Surface Texture Parameters

Glossary of
Surface Texture
Parameters
Donald K. Cohen, Ph.D.

Michigan Metrology, LLC
Glossary of Surface Texture Parameters
Michigan Metrology
Table of Contents
Introduction..............................................................................................................................3
3d Surface Texture Parameters..............................................................................................6
Ra...........................................................................................................................................6
Rq...........................................................................................................................................7
Rsk.........................................................................................................................................8
Rku.........................................................................................................................................9
Rp, Rv, Rt, Rpm, Rvm, Rz..................................................................................................10
Rpk, Rk, Rvk, Mr1, and Mr2...............................................................................................11
Rpk/Rk, Rvk/Rk and Rpk/Rvk............................................................................................12
X Slope Rq and Y Slope Rq.................................................................................................13
Normalized Volume (NVOL)..............................................................................................14
Surface Area Index (SAI)....................................................................................................15
Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters............................................................16
Introduction..........................................................................................................................16
Stylus X Ra, Stylus Y Ra, Stylus (X,Y) Rt, Stylus (X,Y) Rz..............................................17
Stylus (X,Y) Rpk, Stylus (X,Y) Rk, Stylus (X,Y) Rvk.......................................................18
Stylus (X,Y) q...................................................................................................................19
Stylus (X,Y) q....................................................................................................................20
Stylus (X,Y) Pc....................................................................................................................21
Stylus X Ra/Stylus Y Ra Stylus X Rz/Stylus Y Rz Stylus X q/Stylus Y q Stylus X
q/Stylus Y q Stylus X Pc/ Stylus Y Pc.............................................................................22
S Parameters..........................................................................................................................23
Amplitude Parameters (Sa and Sq)......................................................................................23
Amplitude Parameters (Ssk, and Sku and Sz).....................................................................24
Amplitude Parameters (Sz)..................................................................................................25
Spatial Parameters - Introduction: Autocorrelation Function (ACF).................................26
Spatial Parameters (Sds)......................................................................................................27
Spatial Parameters (Str and Sal)..........................................................................................28
Spatial Parameters - Introduction: Angular Power Spectral Density Function (APSDF)......................29
Spatial Parameters (Std)......................................................................................................30
Hybrid Parameters (Sdq and Ssc)........................................................................................31
Hybrid Parameters (Sdr)......................................................................................................32
Functional Volume Family (Sm, Sc, and Sv).......................................................................33
Functional Index Family (Sbi, Sci, and Svi)........................................................................34
Wear Parameters...................................................................................................................35
Introduction..........................................................................................................................35
Average and Max Wear Depth.............................................................................................36
Full Width Half Max (FWHM) Wear Width........................................................................37
References...............................................................................................................................38
Index........................................................................................................................................39
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Introduction
Michigan Metrology measurement reports contain an Excel spreadsheet with various surface
texture parameters. The spreadsheet is typically divided into four major groupings:
3D Surface Texture Parameters
Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters
S Parameters
Wear Surface Texture Parameters
This glossary describes each of the parameters produced in the standard Michigan
Metrology spreadsheet. The definitions and more detailed discussions of the various surface
texture parameters may be found in various references listed at the end of this document.
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For the discussions that follow, Z(x,y) is the function representing the height of the surface
relative to the best fitting plane, cylinder, or sphere. Note that the a used in the following
integral expressions implies that the integration is performed over the area of measurement
and then normalized by the cross-sectional area A of the measurement.
Z ( x, y )dxdy
a
Lx
1
A 0
Ly
Z ( x, y )dxdy
0
3D Surface Texture Parameters such as Ra, Rq, X Slope Rq are evaluated relative to a
best-fit plane (least squares) with respect to the measured surface. If the surface is primarily
cylindrical or spherical, and the base shape is not of importance to the application, then the
primary shape is first mathematically removed, prior to determining the best-fit plane. The
mean height of the remaining surface will then be set to zero (0).
The Stylus X And Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters such as Stylus X Ra, are found by
evaluating each effective profile trace in the respective directions (Z(x), Z(y)) relative to a
best fit line with a mean height of zero (0). The reported value is actually an average of about
250 profiles per 3D image.
The S Parameters are a series of calculations that have been developed by Stout et al. to
specifically address the three-dimensional nature of the surface texture. Currently, the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) community is working towards
standardization of the various S parameters.

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The following figure indicates the typical orientation of the images and depicts the X and Y
axial directions for the various calculations. As previously noted, the Stylus X and Stylus Y
calculations are performed along the axes as indicated below. The three dimensional
calculations for parameters such as Ra, Rsk and the S parameters are performed over the
complete dataset.
Depictions of the X and Y directions for the various analyses and displays
Whether the 3D texture parameters, Stylus parameters or S parameters are evaluated, one
must be aware of the type of filter that may have been applied to the data prior to analysis.
The proper selection of the filtering type and bandwidth may be critical to the proper
specification and measurement of a surface. Per the ASME Y14.36M, Surface Texture and
Symbols, the filtering characteristics must be specified on drawings prepared as of 1997.
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3d Surface Texture Parameters

