Surface texture measuring machine and a surface texture measuring method

A surface texture measuring machine that measures a surface texture of a workpiece by tracing a surface of the workpiece with a stylus, the surface texture measuring machine comprising:

• a drive mechanism that moves the stylus;
• a detector that detects a displacement of the stylus;
• and a controller that controls the drive mechanism and the detector, wherein
• the controller is operated in a normal measurement mode in which a designated range of the surface of the workpiece is measured and in a narrow-area measurement mode in which a narrow area of the workpiece is measured,
• in the narrow-area measurement mode, the controller commands the drive mechanism and the detector to perform:
• an approach section setting operation that is started by designating the narrow-area measurement mode, in which the stylus is moved toward an origin point and, when the stylus reaches the origin point, the stylus is braked to be stopped after overrunning the origin point and is in wait for a measurement start command;
• an approach operation that is started by the measurement start command, in which the stopped stylus is moved in a measurement direction reverse to a direction of the overrunning;
• and
• a measurement operation in which the stylus continues moving while acquiring data detected by the detector when the stylus passes the origin point as a result of the approach operation.