High precision polishing of optics using an industrial robot

该项目是由维多利亚大学(UVic)**和动态光学（DO）进行的先前Engage项目的延续。更大、更强大的望远镜需要更大、重量更轻、精度更高的反射镜，而这是现有技术无法制造出来的。该项目的目的是开发一种创新的机器人非接触式抛光技术，该技术能够抛光具有纳米级表面粗糙度的大尺寸曲面镜。新的抛光技术将通过在力**控制的机器人系统中集成确定性抛光工具来开发。流体动力学，确定性抛光工具（HyDRa），采用径向射流的磨料浆流体去除光学表面的材料。该抛光工具安装在一个六轴机器人机械手上，该机械手沿着预定的轨迹移动工具，以去除弯曲光学表面的多余材料。机器人系统配备了力控制系统，使**法向抛光力保持在零，从而实现零力抛光过程。在该合作项目的第一阶段，开发了优化的六轴力控制系统，并设计了自动化浆料供应系统。在这个Engage Plus项目的第二阶段，将完成优化的**抛光系统的开发，并进行性能表征和验证测试。

This project is the continuation of the previous Engage project conducted by the University of Victoria (UVic)**and Dynamic Optics (DO). Larger and more powerful telescopes require large, light weight, and high precision**mirrors that cannot be manufactured using the existing technologies. The aim of this project is to develop an**innovative robotic non-contact polishing technology that is capable of polishing large size curved mirrors with**nano-scale surface roughness.**The new polishing technology will be developed by integrating a deterministic polishing tool in a force**controlled robotic system. The hydrodynamic, deterministic polishing tool (HyDRa), employs a radial jet of**abrasive slurry fluid to remove material from the surface of the optic. This polishing tool is mounted on a**six-axis robotic manipulator that moves the tool on a predefined trajectory to remove the excess material from**the surface of the curved optic. The robotic system is equipped with a force control system to maintain the**normal polishing forces at zero, leading to zero-force polishing process. In the first stage of this collaborative**project, an optimized 6-axis force control system was developed and an automated slurry supply system was**designed. In the second stage of the project, proposed in this Engage Plus, the development of the optimized**polishing system will be finalized and performance characterization and verification tests will be performed.