Abstract:
A roughness meter for measuring r.m.s. roughness, especially in the range from about 1-5 Mu in., the meter providing a choice of at least two wavelength bands of illumination, at least one being in the infrared. The wavelength of illumination, or more precisely the reflected radiation, is preferably from 20-50 times the r.m.s. roughness. The radiation is reflected onto various curved surfaces, such as toroidal surfaces of ball bearing races. In every case a reflecting surface is used which causes the beam of radiation to strike all points of the surface at substantially normal incidence, and there is in the beam path no material which has a significant refractive index which is wavelength dependent. Air is preferred. Reflected light is detected and an electrical output is produced which is a measure of the r.m.s. reflectance. The reflecting surface may be a portion of an ellipsoid or a parabolaoid. In the first case the beam of radiation is focused at one of the conjugate foci of the ellipse and the bearing space is accurately positioned so that the center of its curvature is at the other conjugate focus. In the case of a parabola, of course, collimated light is used.