In this article, Christophe Mignot, CEO of Digital Surf, takes us behind the scenes of the company’s latest innovation: the new 3D visualization experience in Mountains® version 11. He reflects on Digital Surf’s pioneering role in bringing surface metrology from 2D to 3D and how the new release makes 3D analysis more powerful and intuitive than ever.
Digital Surf, a pioneer in the shift from 2D to 3D
The first profilometer, developed in 1941, could only measure 2D profiles. It wasn’t until 1978 that the university researchers whose work led to the creation of Digital Surf proposed a breakthrough idea: to move from 2D profiles to full 3D surface measurements.1 Over the following decades, they developed mathematical tools that continue to shape the science of surface analysis today.
When Digital Surf was founded in 1989, one of its first products was a 3D surface analysis software, quickly adopted by key players in the field of metrology. By 2010, 3D surface measurement had earned its own ISO standard (ISO 25178), with Digital Surf actively contributing to its creation2 (the company continues to contribute to this day).
Since version 9, Mountains® has also made it possible to calculate roughness parameters on freeform surfaces (known as “shells” in the software). With Mountains® version 7, we extended our expertise in 3D to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) by inviting the scientific community to “take SEM from 2D black-and-white to 3D color.” The message resonated: today, all major SEM manufacturers offer topography reconstruction powered by MountainsSEM®.
Above. 3D and color in SEM: overlay of chemical composition (EDX maps) on a 3D reconstruction performed with MountainsSEM®.
New 3D reconstruction for microelectronics
Earlier this year, version 11 of Mountains® brought a new evolution: updated, more precise algorithms for 3D reconstruction of SEM images, specifically designed to enhance observation of microelectronic structures. For engineers working at the micro and nanoscale, this means clearer visualization of complex topographies and better insights into how materials behave at these scales.
You could say that, at Digital Surf, 3D is part of our DNA. Indeed, our innovations have continuously shaped its evolution. The story, however, is far from over. In recent years, we have made major investments to push the boundaries even further, developing our own high-performance 3D rendering engine.
Above. New version 11 settings allow users to define how light interacts with 3D surface models.
The Mountains® Rendering Engine (MRE)
The new Mountains® Rendering Engine (MRE) fully harnesses the power of modern graphics cards to deliver faster, smoother and more realistic 3D views. It’s one of the cornerstones of version 11, designed to allow us to progressively unlock new visualization capabilities in upcoming releases.
Users can already experience the benefits of MRE in several operators. For example:
- The 3D preview in the “Threshold” Operator helps simulate wear on a contact surface at a chosen bearing ratio, a powerful feature for mechanical engineers.
- The 3D preview in filtering enables users to visualize the waviness layer semi-transparently over the raw surface and instantly see how filter type and cut-off choices affect the result.
Above. Wear simulation using the new 3D preview in the “Threshold “Operator.
More 3D options, made simpler
Our expert users often request more visualization options, while newcomers want an intuitive interface that makes finding the right settings effortless. Meeting both expectations was a real challenge: one that version 11 successfully meets.
Thanks to the redesign of the 3D interface, users now enjoy a cleaner, more logical experience with expanded creative control. MRE introduces a wider range of visual effects (matte, glossy, metallic) allowing users to tailor the look of their surfaces for clearer interpretation or more impactful presentation.
The new interface is structured around four simple, independent questions:
- Shape: How should my 3D object look? (relief amplification, mesh density etc.)
- Color: What “wallpaper” will I use? (image, topography layer, color map)
- Lighting: How should light interact with the surface? (matte, shiny, metallic)
- Lines: Do I want to overlay meshes or contour lines?
The result: more functionality, presented more simply. That’s the philosophy behind the new 3D interface and, more broadly, the entire Mountains® product line.
Want to see your own data in 3D?
Try it yourself! Download a free trial of Mountains® version 11 and explore your own data with the latest 3D rendering and analysis tools.