Novel method to measure surface roughness of complex surfaces.

摘要

In the field of mechanical and manufacturing industries the concept of surface roughness is very important. If surface roughness is not maintained with prescribed reference and limit depending on application otherwise then it may lead to the formation of cracks and finally the buckling and failure of the part. Accurately measuring the surface roughness of complex geometries is necessary to ensure life of the component and avoid early failure. But till date it has been difficult to find accurate method to measure surface roughness of complex geometries. Surface roughness for any part can be measured with the help of probe type surface roughness tester. Parts with small or complex geometries make it difficult to use probe type surface tester and hence measuring surface roughness becomes impossible e.g. It is not possible to measure surface roughness of vertical surfaces of grooves used for accommodating Piston rings in I. C. Engines and Compressors. High surface roughness could lead to failure of piston rings (used for sealing the high pressure gas from leaking into the bounce space), which results in drastic loss of performance and efficiency i.e. poor output power from automobiles or low discharge pressure in compressors. This is one such example but there are hundreds of complex geometry components whose performance and life depends on surface roughness. Hence it is very critical to accurately measure the surface roughness of such components for ensuring long life and high performance. The present invention is applicable to various small, complex or Grooves geometries but not limited to component surfaces where the probe type surface roughness tester is unable to measure the surface roughness due to accessibility issues.