Standard Operating Procedure for the Sheffield Roughness Tester
(Measure Roughness)
December 6, 2006
Barbara White
1. Ensure that the instrument is plugged in, turned on, and connected to air.
2. Make sure the distributor (the large silver knob on the bottom right-hand side of the front panel) is in the “Roughness” position.
3. Check the measuring pressure located on the digital read-out on the bottom left-hand side of the front of the instrument. It should read 9.85 kPa. If it does not, then adjust it by slowly turning the large black knob on the back of the instrument counterclockwise.
4. Push the “Clear Memory” button (red) and hold it for at least three seconds.
5. Push the “Roughness” button (black button near the top of the panel, not the silver selection knob) and hold it for at least three seconds.
6. Select the measuring range:
0-40 SU for low-range
0-400 SU for higher range
If range is unknown, then use 0-400 SU.
7. If all individual measured values are to be printed, press “Print” before the first measurement in the series. If you want to wait until the end of a series of measurements to print, then do not select this option.
8. Place the sample on the glass.
9. Lower the lever on the measuring head.
10. Wait four seconds for reading to stabilize.
11. Hit lever until you feel the “click” to store the value or hit “Measure”
12. Lift lever, remove sample, and repeat the process until the series of samples is complete.
13. After finishing the series, press “Print Report”. Report will contain both ISO TAPPI and customary Sheffield units, mean, standard deviation, variation coefficient, and maximum/minimum values.
NOTE:
If “7” was not chosen above, a single measured value can be printed out by hitting “Print” after the value has been stored and the LED “Measure” is not lit.