Ra
Ra, the roughness average, is the arithmetic average of the absolute values of the surface
height deviations measured from the best fitting plane, cylinder or sphere. Ra is described by:
Ra
Z ( x, y ) dxdy
a
Note:
Profiles are shown above for simplicity. When evaluating the 3D parameters the
various surface functions are understood to apply to the complete 3D dataset.
Application
Historically, Ra was one of the first parameters used to quantify surface texture. Most surface
texture specifications include Ra either as a primary measurement or as a reference.
Unfortunately, Ra may be misleading in that many surfaces with grossly different features
(e.g., milled vs honed) may have the same Ra, but function quite differently.
Ra only quantifies the absolute magnitude of the surface heights and is insensitive to the
spatial distribution of the surface heights. Ra is also insensitive to the polarity of the
surface texture in that a deep valley or a high peak will result in the same Ra value. Despite
its shortcomings, once a process for forming a surface has been established, Ra may be used
as a good monitor as to whether something may have changed during subsequent production
of the surface.

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Rq
Rq, the root mean square (rms) roughness is the rms (standard deviation) or first moment
of the height distribution, as described by:
Rq
Z ( x, y )
a
dxdy
Note:
Application
Rq, or the rms of the surface distribution, is very similar to Ra and will usually correlate with
Ra. Since the surface heights are squared prior to being integrated/averaged, peaks and
valleys of equal height/depth are indistinguishable. As for Ra, a series of high peaks or a
series of deep valleys of equal magnitude will produce the same Rq value. The Rq value is
also insensitive to the spatial distribution of the surface heights, in that two very high peaks
will contribute the same to Rq whether the peaks are close to each other or separated over the
measurement field. The Rq parameter is typically used in the optics industry for specifying
surface finish, since various optical theories relating the light scattering characteristics of a
surface to Rq have been developed.

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Rsk
Rsk, the skewness, is the second moment of the height distribution.
Rsk
1
Rq3
Z ( x, y )
a
dxdy
Note:
Application
Rsk is a measure of the skewness or symmetry of the surface. Since the height values are
cubed prior to the integration/averaging, the polarity of the surface is maintained. Thus a
surface with predominantly deep valleys will tend to have a negative skew, whereas a surface
comprised predominantly of peaks will have positive skew. The Rsk parameter does not
provide information about the spatial distribution of the texture and thus suffers the same
limitations as Ra and Rq. Rsk may be used to quantify the symmetry of the surface as it may
relate to various applications such as conductivity, lubricant retention, and general process
characteristics. Since the Rsk is evaluated by taking the cube of the surface heights, it tends
to suffer from poor repeatability since only a few very high or low points may affect the
calculation. Thus when using Rsk, one must be sure to make enough measurements to
provide statistically significant values.

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Rku
Rku, the kurtosis, is the third moment of the height distribution, described by:
Rku
1
Rq4
Z ( x, y )
dxdy
Note:
Application
Rku characterizes the anomalies in the surface height distributions in that a normally (i.e.
following a Gaussian or bell curve distribution) distributed surface texture would tend to
have an Rku of 3. When the surface texture is composed of non-normally distributed high
peaks or deep valleys, the Rku becomes very large (e.g. 23). When the surface is composed
of a slowly varying, rolling hill type texture, the Rku will be less than 3. Rku is a good
indicator when an otherwise Gaussian distributed surface may have some defects. Rku might
be used to identify the presence of surface defects and inordinate peaks or valleys. Since Rku
is evaluated by taking the fourth power of the surface heights, it tends to suffer from poor
repeatability over the surface. Thus when using Rku, one must be sure to make enough
measurements to provide statistically significant values.

