Surface Finish Page 1 of 15
Surface Finish by Nick Real
Edited by Ron Smith
Introduction
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WARNING: Machine tools present a safety hazard. Improper
operation can result in severe injury. These topics are for non-
laboratory study only and are not to be used in conjunction
with the operation of any tool or machine described herein.
Never use a machine tool without the supervision of a qualified
instructor.
This topic is an introduction to SURFACE
FINISHES of work pieces fabricated in the
machine shop and ADVANTAGES TO VARIOUS
FINISHES. You will learn WHAT A SURFACE
FINISH IS and how to understand SURFACE
FINISH SYMBOLS. You will also learn the
THEORY BEHIND SURFACE FINISH
FORMULAS and how to PREDICT what kind of
surface finish you will get under certain conditions
and finally HOW THE SURFACE FINISH IS
MEASURED.
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Introduction
1: What is Surface Finish? Description of surface finish types, their usefulness in industry,
and a microscopic look at the finish of a surface.
2: How to Read Surface Finish Symbols ANSI/ASME B46.1-1995 surface finish symbols
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and their meaning.
3: The Theory Behind Surface Finish Values. How an arithmetic mean is used to average
inputs.
4: Predicting Surface Finishes Formulas used to determine surface finish before machining.
5: Measuring Surfaces Three typical methods of gauging surface finish.
6: Processes Surface finishes produced by machining processes.
7: Surface Economics The cost of quality.
Conclusion
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1: What is Surface Finish?
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A note before beginning. This topic is derived from Machinery's Handbook 26th edition.
It will focus on the ANSI/ASME B46.1-1995 standard. There are other standards.
Surface finish is an apparent witness of tool marks or - lack of same - on the machined
surface of a work piece. These two videos show fine, medium, and rough surface finishes
for the lathe and the mill.
Surface finish is a characteristic of any machined surface. It is sometimes called surface
texture or roughness. The design engineer is usually the person that decides what the
surface finish of a work piece should be. They base their reasoning on what the work
piece is supposed to do. Here are a few examples that the engineer considers when
applying a surface finish spec:
z Good surface finishes achieve high efficiency. High quality surface finishes
coupled with millionths of inch fit will produce less friction. For example a 75HP
piston engine can loose up to 5HP to the friction of the connecting rods, crank, and
piston unless high quality finishes are applied..
z Good surface finishes increase the wear resistance of two work pieces in an
assembly
z Good surface finishes reduce the friction between two work pieces in an assembly
z Good surface finishes have a cosmetic effect and make your parts "look good".
z Good surface finishes are the norm in several industries, as in the micro processor
industry.
z Good surface finished permits the proper function of static, and dynamic O-ring
seals in hydraulic and pneumatic equipment.
The design engineer communicates their desires by using a blueprint. The blueprint is the
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communication medium that the machinist will use to make the work piece. The surface
finish is defined and measured as a surface profile. The main components of a surface
profile are waviness and roughness.
2: How to Read the Surface Finish Symbols
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Surface finishes are usually specified with a "check mark" on the blueprint as shown
in the in graphic below. Surface finishes are specified in microinches and are located
on the left side of the symbol above the check mark "V". In the example below the
value is shown as 32.
The waviness requirement (if
specified) is usually given in
thousands of an inch and is
located on the top right of the
symbol. In the example it is the
value ".0015"
The roughness width
requirement (if specified) is
usually given in thousands of an
inch and is located on the
bottom right of the symbol. In
the example it is the value
".002".
The lay direction requirement (if specified) is usually represented by a symbol and is
located right below the roughness width requirement. In the example it is the symbol
for perpendicularity. The graphic below show the rest of the symbols.
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3: The Theory Behind Surface Finish Values
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Surface finishes
are determined by
an averaging
process. The
graphic to the left
could be highs and
lows of a surface
measured in a
specific direction
(lay). The surface
value for this
sample would be
found like this:
First get the
profile of the
surface finish and
draw the centerline of the profile (shown in red).
Next divide the profile in equal sections and find the area of each section.
