Stylus Tip Radius

Mechanical Filtering

Physical dimensions of the stylus tip prevent the probe from reaching the bottom of narrow scratch roots or micro grooves on cavity steel. A two micron stylus tip bridges over narrow submicron valleys, recording a shallower surface profile than actually exists on the mould. Larger tip radii act as mechanical low pass filters, smoothing out sharp surface peaks and truncating narrow valleys.

Toolmakers evaluating EDM textured steel must select tip radii small enough to enter cavity micro structures accurately. Mismatched tip geometry yields underestimated surface roughness values, obscuring true tool steel texture.

Tip Wear Rate

Constant sliding contact against hardened tool steel gradually flats diamond stylus tips over long measurement passes. Worn tips exhibit increased tip radius, artificially dampening measured roughness parameters over successive inspection cycles. Regular calibration against optical reference standards detects tip flattening before inspection errors occur.

Valley Penetration

Penetration depth into narrow tool features depends directly on tip sharp geometry and tracking force. Excessive stylus tracking force damages soft copper inserts or leaves drag marks on polished cavity surfaces. Selecting optimal tip radius ensures accurate groove profiling without surface scoring.