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Rp, Rv, Rt, Rpm, Rvm, Rz
Rp, Rv, and Rt are parameters evaluated from the absolute highest and lowest points found
on the surface. Rp, the maximum peak height, is the height of the highest point, Rv, the
maximum valley depth, is the depth of the lowest point and Rt the maximum height of the
surface, is found from Rp Rv.
The Rpm, Rvm, and Rz parameters are evaluated from an average of the heights and depths
of a number of extreme peaks and valleys. Rpm the average maximum peak height is found
by averaging the heights of the ten (10) highest peaks found over the complete 3D image.
Rvm the average maximum valley depth is found by averaging the depths of the ten (10)
lowest valleys found over the complete 3D image. Rz, the average maximum height of the
surface is then found from Rpm-Rvm. Note that in determining the peaks and valleys, the
analysis software eliminates a grid of 11 x 11 pixels around a given peak/valley before
searching for the next peak/valley, thus assuring that localized, separated peaks/valleys are
found.
Application
Since Rp, Rv, and Rt are
found from single points,
they tend to be unrepeatable
measurements. Thus when
using these three parameters,
one must be sure to make
multiple
measurements,
consistent with the observed
variations to obtain a
statistically significant result. If the surface measurements are filtered prior to analysis (e.g.
with a low pass filter), the results may be more repeatable. Rpm, Rvm and Rz may be used
to characterize the extreme features of a surface, with Rz being a nominal measure of the
Peak-to-Valley range of the surface. Typical applications for Rz may include sealing
surfaces and coating applications. Rpm may find application when considering surfaces that
will be used in a sliding contact application. Rvm may find application when valley depths
relating to fluid retention may be of concern such as for lubrication and coating systems.
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Rpk, Rk, Rvk, Mr1, and Mr2
The parameters Rpk, Rk, Rvk, Mr1, and Mr2 are all derived from the bearing ratio curve
based on the ISO 13565-2:1996 standard. The bearing area curve is a measure of the relative
cross-sectional area of a plane, passing through the measured surface, from the highest peak
to the lowest valley. Rpk, the reduced peak height is a measure of the peak height above the
nominal/core roughness. Rk, the core roughness depth is a measure of the nominal or core
roughness (peak-to-valley) of the surface with the predominant peaks and valleys removed.
Rvk, the reduced valley depth, is a measure of the valley depth below the nominal /core
roughness. Mr1, the peak material portion, indicates the percentage of material that
comprises the peak structures associate with Rpk. Mr2, the valley material portion, relates to
the percentage of the measurement area that comprises the deeper valley structures given by
100%-Mr2.
Application
A high Rpk implies a surface composed of high peaks providing small initial contact area and
thus high areas of contact stress (force/area) when the surface is contacted. Thus Rpk may
represent the nominal height of the material that may be removed during a running-in
operation. Consistent with Rpk, Mr1 represents the percentage of the surface that may be
removed during running-in. Rk represents the core roughness of the surface over which a
load may be distributed, once the surface has been run-in. Rvk, is a measure of the valley
depths below the core roughness and may be related to lubricant retention and debris
entrapment. Rk is a measure of the nominal roughness (peak to valley) and may be used to
replace parameters such as Ra, Rt, or Rz when anomalous peaks or valleys may adversely
affect the repeatability of these (i.e. Ra, Rt, Rz) parameters.
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Rpk/Rk, Rvk/Rk and Rpk/Rvk
The ratios of the various bearing ratio parameters Rpk/Rk (the reduced peak to core ratio),
Rvk/Rk (the reduced valley to core ratio), and Rpk/Rvk (the reduced peak to reduced valley
ratio) may be helpful in further understanding the nature of a particular surface texture. In
some instances, two surfaces with indistinguishable roughness average (Ra) may be easily
distinguished by a ratio such as Rpk/Rk. For example a surface with high peaks as opposed
to a surface with deep valleys may have the same Ra but with vastly different Rpk/Rk values.
Application
By considering the ratios such as
Rpk/Rk, Rpk/Rk. and Rpk/Rvk one may
determine quantitatively the dominance
Two surfaces with the same Ra
but different Rpk/Rk values.
of peak structures relative to valley

structures. In typical tribological
applications such as seals and brakes
these ratio may be useful in
differentiating surfaces that have similar
surface roughness as measured by Ra.

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X Slope Rq and Y Slope Rq
The Root Means Square X Slope (X Slope Rq) and Root Means Square Y Slope (X Slope
Rq) are found by calculating the rms (i. e. standard deviation) of the slopes of the surface
along the X and Y directions respectively. The slope is found by taking the derivative of the
surface profiles along each direction, using the lateral resolution of the measurement area as
the point spacing. Analytically, X Slope Rq and Y Slope Rq are given by:
1/ 2
Z ( x, y )
Z ( x, y )
Y Slope
dxdyRq
x
x
X Slope Rq
Z ( x, y )
Z ( x, y )

a
y
y
Where the brackets, < >, represent the average value of all slopes in the relevant
direction
Application
Slopes may be used to investigate the behavior of various metal working applications in that
material and process conditions may change the slopes considerably, whereas the height
parameters such as Ra are relatively unaffected. The surface slope may also be useful in
relating the nature of the surface when used in coating applications.

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1/
dxdy
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Normalized Volume (NVOL)
NVOL, the Normalized Surface Volume, is found by calculating the volume contained by
the surface and a plane that is placed near the top of the surface. The placement of the
reference plane is done on a statistical basis to assure that the very high peak locations are
not used as the reference point for the plane. Once the volume is calculated (e.g. in units of
cm3), the result is normalized to the cross sectional area of the plane (i.e. units of m2).
Other units of NVOL are BCM, which is an acronym for Billions of Cubic Microns per
Inch Squared. The BCM units are typically used in the printing industry.
Application
NVOL is typically used to study surfaces that may be used to either contain a lubricant (e.g. a
cylinder bore in an engine), or for surfaces involved in the printing or coating industries.

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Surface Area Index (SAI)
SAI, the surface area index, is the surface area at the lateral resolution of the measured
surface as compared to that of a perfectly flat/smooth surface. The calculation involves fitting
triangular patches between the measured points and adding up the total area of all patches. A
ratio is then formed of the total surface area measured and the nominal flat area of
measurement. This analysis is a precursor to a complete fractal analysis of the surface. Since
SAI is a ratio, it is a unitless quantity.
Application
SAI may be used in applications
where coatings or lubricants are
applied to a surface. For a more
complete surface area analysis,
fractal analysis must be used.1
C.A. Brown, P.D. Charles, W.A. Johnsen, S. Chester, fractal analysis of topographic data by the patchwork method, Wear 161 (1993) 6167.

