Surface metrology employs various measurement techniques, among which there has been an increase of noteworthy research into non-contact optical and contact stylus methods. However, some deeper considerations about their differentiation and compatibility are still lacking and necessary. This work compares the measurement characteristics of the confocal microscope with the portable stylus profilometer instrumentation, from a metrological point of view (measurement precision and accuracy, and complexity of algorithms for data processing) and an operational view (measuring ranges, measurement speed, environmental and operational requirements, and cost). Mathematical models and algorithms for roughness parameters calculation and their associated uncertainties evaluation are developed and validated. The experimental results demonstrate that the stylus profilometer presents the most reliable measurement with the highest measurement speed and the least complex algorithms, while the image confocal method takes advantage of higher vertical and horizontal resolution when compared with the employed stylus profilometer.

This article presents the results of an LMM-R-2019 interlaboratory comparison. Such comparisons of different families of measuring instruments are one of the activities conducted among the calibration laboratories to maintain their ISO 17025 accreditation. Given that the study of surface roughness is becoming increasingly important in the field of dimensional metrology, the comparison focused on determining the Ra parameter on a pseudorandom metallic roughness standard using two types of measuring instruments: physical contact (stylus instruments) and optical (confocal microscopes). Among the aspects studied was whether the roughness measurements obtained using calibrated confocal microscopes could be compared with those using traditional methods since optical instruments obtain measurements more quickly and responsively than do stylus instruments. The results showed that roughness measurements using confocal microscopes are comparable with those from a traditional stylus instrument.

This work describes a method for the metrological characterization of structured surfaces using a confocal microscope. The proposed method is based on the calculation of texture parameters established in ISO 25178-2:2012. To ensure the traceability of these parameters, a procedure for the calibration of the Z-axis of the confocal microscope is proposed. The calculation of uncertainty associated with each parameter employs the Monte Carlo method, as well as the concept of a virtual instrument. The validity of the algorithms has been verified through the use of synthetic data provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and physical standards, with minimum differences being obtained between the certified values and calculated or measured values. Finally, using the proposed method, the topography of a structured surface manufactured by laser machining is evaluated, obtaining the most used roughness parameters, as well as their measurement uncertainties and possible correlations. In general, it can be affirmed that it is possible to obtain metrologically reliable results with the proposed method.