A Novel System for Analysis of Surface Profiles from 3-D Components Using the Dickinson Rotating Ring Contact Profiler

Abstract

In this paper the authors present a novel system, the Dickinson Rotating Ring Contact Profiler (DRRCP) for measuring the surface profiles of components with ring profiles. Race car piston rings have been used as a test case to prove the simplicity and validity of the new system. The results obtained from the DRRCP were compared with the standard system and similar values of the mean and standard deviation were obtained, Ra = 0.3±0.05 and Rz = 0.6 ± 0.09 respectively. The system is readily adaptable to other cylindrical components and is predicted to have further applications in other fields/systems.