Roughness Tester

Roughness is an important parameter when trying to find out whether a surface is suitable for a certain purpose. Rough surfaces often wear out more quickly than smoother surfaces. Rougher surfaces are normally more vulnerable to corrosion and cracks, but they can also aid in adhesion. A roughness tester is used to quickly and accurately determine the surface texture or surface roughness of a material. A roughness tester shows the measured roughness depth (Rz) as well as the mean roughness value (Ra) in micrometers or microns (µm). Measuring the roughness of a surface involves applying a roughness filter. Different international standards and surface texture or surface finish specifications recommend the use of different roughness filters. For example, a Gaussian filter often is recommended in ISO standards.