Assessment of engineered surfaces roughness by high-resolution 3D SEM photogrammetry

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Metrology

Background:

• Accurate characterization of engineered surfaces is crucial for understanding material properties and performance.
• Traditional surface metrology techniques may have limitations in capturing complex topographical features.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel methodology for generating three-dimensional (3D) models of engineered surfaces.
• To compare the accuracy and efficiency of the new 3DSEM technique against established methods.

Main Methods:

• Development of a 3D surface modeling technique combining scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and multi-view photogrammetry (3DSEM).
• Utilized cloud-based freeware for 3D model reconstruction.
• Applied the 3DSEM method to analyze laser-patterned metallic surfaces with parallel grooves.
• Compared results with stylus profilometry (PR) and SEM stereo-photogrammetry (SP).

Main Results:

• 3DSEM provides a more accurate representation of engineered surfaces compared to PR and SP.
• The 3DSEM method is more time-consuming than PR or SP.
• Investigated the influence of sampling step on roughness parameters across all three techniques.

Conclusions:

• 3DSEM is a powerful tool for detailed 3D surface modeling, offering enhanced accuracy.
• While more time-intensive, 3DSEM's superior surface representation is valuable for critical applications.
• Understanding the impact of sampling step is essential for reliable roughness measurements.