该方法测量接触印刷过程中使用的纸张和纸板的表面粗糙度。它可能不用于纸巾或皱纹纸，也可能不适用于检查视觉异常的新闻纸，而该设备无法检测到视觉异常。这种方法对测量表面波纹度没有用处。此方法使用触针机械跟踪纸张表面，这与将气流泄漏率与纸张粗糙度联系起来的方法不同。

This method measures the surface roughness of paper and paperboard used in contact printing processes. It may not be used for tissue or creped paper and may not be suitable for newsprint that is inspected for visual anomalies which cannot be detected with this equipment. The method is not useful for measuring surface waviness.This method uses a stylus to mechanically trace the paper surface which differs from methods that relate the rate of air flow leakage to paper roughness.