A new optical technique for roughness measurement on moving surface

A new optical technique which allows the roughness of moving surfaces to be determined was developed. The new technique which is called the dark/bright ratio (DBR) method utilizes the combined effects of speckle and scattering phenomena. The roughness of surfaces is inferred from the dimensions of the recorded dark or bright area in the speckle pattern. Although it is a relative method, it has great potential to be used for in-process measurement and automation owing to the simplicity of both its principle and required optical set-up. The new technique has also been proved to have large measuring range and with high precision, The principle of this technique and the set-up of the measuring system are described. Experimental results for both static and dynamic conditions, which were compared to those obtained using the traditional stylus technique, were found to be in good agreement. The reliability of the new technique in obtaining roughness data of surfaces under various speed conditions (from 0 to 0.017 m/s) was validated. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.