At the end of this presentation, the students

should be able to :

 Identify given surface texture symbols and explain their

meanings
 Select the type of surface texture, given charts relating
surface textures to applications, and attainable surface
textures to manufacturing processes.
 Indicate on engineering drawings, surface textures as
well as machining processes using standard ISO symbols.
 Main Menu
1. Introduction

2. Roughness grade 3. Symbols Used for Indication

numbers of Surface Texture

4. Indication on
Drawings

5. When to Apply
Surface Texture Symbols
 1. Introduction

• Two main reasons for surface finish

control are:

• to reduce friction

• to reduce wear
 1. Introduction
• Factors to be considered in selecting surface
finish:
• (i) function of the parts
• (ii) size
• (iii) type of loading (e.g. fatigue)
• (iv) speed
• (v) operating conditions (e.g. temperature)
• (vi) physical characteristics of materials in contact
• (vii) type and amount of lubricant.
 2. Roughness grade numbers
(Boundy Page 46)

Roughness Roughness
Value (Ra) Grade Number
m  in
50 2000 N12
25 1000 N11
12.5 500 N10
6.3 250 N9
3.2 125 N8
1.6 63 N7
0.8 32 N6
0.4 16 N5
0.2 8 N4
0.1 4 N3
micrometre = 10-6m = m = micron = 40 inch
 3. Symbols Used for Indication of Surface Texture (Table 1)

S/No Symbol Meaning

1 Basic symbol. Needs to be accompanied by comments or
Specifications e.g. ‘to be machined if necessary‘.

2
Removal of material is required

3
Removal of material is not permitted

Production method to be specified by indicating on the

Horizontal line extending out. Surface treatment or coatings are
4
also included here.

5 Same surface texture is required on all surfaces of

the part
S/No
S/No Symbol Meaning

When one value ‘a‘ is indicated, it represents the maximum

6 Roughness allowed. ‘a‘ may be in roughness value or
Roughness grade number.

When two values a1 and a2 are indicated,

a1 = maximum roughness
7 a2 = minimum roughness

c represents the sampling length in mm

8

9 Direction of lay specified. Refer to Boundy, Table 1.21, Page 50.

Specification of surface treatment/coating

10 a1 = roughness after coating
a2 = “ before “
a1 = is specified only if necessary
 Lay Symbols (Boundy, Table 1.21, Page 50)

• Parallel Circular
 Lay Symbols (Boundy, Table 1.21, Page 50)

• Perpendicular Multidirectional
 Lay Symbols (Boundy, Table 1.21, Page 50)

• Cross Radial
 turned
2.5
5
 4. Indication on Drawing

• The symbol together with the inscriptions should be so orientated so

that they can be easily read from the bottom or right side of the
drawing,(ISO 129).
• However, if it is not practicable, the symbol may be drawn in any
position, but only if it does not carry any indications of special surface
texture characteristics. Nevertheless, the inscriptions of the symbol
must be in accordance with ISO 129.
• As a general rule, the symbol or arrow line shall be applied to the
surface or its extension line from outside the material.
 4. Indication on Drawing
• Application of the surface texture symbol (Boundy, Fig.1.73, Page 46)
Extension line

Dimension line

Leader line

Surface
 4. Indication on Drawing

• (c) When the same surface is required on the majority of

surfaces
• Fig.2a Fig.2b
 4. Indication on Drawing

• (d) Simplified indication

• Fig.3

0.8

0.8 0.8
 4. Indication on Drawing

• (e) The symbol is used only once for a given surface and,
if possible, on the view which carries the dimensions
defining the size or position of the surface.
• Fig.4
5. When to Apply Surface Texture Symbols

• 5.1 Only if the application requires adequate specification

of the surface quality, e.g. sliding fits, and only on those
surfaces which require it.

• 5.2 The specification of surface texture is unnecessary

whenever the ordinary manufacturing processes would
normally give acceptable surface finish.
Application of surface texture symbol
(Boundy, Table 1.18, Page 47)

turned
Application of surface texture symbol
(Boundy, Table 1.18, Page 47)
 Application of surface texture symbol
(Boundy, Table 1.18, Page 47)

milled

milled
 Standard roughness values
(Boundy, Table 1.19, Page 48)
 Standard roughness values
(Boundy, Table 1.19, Page 48)
 Standard roughness values
(Boundy, Table 1.19, Page 48)
 Worked Example
Worked Example

A
D
B Fig.5

C
Indicate on Fig.5 the following surface texture requirements using roughness grade
numbers:
(i) No material is to be removed from surface A,
(ii) Surface B is to be ground to a roughness value of 1.6 m,
(iii) Surface C is to be lapped to roughness value between 0.2 and 0.4 m. The
direction of lapping is to be perpendicular to the plane of Fig.5.
(iv) Surface D is to be machined if necessary.
 Worked Example
Worked Example

Solution

A ground

D N7

B
C lapped Fig.5
N5
N4

= to be machined if necessary