Just saw this thread and wanted to give my two cents for anyone interested. We use both Mahr and Mitutoyo profilometers here at the plant (PocketSurf III & IV & SJ-310 & SJ-210).
The Pocketsurfs are very easy to use as they pretty much have one button and a couple switches on top of the unit. This makes operators very happy that they don't have to go through a bunch of menus in order to get a reading.
The Mitutoyo on the other hand is a unit that is full of features. You can set all kinds of filters and custom parameters that you just can't do with the Mahr. Another neat future that the SJ units have is a full color screen that produces a graph of the full surface profile which can be saved and printed later. This is not important for us but maybe is critical for other users.
Almost all of our machines use coolant and/or cutting oils and both of these units hold up pretty well in the harsh shop environment; 90% of the failures we have had were due to the operators dropping the profilometer.
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An example of in-process techniques is inductance. This method helps to evaluate surface roughness using magnetic materials. The inductance pickup uses electromagnetic energy to gauge the distance to the surface. Then, the parametric value determined can help find out comparative roughness parameters.
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Conclusion
Since getting precise surface roughness will be expensive and challenging in today&#;s manufacturing, surface finishing operations require the finest strategy to generate desired finishes on fabricated parts.
At IN3DTEC, we offer full dimensional inspection reports, so you can be sure of desired results. We also offer different finishing processes ranging from anodizing, electroplating, bead blasting to polishing, brushing, and more. We are always ready to provide the best service for you.
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