Simultaneous Polishing of Segmented Optical Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing optical surfaces for image dissecting systems are inefficient and costly, requiring individual polishing of each part from a block of material, which is time-consuming and often results in products that do not meet the necessary specifications for astrophysical applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the simultaneous polishing of multiple elementary parts with specific geometric properties, allowing for their repositioning to form multiple assemblies, which reduces the number of polishing operations needed and enables the production of several dozen optical surfaces with a single polishing process, using conventional techniques to achieve equivalent specifications at lower costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If individual polishing is performed on each optical surface from a block of material, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but production time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual polishing operations into a single simultaneous polishing process. Multiple elementary parts are positioned on a rotating workpiece such that their optical surfaces are exposed to the polishing tool at the same time, allowing concurrent processing of multiple surfaces in one operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The workpiece is divided into multiple elementary parts, each contributing one optical surface to the final assembly. These segmented parts are arranged on the rotating workpiece in specific patterns, allowing each surface to be polished independently while being processed simultaneously with other surfaces.
2Manufacturing precision
If individual polishing is performed on each optical surface, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but the number of polishing operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple polishing operations are merged into a single simultaneous polishing process. The workpiece rotation enables the polishing tool to contact multiple elementary surfaces in sequence during one continuous polishing operation, reducing the total number of operations from N individual polishings to approximately one polishing operation for N surfaces.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional individual polishing methods are used, then optical specifications can be met, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple polishing operations into a single process, significantly reducing the total number of polishing operations required. This consolidation reduces labor costs, machine usage time, and overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining the ability to produce multiple optical surfaces meeting specifications simultaneously.
4Productivity
If multiple elementary parts are polished simultaneously, then productivity increases, but positioning precision requirements become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The elementary parts are pre-positioned on the rotating workpiece in specific patterns before the polishing operation. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the workpiece rotates and the polishing tool contacts the surfaces, the parts are already in the correct relative positions to achieve the desired optical characteristics after polishing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases productivity and reduces costs by allowing multiple optical surfaces to be polished simultaneously, ensuring accurate geometric properties for repositioning and assembly, enabling the production of high-quality optical surfaces suitable for astrophysical applications.
Implementation Method 1
a step for polishing a spatially continuous surface over all the parts positioned elementary parts
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~4B
AI summary
The method involves positioning elementary pieces (12) with respect to each other. A spatially continuous surface on an assembly (22) of the elementary pieces is polished, where the surface is in the shape of concave, convex, spherical or aspherical. The elementary pieces are arranged such that geometrical properties of the elementary pieces facilitate positioning of the pieces during polishing operation and repositioning during assembling operation. The pieces are made of material such as glass, ceramics, silicon carbide or metals.