Many use the phrase surface metrology interchangeably with roughness measurement, but it actually has a much wider meaning that includes measurement and quantification of periodicity; geometry; size; shape and number of discrete features and shapes; height or spacing based statistics; etc.
Thickness measurement is the gauging of coatings or films on surfaces—such as paint on metal parts. Manufacturers are increasingly using thinner and higher-performance coatings these days, with tighter applied thickness tolerances and an increasing need for more accurate and precise tools.
This well-known adage doesn’t just apply to the design of systems; it also applies to the systems themselves. In systems designed for automated precision measurement, users are typically balancing accuracy of measurement, speed of operation, and cost to purchase and operate.
The right choice of inspection hardware and software for Computer-Aided Inspection (CAI) can reduce inspection times by up to 90% while improving repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) variances by up to 50%.