Automated Polishing of Meso/Micro Parts through Integration of Autonomous Repetitive Motion and Laser Surface Micro Melting

本研究的目的是将激光微表面熔化与自主运动控制相结合，实现微/细观零件的自动抛光。该方法将对具有给定表面微图案的工件进行激光微熔化试验，以研究激光波长、脉冲宽度、强度、扫描速度(重叠)、重复次数、扫描图案和光斑尺寸对温度分布和表面形貌变化的影响。这将使微观熔化和动力学模型得以开发，这些模型将指导工艺优化和预测激光抛光表面形貌。针对微/细观零件的表面状态表示、表面状态预测和激光运动控制的手段将被开发和组合，以创建有效的激光微抛光工艺。通过新兴的微/细观制造工艺制造的零件的表面条件(包括粗糙度和波纹度)通常比用传统制造工艺制造的较大零件的表面条件差得多。如果成功，这项研究的好处将是这些表面条件的显著改善。这将改善微/中观部件的性能，例如可用于制造非常小的医疗设备部件的模具/模具。此外，将研究的高度重复的表面处理运动可能会改进和促进其他制造过程的自动化。为了提高公众对微细加工和表面工程技术的认识，将以适当的方式向工程学学生介绍这项工作，并通过外展活动向中小学的学生和教师介绍这项工作。

The goal of this research is to combine laser micro surface melting and autonomous motion control to achieve automated polishing of micro/meso parts. The approach will be to perform laser micro melting tests on workpieces with given surface micro patterns to investigate the effect of laser wavelength, pulse duration, intensity, scanning speed (overlap), repetition, scanning pattern, and spot size on temperature distribution and surface topography change. This will allow micro melting and kinetic models to be developed that will guide process optimization and predict laser polished surface topography. Means for surface condition representation, surface condition prediction, and laser motion control with respect to the micro/meso part will be developed and combined to create an effective laser micro polishing process.Surface conditions (including roughness and waviness) of parts fabricated by emerging micro/meso manufacturing processes generally are far worse than those of larger parts fabricated by conventional manufacturing processes. If successful, the benefit of this research will be significant improvement in these surface conditions. This will result in improved performance of micro/meso parts such as dies/molds that, for example, can be used in the making of very small medical equipment components. Also, the highly repetitive surface processing motion that will be studied may improve and facilitate automation of other manufacturing processes. To improve public knowledge of micro/meso manufacturing and surface engineering technologies, this work will be introduced in an appropriate manner to engineering students and, through outreach activities, to students and teachers in elementary and secondary schools.