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Introduction
Once the 3D data is acquired, a
number of surface calculations are
performed
simulating
the
measurement of the surface with a
2D stylus-profiling device. The
3D data is considered as a series
of profiles in parallel along the X
and Y axes. Each profile is
filtered
according
to
the
ANSI/ASME B46.1 Standard,
with short wave and long wave
cutoffs as indicated in the
measurement table included in the
cover letter of the report. After
filtering, the various surface
texture parameters are evaluated
for each profile. Finally, the
average value for a given surface
texture parameter is then found
over all the profiles considered.
Typically, over 200 profiles are
analyzed per 3D image in both the
X and Y directions. The figure to
the right demonstrates how a
turned surface would appear after
the various Stylus X and Stylus Y
filters are applied prior to the
evaluation of the individual
profile statistics.
The result of filtering along the X and Y directions of

the 3D data, prior to the calculation of the various
Stylus X and Stylus Y parameters.

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Stylus X Ra, Stylus Y Ra, Stylus (X,Y) Rt, Stylus (X,Y) Rz
Stylus X Ra and Stylus Y Ra, the roughness average along X and the roughness average
along Y are found from the integral of the profiles along the respective directions:
Stylus X Ra
1 Lx
Z ( X ) dx
Lx 0
Stylus Y Ra
1
Ly
Ly
Z ( y) dx
0
Stylus (X, Y) Rt, the maximum profile height along (X,Y) is determined from the average of
the difference between the 5 highest peaks and 5 lowest valley found along the profile.
Stylus (X,Y) Rz, the average maximum profile height along (X, Y), is derived from the
difference between the ten highest peaks and ten lowest valleys found along the profile. Note
that the value reported in the database is the average of all Stylus (X,Y) Ra, Rt, Rz values
found over the 200+ profiles that comprise the 3D surface in the relevant direction.
Application
Stylus (X,Y) Ra, Rt, Rz may be useful in understanding any directionally dependent surface
texture function. For example, a surface used for sealing may require a larger roughness
average along the leak path direction (e.g. the X direction) and lower roughness average
perpendicular (e.g. the Y direction) to the leak path for proper seal engagement.

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Stylus (X,Y) Rpk, Stylus (X,Y) Rk, Stylus (X,Y) Rvk
The family of Stylus (X,Y) Rk Parameters are derived from the bearing ratio curve based on
the ISO 13565-2:1996 standard. A bearing area curve is generated for each profile by
simulating a horizontal line moving through from the top down while evaluating the
percentage of contact the line would make with the surface at each level. From the bearing
area curve, Stylus (X,Y) Rpk, the reduced peak height along (X,Y) is found as a measure of
the peak height above the core roughness.
Stylus (X,Y) Rvk, the reduced valley depths along (X,Y) is found as a measure of the valley
depths below the core roughness. Stylus (X,Y) Rk, the core roughness along (X,Y) is a
measure of the core (peak to valley) roughness of the surface with the major peaks and
valleys, established by Stylus (X,Y) Rpk and Stylus (X,Y) Rvk, removed. Note that each
profile in the X and Y directions are evaluated individually and the resulting average of a
given parameter is reported in the database.
Depiction of the bearing area calculation for the Stylus X and Stylus Y parameters
(Rpk, Rk, Rvk).
Application
A high Stylus (X, Y) Rpk implies a surface composed of high peaks providing small initial
contact area and thus high areas of contact stress (force/area) when the surface is contacted.
Thus, Stylus (X, Y) Rpk may represent the nominal height of the material that may be
removed during a running-in operation. Stylus (X, Y) Rvk, is a measure of the valley depths
below the core roughness and may be related to lubricant retention and debris entrapment. By
comparing the various parameters along the different directions (X vs Y) one may also assess
the uniformity of the surface peak and valley distributions relative to a particular direction of
interest. Stylus (X, Y) Rk is a measure of the nominal roughness (peak to valley) and may be
used to replace parameters such as Stylus (X, Y) Ra, Stylus (X, Y) Rt, or Stylus (X, Y) Rz
when anomalous peaks or valleys may adversely affect the repeatability of these parameters.

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Stylus (X,Y) q
Stylus (X, Y) q is the root means square slope along (X, Y). The Stylus X q and Stylus Y
q calculations find the rms (standard deviation) of the profile slope given by:
Where the brackets, < >, represent the average value of all slopes in the relevant
direction.
1
Stylus X q
Lx
1
Lx
Stylus Y q
dZ ( x)
dZ ( x)
0 dx dx
dZ ( y )
dZ ( y )
0 dy dy
1/ 2
Lx
dx
1/ 2
Lx
dy
Application
The q measurements along the X and Y directions provide a quantitative assessment of the
rate of change of the surface heights over the profile length. Since the slope values are
squared prior to integration, the polarity (i.e. positive or negative) of the slope is lost in the
calculation. The q measurements may be useful in applications where a machining process
is producing parts with nominally correct amplitude parameters (e.g. Ra) but has other
functional or process problems. During machining operations parameters associated with the
materials or machine setup may be manifested in significant changes in the surface slopes,
easily measured by q.

