プロフィロメーター、表面形状測定器、プロファイラーとは？
プロフィロメーターまたは表面形状測定機は、製品の最上層の地形特性を測定するための計測機器です。これは、材料の主要な形状と、その表面のサブミクロン（μm）のテクスチャ変化を考慮する多点測定形式であり、一般的に寸法的な割れや表面粗さとして特徴付けられます。
これらの特徴は、観察対象の材料の物理的性質に明確な影響を与える方向性やパターンに寄与する可能性がある。表面形状測定における2つの重要な用語は、異方性表面と等方性表面である。これらはそれぞれ、明瞭な方向性、または明らかな方向性パターンを持つ材料と持たない材料を指す。
表面形状測定機（プロフィロメーター）は通常、これらの原理のいずれかを、他の多くの計測技術と組み合わせて使用します。これらのテクスチャは、製品の品質管理のために測定されることもあれば、機械部品の表面で進行中の表面摩耗の影響を測定するために測定されることもあります。
プロフィロメーターとは何かについてのビデオです。今すぐ見る
This article will explore the working principle of a surface profiler or profilometer in more detail:
What is The Working Principle of Profilometer ?
A surface profilometer or profilometer uses high-precision data acquisition components to measure the distinct features of a product substrate on nano-, micro-, and macroscales. This is carried out through contact or non-contact methods.
接触式表面形状測定機（プロフィロメーター）は、プロフィロメーターと呼ばれる高感度スタイラスを部品表面に接触させます。これにより、表面の変形や変化を摩擦や抵抗の変動として記録することができます。粗さ、うねり、形状測定に適しており、光学干渉や潤滑剤の影響を受けません。
Contact surface profilers or profilometers make physical contact with a material substrate using a sensitive stylus known as a profilometer, which is drawn across the component surface. This can register surface deformations and variations as fluctuations in friction and applied resistance. It is suitable for roughness, waviness, and form measurements and is impervious to optical interference and lubricating elements.
3D Non-contact surface profilers use a range of optical acquisition methodologies to obtain surface topography information from a product, including confocal and electron microscopy.These methods typically scan a surface with an incident light source and measure the emissive, reflective, or refractive light to acquire information about the product’s surface topography. This metrological method is often preferred over contact surface profiling due to its low invasiveness and improved measurement speeds.
What are The Applications of a Surface Profilometer?
These measurement principles are regularly used for process control applications, particularly to assess the ongoing performance of mechanically mating surfaces such as shafts and bearings. Gradual wearing can exponentially reduce the efficacy of a device due to friction-induced defects and a reduction of lubricating agents.
The surface profiles of sensitive optical lenses are also routinely assessed to monitor batch-to-batch consistency for optics of varying scales.
Surface profilometers or profilometers have eliminated the uncertainties associated with the arbitrary assessment of product surface topographies, and enabled previously unforeseen levels of precision in sectors where surface interactivity is a critical indicator of product performance.
Surface Profilometers from Taylor Hobson
At Taylor Hobson, we provide a broad range of surface profiling instruments to satisfy multiple data acquisition requirements. Our surface profilometers or profilers are routinely used in production environments for quality control of ultra-precision optical equipment and mechanical components.
Our range of contact surface profilometers or profilers includes:
- The Form Talysurf Series Profilometers, for surface topography, contour, and dominant wavelength analysis of mechanical components
- The PGI Series Profilometers, for highly accurate surface profiling of optical equipment with marginal degrees of error and outstanding degrees of automation
Our range of non-contact surface profilometers or profilers includes:
- The LUPHOScan range Non contact Profilometers, for ultra-precision non-contact 3D form measurements of rotationally symmetric surfaces such as aspheric and capable of freeform measurement
- The TalyScan 280, Non contact Profilometer for surface roughness, roundness, straightness, parallelism, 3D Measurement of Camera Lens Barrel/Housing
For more information about our surface profilometers or profilometers please contact Ask Our Experts
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