Engineering guide · 2026-09-17
Surface roughness and form deviation: two different questions
A smooth surface does not necessarily follow the intended shape. Surface and geometric requirements must therefore be specified separately.
Editorial insight
Illustrative diagram or concept image · Not a manufactured component or measurement result.
Nominal shape and local texture
Form deviation describes the difference between the measured surface and the specified nominal geometry. Surface texture describes characteristics at other spatial scales. Evaluation area, measurement direction and filtering all influence the result. A single value is difficult to compare without this context.
Specify the method alongside the parameter
Profile-based Ra and root-mean-square Rq are different evaluations; areal measurements may use Sa and Sq. These parameters are not automatically interchangeable. The specification should identify the parameter, unit, aperture, filtering and measurement method.
What do the IL600 reference figures mean?
Innolite publishes reference figures for form accuracy and roughness. They do not constitute an automatic finished-part commitment for every material and geometry. The proposed manufacturing route and inspection plan together establish acceptance criteria for a specific task.
Innolite IL600 — manufacturer specifications ↗ · Inspection plan template ↗
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