Page 14 - Fall 2024 EDM Today

a stored pattern, such as the “Lotus leaf” EDM Today Magazine
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The good news is that a high-quality
camera can estimate surface roughness
with a certain degree of accuracy.
Smartphone apps are already available to
measure parameters like Ra and Rt. This
method could also be used to measure
complex surfaces by matching them with

pattern in Fig. 10.
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CONCLUSION
The surface produced by EDM is “chaotic”
and non-directional, making it challeng-
ing to measure. So, which measuring
system is better? As always, it depends.
Factors include the required accuracy,
the need for documented quality control,
Fig. 10: The hydrophobic Lotus leaf pattern
and the type of surface.

The profi lometer method has
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been widely adopted over the
years, measuring in either
microinches or micrometers.
However, the shape and size of
the stylus can limit the assess-
ment of surface fi nishes, and
the applied fi lters can affect
the measurements. As long
as these parameters are kept
under control, this method is
highly effective for measuring
surface roughness. Rulers can
provide a visual comparison of
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roughness, but for systematic
and certifi ed documentation,
a measuring instrument is
necessary. For functional sur-
faces, an optical non-contact
Fig 11: Automatic defect detection, project [1]
system offers valid surface
measurements.
Switching from a stylus profi lometer to a non-contact system is feasible, but it’s recommended to calibrate the
contact and non-contact measurements of the same part, to guarantee a continuity with past and present jobs.
Additionally, optical systems combined with artifi cial intelligence can automatically detect surface defects, as
illustrated in Fig. 11.
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REFERENCED LITERATURE:

[1] A. Giusti, et al., Image-based Measurement of Material Roughness using Machine Learning Techniques,
20th CIRP Conference on Electro Physical and Chemical Machining, 2020

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