Color, texture and the tactile senses are recognized as the evaluation factors for a metal surface. In the present, though those factors are widely used as the popular comprehensive indexes to characterize a metal surface, evaluation of these factors are mainly referred to the terms of touch or visual look. From a customer point of view, particular factors to characterize a metal surface and its numerical expression may not only be helpful to judge its commercial value, but also to avoid unnecessary trouble on judging its appearance. Moreover, these quantitative evaluations are able to improve reproducible accuracy. This paper describes the quantitative evaluation method of a surface texture for metals. As the specimens, aluminum alloy that is one of the popular metals of the exterior material for industrial products are used. The surface textures have been measured by a non-contact 3D surface profiler and the results have been compared with nickel silver alloy and stainless steel. First, the surface textures are measured by stylus method and optical interferometer method to find the relationship between those two measurement methods. Then, as x surface property parameters to express transcriptive property of shot blasted, upper material ratio Sr1 and lower material ratio Sr2 were concluded to be effective.