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Stylus (X,Y) q
Stylus (X, Y) q , the root mean square (rms) profile wavelength along (X, Y), is measure of
the dominant spatial wavelength that comprises the surface weighted by the amplitude of the
various spatial components. The evaluation of these parameters stems from Fourier analysis
of the surface texture resulting in the following relationships:
Stylus X q 2
Stylus X Rq
Stylus X q
Stylus Y q 2
Stylus Y Rq
Stylus Y q
Depiction of the evaluation of the q parameter.
Application
The q measurements
along the X and Y
directions provide a
quantitative measure of
the key spatial
wavelengths that
comprise the texture in
the respective directions.
A surface that has a high
amplitude long
wavelength wavy
structure on which
superimposed are small
amplitude short
wavelength texture
features will have a q
representative of the long
wavelength structure.
However, as the
amplitude of the shorter
wavelength structure
begins to approach that of
the long wavelength
structure, the measured

q will seek a value somewhere between the long wavelength and short wavelength values.
q is used when tool feed rates are under investigation and as a further means to differentiate
surfaces/processes that yield similar amplitude parameters (e.g. Ra) but function differently.
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Stylus (X,Y) Pc
Stylus (X, Y) Pc is the peak density along (X, Y), and determines the number of peaks per
unit length in the X and Y directions respectively. A peak for the Pc calculations is defined as
when the profile intersects consecutively a lower and upper boundary level set at a height
above and depth below the mean line, equal to Ra for the profile being analyzed.
Application
Stylus X Pc and Stylus Y Pc are
useful parameters for assessing
the peak density (e.g.
peaks/mm) along a given
direction. Applications involved
in coating a surface, or when
fluid leakage/retention are of
issue may make use of the Pc
parameters to optimize the
surface texture design.
Sometimes the combination of
parameters such as Rz with Pc
will yield additional information
about the spacing and depth of
dominant surface features that
may affect the function of a
component.

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Stylus X Ra/Stylus Y Ra
Stylus X Rz/Stylus Y Rz
Stylus X q/Stylus Y q
Stylus X q/Stylus Y q
Stylus X Pc/ Stylus Y Pc
The various Stylus X/Stylus Y ratios are found by dividing the corresponding Stylus X
parameter (e.g. Stylus X Ra) by the corresponding Stylus Y Parameter (e.g. Stylus Y Ra),
thus the various ratios unitless quantities.
Application
The ratio of the various Stylus X
and
Stylus
Y
parameters
demonstrates the spatial isotropy
of the surface texture.
For example, the turned surface as
illustrated above, has a high
degree of anisotropy and thus the
ratio of Stylus X Ra/Stylus Y Ra
is greater than 1.00. A shot peened
isotropic surface will tend to have
Stylus X & Y ratios of about
1.00. The ratios may be used to
assess the ability for a given
surface finishing operation to
remove remnants of a previous
operation. The ratios may also be
used to uncover any dominant
surface directional paths that may
contribute to fluid leakage.

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S Parameters
Amplitude Parameters (Sa and Sq)
Sa and Sq are the average roughness and root mean square (rms) roughness evaluated over
the complete 3D surface respectively. Mathematically, the Sa and Sq are evaluated as
follows:
Sa
Z ( x, y ) dxdy
Application
The
Sa
and
Sq
parameters
represent an overall measure of

the
texture
comprising
the
surface. Sa and Sq are insensitive

in differentiating peaks, valleys
and the spacing of the various
texture features. The figure above
demonstrates two very different
surfaces with identical Sa and Sq
Sq
Z ( x, y )
a
values, indicating the insensitivity
dxdy
of the Sa and Sq parameters.

Nonetheless, once a surface type
has been established, the Sa and
Sq parameters may be used to
indicate significant deviations in
the texture characteristics. Sq is
typically used to specify optical
surfaces and Sa is used for
machined surfaces.

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S Parameters
Amplitude Parameters (Ssk, and Sku and Sz)
Ssk and Sku are the Skewness and Kurtosis of the 3D surface texture respectively.
Figuratively, a histogram of the heights of all measured points is established and the
symmetry and deviation from an ideal Normal (i.e. bell curve) distribution is represented by
Ssk and Sku. Mathematically, the Ssk and Sku are evaluated as follows:
Ssk
1
S q3
Z ( x, y )
a
S ku
dxdy
1
S q4
Z ( x, y )
a
dxdy
Application
Ssk represents the degree of symmetry of the surface heights about the mean plane. The sign
of Ssk indicates the preponderance of peaks (i.e. Ssk>0) or valley structures (Ssk<0)
comprising the surface. Sku indicates the presence of inordinately high peaks/ deep valleys
(Sku>3.00) or lack thereof (Sku<3.00) making up the texture.
If the surface heights are
Normally distributed (i.e. bell curve) then Ssk is 0.00 and Sku is 3.00. Surfaces described as
gradually varying, free of extreme peaks or valley features, will tend to have Sku <3.00. Ssk
is useful in specifying honed surfaces and monitoring for different types of wear conditions.
Sku is useful for indicating the presence of either peak or valley defects which may occur on
a surface.

