscopy is used to measure smaller items and also digital holography just to name a few. With the emergence of these techniques, it has made it easier to quantify the roughness of the surface as it requires much less effort than in the contact surface profilometer.

There are numerous advantages in the use of this type of profilometer. For small steps in a 3D scan it requires much speed in scanning the same. In a non-contact profilometer, the speed is controlled by light reflected from the surface since the profilometer does not get into contact with the surface. This therefore increases the speed with which the 3D object is scanned. Since the optical profilometer is not into direct contact with the surface of the sample, they are therefore not damaged by the surface or improper handling by the operators. This helps to reduce the cost of maintenance of the equipment.

An example of profilometer equipment is the laser scan surface profilometer. This is for fast laser measurement of process control in 3D scanning. It is a form of non-contact profilometer in providing quick and accurate results. The true surface microscopy is a confocal microscopy of the non-contact profilometer. It is preferred due to its suppression of out-of-focus light. However, it is not desirable in cases where the surfaces are large or rough, hence not applicable.

Profilometers are used in industries like automotive, aerospace, cosmetic, chemical , polymer, paint, coatings, semiconductor etc.

Author of this article is associated with Repair Zone that offers reliable industrial electronic equipment repair services. Instruments they deal in include surface profilometer, tribometer and many other equipment.