Material removal depth

The vertical amount of surface material removed relative to a documented original or surrounding reference plane.

Meaning and boundaries

It is not necessarily equal to scratch-groove depth, crack depth, tool penetration, or the average change across the work area.

Why it matters in glass restoration

Depth affects remaining thickness, local optical power, edge transition, structural review, and stop-work decisions.

Related terms

• Scratch depth
• Remaining thickness
• Measurement uncertainty
• Localized distortion

References

• NASA — Handbook for Recommended Material Removal Processes for Advanced Ceramic Test Specimens and Components
  Publisher’s original source
• National Institute of Standards and Technology — Fractography of Ceramics and Glasses, 3rd edition
  Publisher’s original source
• National Institute of Standards and Technology — NIST TN 1297: Guidelines for Evaluating and Expressing Measurement Uncertainty
  Publisher’s original source