High precision polishing of optics using an industrial robot

建造更大、更强大的望远镜对于天文学和天体物理学的发展是至关重要的。建造大型望远镜的一个主要瓶颈是制造更大的高精度反射镜。然而，更大的镜子更厚更重，因此它们的可制造性超出了现有制造方法的能力。Dynamic Structures（DS）开发了一种新的抛光系统，即Hyperion机器人抛光机，它将能够以更低的成本和更高的速度制造具有复杂形状的大型高精度光学表面。这一新系统将流体动力抛光 ** 工具（HyDRa）与6轴KUKA工业机器人集成在一起。虽然开发的系统在初步测试中取得了非常有希望的结果，但为了扩展其抛光更大和更复杂光学表面的能力，将与UVic的动态和数字制造实验室合作实施先进的表面计量方法和控制策略。加拿大是世界上最大的天文台（如30米望远镜（TMT））的主要合作伙伴，DS在自适应光学和外壳设计领域的专业知识有助于这些项目的成功。将DS的能力扩展到光学制造领域将进一步提高 ** 加拿大作为天文学领域领导者的地位。

Building larger and more powerful telescopes is a critical necessity for the advancement of astronomy and**astrophysics. A major bottleneck in the construction of larger telescopes is manufacturing larger high precision**mirrors. However, bigger mirrors are thicker and heavier, and therefore their manufacturability is beyond the**capabilities of the existing manufacturing methods. Dynamic Structures (DS) has developed a new polishing**system, the HyDRA Robotic Polisher, which will enable manufacturing large high-precision optical surfaces**with complex shape at a lower cost and a higher speed. This new system integrates a hydrodynamic polishing**tool (HyDRa) with a 6-axis KUKA industrial robot. While the developed system has achieved highly**promising results in preliminary tests, in order to extend its capabilities to polish larger and more complex**optical surfaces, advanced surface metrology methods and control strategies will be implemented in**collaboration with the Dynamics and Digital Manufacturing lab at UVic.**Canada is a major partner in the development of the largest observatories in the world such as Thirty Meter**Telescope (TMT), and DS' expertise in the areas of adaptive optics and enclosure design is instrumental in the**success if those project. Expanding DS' capabilities into the area of optical manufacturing will further improve**Canada's position as a leader in the field of astronomy.