STTR Phase I: Snapshot, on-machine metrology system for high-precision optical manufacturing

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛/商业影响促进了精密制造。机上计量系统将对高效和精确的光学制造、增材制造和精密加工产生变革性影响。这些行业目前面临着一个共同的技术挑战：在制造过程中缺乏实时质量控制。 机上测量工具的实时质量控制功能不仅可以提高高精度制造的效率，还有助于降低制造成本和提高产品质量。总的来说，该项目的预期成果包括一个高效的高吞吐量制造过程与机器上的计量，一个紧凑的，快照，多波长的机器上的计量系统的开发，并建立下一代创新和创业培训计划。该STTR项目旨在开发一种紧凑的、快照的、双模的、多波长的干涉测量系统，用于高精度制造中的现场测量。制造过程中缺乏实时质量控制是一个关键障碍，导致延迟和制造错误。该系统集成了独特的技术，以克服这一挑战，提高吞吐量和准确性。该技术利用基于偏振的多波长快照技术，以最小的环境影响提供加工表面的实时测量。通过提供对表面质量的即时反馈，减少金刚石工具定心的迭代次数，并提高产量和精度，该系统成为适合集成到现有设备中进行原位计量的最小干涉测量系统。该项目的目标是通过原型设计、软件开发和性能验证开发一个市场就绪的机上计量系统。估计这种实时、原位计量过程在金刚石工具对准中实现30%或更多的效率改进，在表面计量中实现50%或更多的效率改进。该系统的成功开发和商业化将具有重大的智力价值，克服了高精度制造的关键障碍，并实现实时质量控制。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project advances precision manufacturing. The on-machine metrology system will have a transformative effect on highly efficient and precise optical manufacturing, additive manufacturing, and precision machining. These industries currently face a shared technical challenge: the lack of real-time quality control during fabrication. The on-machine metrology tool's real-time quality control capabilities will not only drive efficiency in high-precision manufacturing but also contribute to reduced manufacturing costs and enhanced product quality. Overall, the project's anticipated outcomes include an efficient high throughput manufacturing process with on-machine metrology, the development of a compact, snapshot, multi-wavelength on-machine metrology system, and the establishment of a next-generation innovation and entrepreneurship training program. This STTR project seeks to develop a compact, snapshot, dual-mode, multi-wavelength interferometric system for in situ metrology in high precision manufacturing. The lack of real-time quality control during fabrication is a critical hurdle, leading to delays and manufacturing errors. This system integrates unique techniques to overcome this challenge and enhance throughput and accuracy. The technology utilizes a polarization-based, multi-wavelength, snapshot technique providing real-time measurements of machined surfaces with minimal environmental impacts. By offering instant feedback on surface quality, reducing iterations for diamond tool centering, and improving throughput and accuracy, the system becomes the smallest interferometric system suitable for integration into existing equipment for in situ metrology. The project's goal is to develop a market-ready, on-machine metrology system through prototyping, software development, and performance validation. This real-time, in-situ metrology process is estimated to achieve efficiency improvements of 30% or more in diamond-tool alignment and 50% or more in surface metrology. Successful development and commercialization of this system will hold significant intellectual merit, overcoming a critical hurdle in high-precision manufacturing and enabling real-time quality control.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.