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S Parameters
Amplitude Parameters (Sz)
Sz is the Ten Point Height over the complete 3D surface and represents the average
difference between the 5 highest peaks and 5 lowest valleys. A peak is defined as any point,
above all 8 nearest neighbors. A valley is any point, which is below all 8 nearest neighbors.
Peaks and valleys are constrained so they will be separated by at least 1% of the minimum
X or Y dimension comprising the 3D measurement area.
5
5
PeakHeights ValleyDept hs
1
Sz 1
5
Application
Sz is useful in characterizing the envelope that contains most of the surface heights,
particularly when Sa or Sq is dominated by general texture features. The texture of sheet steel
is typically specified with Sz as well as shaft surfaces when considering sealing applications.
Sz may demonstrate a change sooner than Sa or Sq as a surface is modified such as when
studying a wear mechanism.

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S Parameters
Spatial Parameters - Introduction: Autocorrelation Function (ACF)
The development of the spatial parameters involves the use of the mathematical technique of
the Autocorrelation Function (ACF). This section will review the basic concepts behind the
ACF, necessary to understand the various spatial parameters.
The ACF is found by taking a duplicate surface (Z(x-x,y-y)) of the measured surface ((Z
(x, y)) and mathematically multiplying the two surfaces together, with a relative lateral
displacement (x,y) between the two surfaces. Once multiplied together, the resulting
function is integrated and normalized to Sq, to yield a measure of the area of overlap between
the two functions. If the shifted version of the surface is identical to the original surface then
the ACF is 1.00. If the shifted surface is such that all peaks align with corresponding valleys
then the ACF will approach 1.00. Thus the ACF is a measure of how similar the texture is
at a given distance from the original location. If the ACF stays near 1.00 for a given amount
of shift, we conclude that the texture is similar along that direction. If the ACF falls rapidly to
zero along a given direction, then we conclude that the surface is different and thus
uncorrelated with the original measurement location.
For the turned surface above, the ACF in the X direction falls to zero quickly as
the peaks of the shifted surface align with the mean plane. The ACF along X
becomes negative as the peaks of the surface align with the valleys of the shifted
surface. Shifting along the Y direction, the surface is near identical to the original
resulting in the ACF in theY direction remaining near 1.00.
S Parameters
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Spatial Parameters (Sds)

Sds, the Summit Density is the number of summits per unit area making up the surface.
Summits are derived from peaks. A peak is defined as any point, above all 8 nearest
neighbors. Peaks are constrained to being separated by at least 1% of the minimum X or
Y dimension comprising the 3D measurement area. Additionally, summits are only found
above a threshold that is 5% of Sz above the mean plane.
Number of Peaks
ds
Area
Application
Sds is a key parameter when considering surfaces used in applications such as bearings, seals
and electronic contacts. The manner in which the summits elastically and plastically deform
under load is related to the Sds parameter. Depending on the application, a low Sds may
result in high-localized contact stresses resulting in possible pitting and debris generation. In
applications involving sliding components, a number of summits are needed to prevent
optical contacting while maintaining a reasonable load distribution. Summit density may also
be related to the cosmetic appearance of a surface once painted.
S Parameters
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Spatial Parameters (Str and Sal)

Str, the texture aspect ratio, is a measure of the spatial isotropy or directionality of the
surface texture. For a surface with a dominant lay, the Str parameter will tend towards 0.00,
whereas a spatially isotropic texture will result in an Str of 1.00. Sal, the auto-correlation
length, is a measure of the distance over the surface in an optimum direction such that the
new location will have minimal correlation with the original location.
S tr
Application
Length of fastest decay ACF in any direction

Length of slowest decay ACF in any direction
Str is useful in determining the

presence of lay in any direction.
For applications where a surface
is
produced
by
multiple
processes, Str may be used to
detect the presence of underlying
surface modifications. Str may
find application in finding subtle
directionality on an otherwise
isotropic texture. Sal is a
quantitative measure as to the
distance along the surface by
which one would find a texture
that is statistically different from
the original location. Sal is useful
in establishing the distance
between multiple measurements
made on the surface to
adequately determine the general
texture specification of the
surface.
S al length of fastest decay of ACF In Any Direction

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S Parameters
Spatial Parameters - Introduction: Angular Power Spectral Density Function (APSDF)
The development of the spatial parameters involves the use of the advanced mathematical
technique of the Angular Power Spectral Density Function (APSDF). This section will
review the basic concepts behind the APSDF necessary to understand the Std spatial
parameter.
Based on Fourier
analysis, we can
consider the surface
texture to be composed
of a series of sine waves
in all directions with
different frequencies
and amplitudes. The
power spectrum is a
measure of the
amplitude of each sine
wave for a particular
frequency, along a
given direction. Thus
for a 3D surface, the
power spectrum would
be displayed as a 3D
function in which the X
and Y axes represent
the various spatial
frequencies for a given
direction. The
amplitude of the power
spectrum (displayed on
the Z axis) represents
the amplitude of the
sine wave at a particular spatial frequency direction. The angular power spectrum is found by
integrating the amplitudes of each component sine wave as a function of angle. The figures to
the left demonstrate a crosshatched surface, the power spectral density of the surface and the
angular power spectral density function.
The bright regions of
the power spectrum for
the crosshatched
surface correspond to
higher amplitude sine
waves at a given
combination of spatial
frequencies along the X
/ Y directions. The two
dominant bright lines
are thus along a
direction perpendicular
to the two lay patterns
of the crosshatched
surface.
The APSDF is found by
integrating the power
spectrum from the
center out radially and
displaying the relative
magnitude vs. angle.
The two peaks in the
APSDF correspond to
the large sine wave
amplitudes found along
directions
perpendicular to the
two lay patterns of the
crosshatched surface.

