Integration of metrology in the manufacturing processes with smart control systems

Abstract

The metrology for quality control is mostly the last step in the traditional manufacturing processes. According to the measuring results, the produced parts are separated into “good” (within tolerance) and “bad” (out of tolerance) parts. The “bad” parts will be treated as a loss of production. Due to many unpredictable factors, some like tool wear, room temperature change, size variation of the row workpiece, and so on, could lead to some parts out of tolerance and many “bad” parts will be produced day by day. This paper will present an innovative method to integrate metrology in the manufacturing processes with smart control systems which could reduce the amount of “bad” parts tremendously. The metrology will be realized in-process, in-situ, or between two process steps. The measuring results will be used as feedback information to correct the command parameters for the control of the process. In such a way, the quality control of the manufacturing process will be carried out in a closed loop. The loss of production could be reduced to the minimum level.

An innovative approach to measuring radius of curvature and form error of spherical optics with an interferometer

“…The production of high-quality optical components requires a robust quality control process to ensure that the final product meets the required specifications. However, the modernization of conventional grinding and polishing processes appears to be one of the most significant production problems for the optical industry 1,2 . The polishing process is performed to remove the sub-surface produced during the grinding process to produce a highquality surface which has a great impact on the final surface shape accuracy 3 .…”

Comprehensive advancements in automatic digital manufacturing of spherical and aspherical optics

“…In the realm of optical manufacturing, particularly in the context of spherical and aspherical optics, achieving optimal quality and accuracy is essential. The manufacturing process of these complex optical components depends upon precise measurements of parameters such as radius error, sag error, and form error 3 . To ensure the integrity of the final products, manufacturers have historically relied on interferometers, profilometers, and spherometers for precise measurements.…”