Surface Metrology for the Automotive Industry

The automotive industry has often been at the forefront in the use and development of metrology techniques for both research and quality control. With the development of improved measurement technology, in terms of both accuracy and range of measurement there is scope for further utilising surface metrology and associated characterisation techniques to improve and predict the performance of functional surfaces in a variety of applications.

The development of surface metrology techniques includes the ability to measure areal surfaces rather than the traditional profile characterisation techniques such as the widely used Ra (average roughness).

This paper will discuss the limitations of profile measurement and how these limitations can be overcome with the use of areal surface characterisation techniques to give a better understanding of the functional surface. The paper will then go on to discuss a case study, where areal measurement has been instrumental in the improvement of process and function.