Projects / Mechanical / Project 50

Stylus Surface Roughness Profilometer (DIY)

Approx. component budget: Rs. 7,000 - 12,000

Objective

Build a simple stylus profilometer and use it to measure Ra and Rz of machined surfaces, checking it against a roughness comparator plate.

What you will build

A precision slide driven by a stepper motor, a hardened-needle stylus on a flexure with a displacement sensor, and a data acquisition board.

Results you can expect

• Surface profile plots
• Ra and Rz for turned
• Milled
• Ground and emery-finished samples
• Comparison with the comparator plate

What you will learn

Surface roughness, metrology and signal processing, important in manufacturing quality control.

Tools and notes

Arduino/ESP32, ADS1115 ADC, stepper driver, Python/Excel. Needs patient calibration and a vibration-free table.

Resume points from this project

• Built and tested Stylus Surface Roughness Profilometer (DIY); objective: build a simple stylus profilometer and use it to measure Ra and Rz of machined surfaces, checking it against a roughness comparator plate.
• Measured and analysed surface profile plots and Ra and Rz for turned; wrote the report and presented the results in a viva. Add your own numbers: [x].

Replace [x] with your own measured results. Write only what you really did.

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