ME6504 – Metrology & Measurements

Unit 4 – Form Measurement

Principles and Methods of straightness – Flatness measurement –

Thread measurement, gear measurement, surface finish measurement,

Roundness measurement – Applications.

Surface Finish Measurement
Surface Texture:

 It is defined as the regular (or) irregular spacings which tend to form a pattern on
the surface.
Types of irregularities
Roughness Waviness

It is usually produced by instabilities in the

It is usually produced by the action of the
machining process such as unbalance of
cutting tool.
cutting tool.

Waviness is the widely spaced component of

It is caused due to the short wavelength
the surface texture. It is caused by spindle
irregularities in the surface.
rotation, tool deflection and vibrations.
Factors affecting the surface finish
(a) Machine variables
 Cutting speed, Feed, Depth of cut

b) Tool geometry
 Nose radius, rake angle, side cutting edge angle, cutting edge

(c) Properties of workpiece and tool materials

(d) Type of the machine tool
(e) Quality of the machine tool
Analysis of surface finish

1. The average roughness method

 Centre Line Average (CLA) method

 Root mean square (RMS) method

 Ten point method

2. Peak to valley height method

3. Form factor
C.L.A method:
R.M.S method:

  𝟐 𝟐 𝟐 𝟐
√


𝟏 𝒉 +𝒉 +𝒉 +… .+𝒉
𝟐 𝟑 𝒏
𝑹 . 𝑴 . 𝑺 . 𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆=
𝒏
Ten point height method:
Peak to valley height method

 Peak to valley height measures the maximum depth of the surface

irregularities over a given sample length and largest value of the depth is
accepted for the measurement.

Here, Rmax = Maximum peak to valley height in one sampling lengths,

Rt = maximum peak to valley height

V = valley

P = peak
Form factor:

  
Method of measuring surface finish:

1. Inspection by comparison method:

a) Touch Inspection
b) Visual Inspection
c) Microscopic Inspection
d) Scratch Inspection
e) Micro Interferometer
f) Surface photographs
g) Reflected Light Intensity
h) Wallace surface Dynamometer
2. Direct Instrument Measurements
a) Stylus probe type instrument
b) Tomlinson Surface meter
c) Profilometer
d) Taylor-Bobson-Talsurf
Stylus probe instrument
Tomlinson surface meter
Profilometer:
Taylor-Hobson-Talsurf
Gear terminology
Gear errors
 Profile error:

The maximum distance is at any point on the tooth profile form to the design profile.

 Pitch error:

It is the difference between actual and design pitch.

 Cyclic error:

Error occurs in each revolution of gear.

 Eccentricity:
It is the half radial run out.

 Wobble:
Run out is measured parallel to the axis of rotation at a specified distance from
the axis.

 Periodic error:
Error occurs at regular intervals.

 Axial run out:

Run out is measured parallel to the axis of rotation at a speed.
 Run out:

Total range of fixed indicator with the contact points applied to a surface rotated, without
axial movement, about a fixed axis.

 Radial run out:

It is measured along a perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

 Undulation:
It is the periodical departure of the actual tooth surface from the design surface.
Tooth to tooth measurement:
Vernier gear tooth caliper:
Base tangent method:
Parkinson Gear Tester:
Rolling Gear Testing Machine:
Run out – Eccentricity tester
Profile checking - Optical projection method
 Gleason Gear Testing Machine

1. Gleason gear of pinion tooth space tester.

2. Gleason 6 universal angular power gear tester.

3. Gleason 13 universal angular power tester.

4. Gleason 15 universal angular power tester.

5. Gleason 17M hypoid gear lapper and tester.

Constant chord method:
Screw thread terminology
Error in thread

 Major diameter error

 Minor diameter error

 Effective diameter error

 Pitch error

 Flank angles error

 Crest and root error

Pitch error:
1. Progressive error
2. Periodic error
3. Drunken error
4. Irregular error
Tool makers microscope
Bench micrometer
Thread micrometer
Roundness Measurement

 Roundness is defined as a condition of a surface of revolution. All

points of the surface are intersected by any plane perpendicular to a
common axis in case of cylinder or cone.
Devices used for measurement of
roundness:
 Diametral gauge

 Circumferential conferring gauge

 Rotating on center

 V-block

 Three- point probe

 Accurate spindle
Over head spindle & Rotating table
Circumferential confining gauge & Rotating
on centers
V-block, Accurate spindle & 3-point probe
Roundness measuring machine

1. Rotating pick up type

2. Turn table type

1. Least square reference centre

2. Minimum radial separation circles

3. Maximum inscribed circles

4. Minimum circumscribed circles,

5. Trace produced by a polar recording instrument