A contribution to the debate on surface classifications—random, systematic, unstructured, structured and engineered

In this paper the authors revisit recent publications which have considered surface classification in the light of new and emerging manufacturing techniques and have developed their ideas to provide more meaningful and comprehensive classifications of these surfaces. In this paper they introduce the concepts of engineered and non engineered surfaces and have sub-divided these into random, systematic, unstructured and structured derivatives. The paper develops these classifications, presents their individual definitions and identifies both processes and properties which fit under the proposed sub-groups. The paper then discusses on the subject in terms of the ‘engineered surfaces' which are being produced and identifies the scope of the applications to which these new processes can be applied