Mapping a small area of a surface

Abstract

The design, construction and use of an automated system for mapping, measuring and analysing small areas of surfaces are described. A modified stylus instrument scans the workpiece in a number of parallel profiles, recorded on-line by a digital computer, which also controls operation of the instrument. The system can scan an area of up to 8 mm*8 mm in 2 h and record it as nearly half a million height readings. Examples of isometric and contour plots of recorded data are presented.