The influence of stylus flight on change of surface topography parameters

Theoretical and experimental work on stylus flight is described. The paper describes the development of a simulation model for assessing the magnitude of surface topography distortion by stylus flight. Experiments on the surfaces support the theoretical model, which predicts stylus flight. The measurements of different surface topographies (including surfaces after grinding, turning, honing, milling) were done using Talyscan 150 measuring instrument with four traversing speeds (0.5, 1, 2 and 3 mm/s). The results of theoretical considerations and experiments were compared. The effect of stylus flight on surface topography parameters of measured surfaces basing on experimental investigation was assessed. The tendency was found that slope decreased, decrease of amplitude parameters and increase of horizontal parameters took place, but these effects were different for various surface types. The simulation procedure assured good accuracy of surface topography parameters changes.Based on theoretical investigation, the effect of stylus flight and stylus tip radius on parameters of computer-generated profiles was predicted. The choice of traversing speed to different types of surfaces was done. The parameters of biggest changes caused by error in measurement due to stylus kinematics were selected.