Page 24 - CFCM Nov-Dec-2020 Final_Neat

industrial finishing: FINISH TESTING EQUIPMENT

Better Than Eyesight

Today’s surface finish testing instruments can detect
all kinds of blemishes and imperfections – and also
confirm that your process is running well

Konica Minolta's CM-26dG spectrophotometer.

CHECKING THE SURFACE of finished parts for regularity and gonomics, and it becomes clear that finish testing is a far
smoothness is a critical step in any process where appear- less hit-and-miss business than it used to be.
ance is important. This applies all the way from mass-pro- There is a broad selection of finish testing devices on
duction systems, such as automotive plants, down to body the market today, and new variants are launched all the
repair shops, as well as in construction where coating qual- time. DeFelsko’s PosiTector range includes the model SPG,
ity and appearance are significant factors. which is a surface profile gauge for blasted steel, textured
Today’s measuring instruments can perform at levels coatings and concrete profiles. Surface profile gauges use
rarely claimed, let alone achieved, just a few short years a digital depth micrometer to measure and record peak to
ago. This is desirable not only to ensure the quality of a valley surface profile heights in preparation for the appli-
finish, but also for making sure that a production line is cation of coatings.
not using too much material, and therefore quietly running As with the rest of the interchangeable PosiTector range,
up costs. any probe produced by the company can be fixed to a sin-
Rapidly improving algorithms drive much of today’s gle gauge body. This model can produce over 50 readings
hand-held instrumentation. Components have also been per minute, which is useful for large surfaces.
miniaturized to an increasing degree, often making the de- It can connect via USB, Bluetooth or WiFi to a PosiSoft
vices lighter than a cellphone. Add to this improved er- PC, an Apple computer, or Smartphone software. It is

24 CAnADIAn FInISHInG & COATInGS MAnuFACTuRInG nOvEMbER/DECEMbER 2020