Precision engineering for astronomy and gravity science

Shore, Paul; Cunningham, Colin; DeBra, D.; Evans, C. J.; Hough, J.; Gilmozzi, R.; Kunzmann, H.; Morantz, Paul; Tonnellier, Xavier

doi:10.1016/j.cirp.2010.05.003

Cited by 83 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…The optics of the HST include a 2.4-m diameter primary mirror made of ultra low expansion (ULE) glass and a 0.3-m secondary mirror made of Zerodur glass [1][2][3][4]. It has been long suggested that silicon carbide (SiC) would be a competitor material to ULE and Zerodur for building the next-generation large-scale reflecting mirrors, particularly used in the space-based telescope, owing to its high stiffness-to-density ratio and low thermal distortion properties [5][6][7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-performance grinding of a 2-m scale silicon carbide mirror blank for the space-based telescope

Zhang

Yang

Zheng

et al. 2016

Int J Adv Manuf Technol

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Silicon carbide (SiC) is a competitive candidate material for building the space-based reflecting mirrors. However, SiC is also a typical difficult-to-machine material due to its extreme hardness. When SiC workpiece is machined by grinding, the wheel wears rapidly which leads to a deterioration of surface form accuracy. Grinding efficiency also becomes extremely low due to the frequent truing and dressing of grinding wheels. To achieve high-performance grinding process capable of producing accurate surface at high grinding efficiency, an ultrasonic vibration-assisted fix-point grinding technology was developed in this study. Wheel wear observation indicated that the wheel needs not to be dressed during the whole grinding cycle. Moreover, a laser tracker was used to achieve an on-machine measurement of the surface form error. A CNC tool microset was adopted to evaluate the wheel wear amount. On the basis of the above two results, surface form error could be predicted before grinding, and thus, an inprocess compensation of surface form error was carried out. Using the above-mentioned grinding strategies, a SiC mirror blank with an aperture diameter of 2 m was successfully ground to a form accuracy of 18 μm in peak-to-valley (PV). Therefore, this work provides an efficient and economical solution for grinding the large-scale SiC aspherical surfaces.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-performance grinding of a 2-m scale silicon carbide mirror blank for the space-based telescope

Zhang

Yang

Zheng

et al. 2016

Int J Adv Manuf Technol

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“…For more detail, especially on the development of metrology techniques, see Shore et al [31]. It seems highly appropriate to this meeting that was approved by the Royal Society's Hooke Committee that many owe their resolution to the ideas of Robert Hooke.…”

Section: Conclusion: Precision Engineering In Astronomymentioning

confidence: 99%

Precision engineering for astronomy: historical origins and the future revolution in ground-based astronomy

Cunningham

Russell

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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Since the dawn of civilization, the human race has pushed technology to the limit to study the heavens in ever-increasing detail. As astronomical instruments have evolved from those built by Tycho Brahe in the sixteenth century, through Galileo and Newton in the seventeenth, to the present day, astronomers have made ever more precise measurements. To do this, they have pushed the art and science of precision engineering to extremes. Some of the critical steps are described in the evolution of precision engineering from the first telescopes to the modern generation telescopes and ultra-sensitive instruments that need a combination of precision manufacturing, metrology and accurate positioning systems. In the future, precision-engineered technologies such as those emerging from the photonics industries may enable future progress in enhancing the capabilities of instruments, while potentially reducing the size and cost. In the modern era, there has been a revolution in astronomy leading to ever-increasing light-gathering capability. Today, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is at the forefront of this revolution, building observatories on the ground that are set to transform our view of the universe. At an elevation of 5000 m in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) is nearing completion. The ALMA is the most powerful radio observatory ever and is being built by a global partnership from Europe, North America and East Asia. In the optical/infrared part of the spectrum, the latest project for ESO is even more ambitious: the European Extremely Large Telescope, a giant 40 m class telescope that will also be located in Chile and which will give the most detailed view of the universe so far.

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“…Today's major science programmes continue to fund abrasive processing research [37]. The development of precision grinding and precision polishing machines followed quite distinct routes as they depend on different technologies.…”

Section: (B) Abrasive Machining Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultra-precision: enabling our future

Shore

Morantz

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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This paper provides a perspective on the development of ultra-precision technologies: What drove their evolution and what do they now promise for the future as we face the consequences of consumption of the Earth’s finite resources? Improved application of measurement is introduced as a major enabler of mass production, and its resultant impact on wealth generation is considered. This paper identifies the ambitions of the defence, automotive and microelectronics sectors as important drivers of improved manufacturing accuracy capability and ever smaller feature creation. It then describes how science fields such as astronomy have presented significant precision engineering challenges, illustrating how these fields of science have achieved unprecedented levels of accuracy, sensitivity and sheer scale. Notwithstanding their importance to science understanding, many science-driven ultra-precision technologies became key enablers for wealth generation and other well-being issues. Specific ultra-precision machine tools important to major astronomy programmes are discussed, as well as the way in which subsequently evolved machine tools made at the beginning of the twenty-first century, now provide much wider benefits.

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Precision engineering for astronomy and gravity science

Cited by 83 publications

References 108 publications

High-performance grinding of a 2-m scale silicon carbide mirror blank for the space-based telescope

High-performance grinding of a 2-m scale silicon carbide mirror blank for the space-based telescope

Precision engineering for astronomy: historical origins and the future revolution in ground-based astronomy

Ultra-precision: enabling our future

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