The Mystery of Rz

References
D.J. Whitehouse, The parameter rash-is there a cure?, Wear, 83 (1982) 75-78.

Alex Tabenkin, To Each His Own Parameter, Quality Digest, 1995

Alex Tabenkin, Apples, Oranges and Surface Finish Parameters, Quality, August 2001.
Alex Tabenkin, The ABCs of Rz, Quality, November 2007

“Surface Texture (Surface Roughness, Waviness and Lay)," ANSI/ASME B46.1-2002, American Society of
Mechanical Engineers, 2002. Alex Tabenekin
ISO 4287-1997: Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) - Surface texture: Profile method - Terms, definitions and
surface texture parameters
JIS B 0601:2001 Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) Profile Method-Terms, Definitions and surface texture
parameters.
DIN 4768:1990 Determination of surface roughness values Ra, Rz, Rmax

Ronald A. Lavoie, Stop Shaft Leaks with better surface Finish, Quality , July 1994.
Edward Widder and Donlad Bajner, Surface Waviness - Sealing's Hidden Enemy, SAE 980578, Feb.1998.
Rubber Manufacturers Association, Shaft Requirements For Rotary Lip Seals, Oil Seal Technical Bulletin OS-1-1
1999.

Michigan Metrology, LLC

The Mystery of Rz
L. De Chiffre, P. Lonardo, H. Trumpold, D. A. Lucca, G. Goch, C. A. Brown, J. Raja, H. N. Hansen,
Quantitative Characterisation of Surface Texture, Annals of CIRP, Vol. 49/2000p 635-

Chris Brown
Jay Raja

Michigan Metrology, LLC

 The Mystery of Rz
www.ptb.de

Traversing Length
Evaluation Length
Sampling Length

Michigan Metrology, LLC

The Mystery of Rz
Counting in German
One- eins (ints [long -i sound]) ,Two- zwei (tsvy) ,Three- drei (dry) ,Four- vier (feer)
Five- fünf (foonf) ,Six- sechs (zecks) ,Seven-sieben (zeeben) ,Eight- acht (ahkt)
Nine- neun (Noyn)

Ten- zehn (Tsayn)

Rz – R Zehn for “10 point”-Average Peak to Valley Height

Traversing Length
Evaluation Length
Sampling Length
Michigan Metrology, LLC
 The Mystery of Rz
Rz – R Zehn for “10 point height”

Trouble: - Which Ten Points?..Is “ten” relevant today?

Traversing Length
Evaluation Length
Sampling Length
Michigan Metrology, LLC

The Mystery of Rz
Rz - ASME B46.1- 2002/2009
Rz – Average Maximum Height –
….average of all Rti over the evaluation length – Nothing Magical about “5” Sampling Lengths – can be any number!
….. Typically choose 5 sampling lengths – but not necessary – typical default is 5 sampling lengths.

Rt1

Rt4

Rt3

Rt2 Rt5

Traversing Length
Evaluation Length
Sampling Length

Rz asme = Rti Evaluation −length

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 The Mystery of Rz
Rz - ISO 4287-1997/JIS B0601:2001
Rz – Maximum Height of Profile– ( The peak to valley in ONE sampling length)
ISO 4288 – 4.1 Parameter Estimate – Rz - over only 1 sampling length
ISO 4288 - 4.2 Average Parameter Estimate – Average of Rz values over all sampling lengths
ISO 4288 – Standard number of sampling lengths is 5 if other than 5 must specify .. e.g. Rz23
Rz1

Rz4

Rz3

Rz2 Rz5

Traversing Length
Evaluation Length
Sampling Length
Rz ISO = Peak − to − valley − in − one − sampling − length
RzN iso = Rzi all − N − sampling − lengths

Rz 5 ISO = Rz DIN
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The Mystery of Rz
Caveat Emptor
(Buyer Beware)

Michigan Metrology, LLC

 The History and Mystery of Rz
Rz - ISO 4287:1984 / ASME B46.1:1985 / JIS B0601 :1994
Rz –Ten Point Height of Irregularities
….average of 5 Rzi values in a SAMPLING LENGTH

Rz2

Rz1 Rz4

Rz (JIS)

Rz5
Rz3
Michigan Metrology, LLC

Rz – Today - 2009

If you specify 5 sampling lengths,

Rz(ASME B46.1, 1995, 2002, 2009)

= Rz5 (ISO 4287:1997)
= Rz (DIN 4768/1 1974,1990)
= Rz5 (JIS B 0601:2001)

Be clear on your drawings!

Be sure which “Rz” is being measured!

Michigan Metrology, LLC