Surface roughness analysis
Your needs: characterize the surface of a material by analysing or measuring its roughness
The surface of a material is a vulnerable zone where numerous interactions with its environment take place. Its specific characteristics determine the overall performance of materials. It can have an impact on the reliability and strength of a product in the event of failure (corrosion, wear, adhesion, friction, etc.).
Furthermore, whatever the manufacturing process, the surface is not perfectly smooth. This can depend on various factors such as the machining method, the tools used and the materials. These materials have many irregularities that can be called defects. Together, these surface defects constitute roughness.
What is surface roughness?
La rugosité de surface est une analyse de l’irrégularité de la surface d’un matériau. Cette analyse de surface se réfère à la quantité et à la hauteur des aspérités et des écarts par rapport à une surface lisse idéale. Elle est mesurée en micromètres (μm) ou en angströms (Å).
Surface roughness and its characteristics
Surface roughness describes the state of the surface of a material and can be divided into three aspects:
- Shape : deviations over long periods or non-cyclic deviations
- Ripples: surface structure with longer intervals of irregularities.
- Roughness : irregularities with short intervals
A smooth surface is considered to have low roughness, while a very irregular surface has high roughness. Understanding roughness through surface roughness measurement is useful in the design and production of various objects, from microelectronics to automotive parts.
Why analyse the surface roughness of your materials?
Analysing roughness enables the surface of a material or part to be assessed
Surface roughness can affect friction, adhesion, reflection of light from the surface, wear resistance and even electrical and thermal conductivity.
Too much roughness can lead to premature wear or damage to parts, while too little roughness can cause slippage or loss of adhesion.
Controlling surface roughness helps to ensure the quality and durability of finished products, as well as their compatibility with other parts. Advances in surface measurement and treatment technology have greatly improved the accuracy and reproducibility of roughness results.
Materials concerned by surface roughness measurement
Surface roughness is particularly important for metals, medical devices, ceramics, plastics and composites, as well as natural materials such as wood and stone.
Measuring roughness helps to ensure that materials have the right surface finish for their specific application. For example, in the aerospace or automobile industries, low roughness is one of the characteristics that can be used to reduce wind resistance and optimise performance. For the medical device sector, a suitably smooth surface can prevent the adhesion of bacteria and improve the biocompatibility of implants.
Our solutions: FILAB can help you measure surface roughness using its state-of-the-art equipment
Every production process has an impact on the quality of the surface, leading to the appearance of roughness. FILAB provides a range of services to help companies in the medical, aerospace and automotive industries deal with surface roughness issues. Every production process has an impact on surface quality, leading to the appearance of roughness. We provide our customers with our know-how and surface expertise, as well as an analytical laboratory equipped with cutting-edge equipment.
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AFM roughness analysis to provide high-resolution measurement of the surface topography of your samples.
XPS roughness measurement to characterise the surface chemistry of your samples
SEM-EDX roughness measurement to analyse the microstructure of your materials.
We offer a full range of roughness analysis services to help you understand the surface properties of your materials, particularly medical devices.
Whatever your application, our experience and expertise in surface roughness measurement can help you achieve your research and development objectives.
Our complementary surface analysis services
We offer surface finish analysis and surface finish characterization services to help you understand the precise properties of your materials. This understanding can help improve your production and product life, by minimising the risk of failure. Some examples of services offered by the laboratory:
Surface roughness analysis on DM by AFM, SEM-EDX, XPS
Surface relief measurement by profilometer