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S Parameters
Spatial Parameters (Std)
Std, the texture direction, is determined by the APSDF and is a measure of the angular
direction of the dominant lay comprising a surface. Std is defined relative to the Y axis. Thus
a surface with a lay along the Y axis will return a Std of 0 deg.
S td Major direction of Lay Derived From APSD
Application
Std is useful in determining the lay direction of a surface relative to a datum by positioning
the part in the instrument in a known orientation. In some applications such as sealing, a
subtle change in the surface texture direction may lead to adverse conditions. Std may also be
used to detect the presence of a preliminary surface modification process (e.g. turning),
which is to be removed by a subsequent operation (e.g. grinding).

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S Parameters
Hybrid Parameters (Sdq and Ssc)
Sdq is the root mean square (rms) surface slope comprising the surface. Ssc is the Mean
Summit Curvature comprising the summits found for the Sds calculations. Sdq and Ssc are
given by the following:
2
2
Z ( x, y )
1 Lx Ly Z ( x, y )
dydx
A 0 0
x
y
Sdq
Ssc
summit summit
2 Z ( x, y )
2 Z ( x, y )
dydx
Evaluated only over the summit features
Application
Sdq is a general measurement of the slopes, which comprise the surface and may be used to
differentiate surface with similar average roughness, Sa as demonstrated above. Sdq may find
application for sealing applications and surface cosmetic appearance. Ssc is useful in
predicting the degree of elastic and plastic deformation of a surface under different loading
conditions and thus may be used in predicting friction and wear characteristics of a system.
S Parameters
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Michigan Metrology
Hybrid Parameters (Sdr)

Sdr, the Developed Interfacial Area Ratio is expressed as the percentage of additional
surface area contributed by the texture as compared to an ideal plane the size of the
measurement region.
Sdr
(Texture _ Surface _ Area ) (Cross _ Sectional _ Area )

Cross Sectional Area
Christopher A. Brown, William A. Johnsen, Kevin M. Hult, Scale-sensitivity, Fractal Analysis and Simulations, Int. J. Mach. Tools
Manufact. Vol 38, Nos 5-6, pp. 633-637, 1998
Application
Sdr may further differentiate surfaces of similar amplitudes and average roughness. Typically
Sdr will increase with the spatial intricacy of the texture whether or not Sa changes. Sdr is
useful in applications involving surface coatings and adhesion. Sdr and may also find
relevance when considering surfaces used with lubricants and other fluids. Sdr may be
related to the surface slopes and thus may also find application related to the manner in
which light is scattered from a surface.

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Michigan Metrology
S Parameters
Functional Volume Family (Sm, Sc, and Sv)
The functional volume parameters represent the volume of material or space provided by the
surface relative to the cross sectional area of the measurement and thus have units of
mm3/mm2. The volume parameters are derived from the bearing area analysis of the
complete 3D surface. The bearing area curve is formed by establishing the amount of
material a plane would rest on relative to the complete cross section of the surface for each
height from the highest to the lowest point of the surface.
Sm, the Surface Material Volume is the amount of material contained in the surface
peaks from 0% to 10% of the bearing area ratio
Sc, the Core Void Volume is the volume (e.g. of a fluid filling the core surface) the
surface would support from 10%-80% of the bearing ratio.
Sv, the Surface Void Volume is the volume (e.g. of a fluid filling the valleys) the
surface would support from 80% to 100% of the bearing ratio.
Application
The Sm, Sc and Sv parameters are
used in tribology applications. Sm
may be related to the amount of
material available for initial running
in or supporting of a load. Sc relates
to the lubricant carrying and
supporting properties of the core
surface under load. Sv may be
related to the void volume available
for lubricant retention and debris
entrapment.

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Michigan Metrology
S Parameters
Functional Index Family (Sbi, Sci, and Svi)
The functional index family parameters are all unitless parameters designed to allow
comparisons between surfaces of different average roughness. The functional index
parameters are derived from the bearing area analysis of the complete 3D surface. The
bearing area curve is formed by establishing the amount of material a plane would rest on
relative to the complete cross section of the surface for each height from the highest to the
lowest point of the surface. Sbi, the Surface Bearing Index is a measure, relative to Sq, of the
surface height at the 5% bearing area ratio. Sbi is typically 0 ~ 3 with a larger Sbi indicating
a larger relative load bearing area. Sci, the Core Fluid Retention Index is a measure, relative
to Sq, of the volume (e.g. of a fluid filling the core surface) the surface would support from
5%-80% of the bearing ratio. Svi, the Valley Fluid Retention Index is a measure relative to
Sq, of the volume (e.g. of a fluid filling the valleys) the surface would support from 80% to
100% of the bearing ratio.
Application
Sbi, Sci and Svi are used to
compare the tribological
properties of surface with
different average roughness. Sbi
is related to the material available
for initial load support. Sci and
Svi relate to the relative retention
of fluid the core and deep valley
structures provide.

