The ISO 25178 standard is a collection of international standards relating to the analysis of 3D areal surface texture. It is the first international standard which takes into account the specification and the measurement of 3D surface texture. In particular, the ISO 25178 standard defines the 3D surface texture parameters and the associated specification operators. It also describes the applicable measurement technologies, the calibration methods as well as the physical calibration standards and the required calibration software.

The major new features of the ISO 25178 standard are:

• Non-contact measurement methods are covered for the first time. Measurement technologies are no longer restricted to contact measurement (with a diamond point stylus), but can also be optical, such as with chromatic confocal sensors and interferometric microscopes.
  Non-contact methods are already commonly used in industry, but up until today they were lacking a standard to support quality audits within the framework of the ISO 9000 standard.



• In addition to 2D profilometric methods - which have been standardized thirty years ago - the ISO 25178 standard also makes official 3D (areal) surface metrology methods.

STIL took an active part in the elaboration of the ISO 25178 standard.
Dr. J. COHEN-SABBAN, CEO of STIL and inventor of the chromatic confocal sensor, contributed as a member of the ISO standard committee of experts to the elaboration of parts 601 and 602, which descride the non-contact methods.

It goes without saying that all STIL's confocal chromatic sensors (CHR and CCS) are perfectly appropriate for measurements that must comply with the ISO 25178 standard. STIL's 3D measuring station, MICROMESURE2, comprising chromatic confocal sensors and a scanning system, meet each and every requirement of this standard.