TS 929

TS 929 is a terminology standard for the basic terms used with instruments for measuring surface roughness by the profile method. Surface roughness refers to the small-scale deviations of a real surface from its ideal geometric form, so a shared vocabulary is essential for interpreting measurements consistently.

The profile method and the measurement concept

In general technical terms, the profile method evaluates a traced cross-section of the surface. A stylus or sensing element moves across the surface and records height variations, producing a profile curve for analysis. In such systems, it is important to distinguish the instrument body, the sensing arrangement, the recording or processing unit, and the elements used to establish the measurement reference; terminology standards exist to make these distinctions precise.

What this standard covers

The scope of the standard is the principal terminology related to all instruments used in surface roughness measurement by the profile method. In other words, TS 929 is aimed at naming and defining the concepts used in this field rather than setting performance limits or test procedures for the instruments themselves. This helps ensure that technical documents, laboratory records, and instrument descriptions use the same terms with the same meaning.

• Common definition of core concepts related to surface profile and roughness
• Naming of the instruments and subassemblies used in profile-based measurement
• Terminological consistency when comparing measurement results

Such vocabularies are especially useful for engineers, metrology specialists, and quality-control personnel working with profilometers and related surface measurement systems. TS 929 was published as equivalent to ISO 1879 and has since been withdrawn, but the subject remains important for understanding the basic terminology of surface metrology.