Mathematical approach to the validation of functional surface texture parameter software

Abstract

A new method for performance validation of surface texture parameter calculation software is introduced, focussing on functional surface texture parameters. Material ratio curves are defined algebraically and used to calculate functional surface texture parameters mathematically. Discrete datasets are created from the material ratio curves and input into three third-party parameter calculation software packages. Comparisons are made between the software-obtained parameter values and the mathematical values, identifying significant differences between them. Work is carried out to highlight inaccuracies introduced by sampling discrete datasets from mathematical representations, and it is shown that the resulting variations in parameter values are insignificant compared to the differences from the mathematical values.