- THE MAGAZINE - WEB EXCLUSIVES The Lasercheck is a surface
roughness gage from Optical Dimensions LLC (Lake Forest, CA)
that uses a laser beam to capture hundreds of data points in
seconds in a handheld application or in an automated production
process. Laser-check works by positioning the 1-pound
measurement head above the surface of the part to be measured.
The Lasercheck head rides one-tenth of an inch from the surface
of the part, separated from the surface by a removable "shim"
plate in a handheld operation and by the part fixturing in an
automated line. Inside the head is a laser diode that bounces a
laser beam off the surface of the part. Surface imperfections
cause the light to scatter. The scattered light is "seen" by an
array of 35 detectors, or small sensors, that are arranged
inside the 3- by 1.4- by 1.75-inch head. The reflection is
converted to a series of voltages that are recalculated by an
onboard computer to determine a raw surface roughness number.
The roughness figure is factored into a c