Finally divide the total of all areas by the number of sections that you used to
divide the profile..
You will end up with Ra, the value of the surface finish using the arithmetic
average value.
Other values such as Rmax can also be calculated according to the standard used.
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4: Predicting Surface Finishes
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A surface finish can be approximately predicted using common sense. Grinding will yield a
better surface finish than milling and milling will produce a better surface finish than
sawing. However, when more exact projections are required a few formulas can be applied.
For a milling operation the following formula will produce the surface finish for a specific
set of circumstances:
Ra is the surface finish in
microinches
r is the radius of the tool nose in
inches
f is the feed rate in IPR for one tooth.
For example: A milling cutter with a 1/16" tool nose radius running at .010 inches per
revolution will produce, in theory, a surface finish value Ra of 100.
For the lathe a similar formula can be applied:
Ra is the surface finish in microinches
r is the radius of the tool nose in inches
f is the feed rate in IPR for the lathe bit
For example: A lathe cutting tool with a 1/16" tool nose radius running at .010 inches per
revolution will produce, in theory, a surface finish value Ra of 67.
Note: The above calculations are highly theoretical. Finish is also effected by RPM,
lubrication, temperature, and other considerations.
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5: Measuring Surfaces
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There are two typical ways to measure, or gauge, a surface finish.
This first method is very inexpensive but is subject to the perceptions of the machinist. It is a
subjective method. The machinist will use his finger and his eyes to compare his work
piece to a representative sample. In this instance the machinist is comparing surface
finish with a surface finish tablet that has various finish standards imbedded. The
drawback of this method is that one machinist will feel that the surface finish is 16 and the
next machinist will feel that the surface finish is 32 on a particular work piece.
This second method is more expensive as one needs to purchase a surface tracing machine to
make the measurement. This machine automatically pulls a stylus across the surface and
records roughness and waviness. Older surface tracing machines produce a printout
that needs interpretation but the newer surface tracing machines use a digital display
to tell you the surface finish value. Be aware of your surroundings as those machines
are sensitive to the levelling of the shop floor and/or surface plate, surrounding vibrations
(such as trucks driving by), and calibration.
There are a group of methods using optics that can range from subjective to objective
depending on the method used. Many instruments are available to perform the surface
measurement using optics. The instrument chosen depends on the industry where it is
used. One of these instruments, the most basic one, works on the principle of
interferometry. A polished glass surface is used that comes in contact with the work
piece. By observing the variations of light bands reflected on the glass surface because of the
imperfection of the finish, you are able to make a measurement of the surface finish as well
as over all flatness.
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6: Processes
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As mentioned, different machining process produce different finishes. This graphic shows
what you can expect from the typical machine shop processes.
The type of tooling used for any machining process can better the surface finish if care is
taken. Typically the larger the radius, the better the surface finish. As a tool nose moves
away from pointed toward rounded the depth of the profile decreases, producing a
better finish
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7: Surface Economics
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High surface finish is not free. There are limits on machine capabilities and productions rates
that can increase the cost of finish. For example an inexpensive lathe can not produce a
surface finish of Ra=2. To achieve that finish the machining will have to performed on a
much more expensive cylindrical grinder. Also the feedrate to achieve a high finish is much
slower than normal and cost time which adds cost. The graphic below gives a simple
example.
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Conclusion
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This topic was an introduction to SURFACE FINISHES of work pieces fabricated in the
machine shop and ADVANTAGES TO VARIOUS FINISHES. You learned WHAT A
SURFACE FINISH IS and how to understand SURFACE FINISH SYMBOLS. You also
learned the THEORY BEHIND SURFACE FINISH FORMULAS and how to PREDICT
what kind of surface finish you will get under certain conditions and finally HOW THE
SURFACE FINISH IS MEASURED.
WARNING: Machine tools present a safety hazard. Improper operation
can result in severe injury. These topics are for non-laboratory study only
and are not to be used in conjunction with the operation of any tool or
machine described herein. Never use a machine tool without the
supervision of an instructor.
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