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Michigan Metrology
Wear Parameters
Introduction
The X and Y directions are indicated. Note that depending on the application, the
direction of the axes relative to the wear pattern may be different.
Michigan Metrology measurement reports contain an Excel spreadsheet with various surface
wear results. The following glossary will describe each of the parameters produced. Note that
typically a subset of the parameters discussed here is presented with a project report
depending on the application.
Typically the wear parameters are evaluated relative to a best-fit plane (least squares) with
respect to the nominal surface. If the surface is primarily cylindrical or spherical, and the
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Michigan Metrology
base shape is not of importance to the application, then the primary shape is first
mathematically removed, prior to determining the best fit.

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Michigan Metrology
Wear Parameters
Average and Max Wear Depth

Depending on the project, a given component may have a number of obvious wear locations
resulting from multiple contacts during operation. Once measured, the surface is displayed
such that cursors may be used to find the deepest regions in a given wear scar. The wear
depth is measured relative to the nearest unworn region. For each scar, the maximum wear
depth is recorded.
Once a complete surface has been measured, the average value is computed and displayed
within the spreadsheet. Typically, a grand summary is included for each surface
demonstrating the average and maximum wear depths found.

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Michigan Metrology
Wear Parameters
Full Width Half Max (FWHM) Wear Width
Depending on the project, in addition to the wear depth, the wear scar may be structured such
that a consistent measurement of the width of the scar may be made. The figure below
demonstrates how the width of the scar is evaluated by placing the cursors approximately at
the wear depth, spaced at the full width of the scar. For each scar, the FWHM wear width
is recorded.
Once a complete surface has been measured, the average value FWHM wear width is
computed and displayed within the spreadsheet. Typically, a grand summary is included for
each surface demonstrating the average and maximum FWHM wear widths found.

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References
ANSI/ASME B46.1-2002 "Surface Texture (Surface Roughness, Waviness and Lay),

American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2002
ANSI/ASME Y14.36-1996 Surface Texture Symbols, 1996
ISO 4287:1997 Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) - Surface texture: Profile

method - Terms, definitions and surface texture parameters
ISO 13565-2:1996 Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) - Surface texture:

Profile method; Surfaces having stratified functional
Properties - Part 2: Height characterization using the linear material ratio curve
ISO/TC 213 N 470-1 Geometrical Product Specification (GPS) -Surface Texture:

Areal Terms, definitions and surface texture parameters
D. J. Whitehouse, Handbook of Surface Metrology, Institute of Physics Bristol, 1994
Leigh Mummery, Surface Texture Analysis, The Handbook Hommelwerke GmbH,

1992 ((203) 827-8500)
H. Dagnall M.A., Exploring Surface Texture, Rank Taylor Hobson Limited, Leicester,
England, 1986 ((800) 872-7265)
K. J. Stout, Development of Methods for the Characterisation of Roughness in Three

Dimensions, 2000, Penton Press, London, UK ISBN 1 8571 8023 2.

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Michigan Metrology
Index
3
3D Surface Texture Parameters, 4
A
ACF, 28
Angular Power Spectral Density Function, 32
APSDF, 32
Autocorrelation Function, 28
Average and Max Wear Depth, 39
B
BCM, 14
F
Full Width Half Max (FWHM) Wear Width,
40
M
Mr1, 11
Mr2, 11
N
Normalized Surface Volume, 14
P
peak, 27, 29
R
Ra, 6
Rk, 11
Rku, 9
rms, 13
Root Means Square X Slope, 13
Root Means Square Y Slope, 13
Rp, 10
Rpk, 11
Rpk/Rk, 12
Rpk/Rvk, 12
Rpm, 10
Rq, 7
Rsk, 8
Rt, 10
Rv, 10
Rvk, 11
Rvk/Rk, 12
Rvm, 10
Rz, 10
S
S Parameters, 4
Sa and Sq, 25
SAI, 16
Sal, 30
Sbi, 37
Sc, 36
Sci, 37
Sdq, 34
Sdr, 35
Sds, 29
Sm, 36
Ssc, 34
Ssk and Sku, 26
Std, 33
Str, 30
Stylus (X, Y) Pc, 22
Stylus (X, Y) Rt, 18
Stylus (X, Y) q, 20
Stylus (X, Y) q, 21
Stylus (X,Y) Rk, 19
Stylus (X,Y) Rpk, 19
Stylus (X,Y) Rvk, 19
Stylus (X,Y) Rz, 18
Stylus X And Stylus Y Surface Texture
Parameters, 4
Stylus X Ra, 18
Stylus Y Ra, 18
Sv, 36
Svi, 37
Sz, 27
V
valley, 27
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W
Michigan Metrology
Wear Parameters, 38

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Glossary of Surface Texture Parameters

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3d Surface Texture Parameters

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3d Surface Texture Parameters

of peak structures relative to valley

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3d Surface Texture Parameters

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3d Surface Texture Parameters

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3d Surface Texture Parameters

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Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters

The result of filtering along the X and Y directions of

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Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters

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Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters

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Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters

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Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters

Depiction of the evaluation of the q parameter.

structure, the measured

Glossary of Surface Texture Parameters

Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters

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Stylus X and Stylus Y Surface Texture Parameters

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Glossary of Surface Texture Parameters

represent an overall measure of