Swing Arm Profilometer for Dual-Probe Aspherical Surface Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing swing arm profilometers struggle to accurately measure both spherical and non-spherical surface shapes due to unknown virtual reference sphere radius and require additional systems or conductive surfaces, limiting their applicability to nonconductive materials.
Innovation Solution
A swing arm profilometer with a dual-probe system, where an object probe measures surface deviations and a reference probe measures a standard surface, allowing for precise determination of the virtual reference trajectory without additional devices, enabling measurement of both planar and spherical surfaces, including aspherical and free-form components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single probe is used to measure surface deviations, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates because the virtual reference sphere radius cannot be determined
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement function is segmented into two independent probes: one probe measures the sample surface while the other measures a reference surface. This segmentation allows each probe to independently determine its respective trajectory, enabling accurate calculation of the virtual reference sphere radius without requiring additional external systems.
Solution Approach 2:
A reference surface acts as an intermediary element between the measuring system and the sample. By measuring the reference surface with the second probe, the system obtains trajectory information that serves as a mediator to calculate the virtual reference sphere radius, which then enables precise measurement of the sample surface.
2Measurement precision
If triangulation methods or additional independent measurement systems are used to determine the virtual reference sphere radius, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second probe serves multiple functions: it measures the reference surface to determine the virtual reference sphere radius, and simultaneously provides trajectory information for calculating measurement deviations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate triangulation systems or additional measurement devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement system is self-sufficient by using the second probe to automatically determine the virtual reference sphere radius through reference surface measurement. The system serves itself by generating the necessary reference information internally without requiring external triangulation systems or additional independent measurement devices.
3Measurement precision
If capacitive non-contact probes are used, then the measurement precision improves, but the adaptability deteriorates because the surface must be electrically conductive
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of directly measuring the sample surface with a capacitive probe (which requires conductivity), the system measures a reference surface with the second probe to create a virtual reference model. This copying approach allows the use of optical or other non-contact probes that do not require electrical conductivity, thereby expanding adaptability to include optical elements made of glass or nonconductive materials.
4Device complexity
If the arm rotation axis cannot be tilted, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability deteriorates because only planar surfaces can be measured, not concave or convex surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The arm rotation axis is made tiltable, transforming a static configuration into a dynamic one. The ability to tilt the axis allows the measurement system to adapt to different surface geometries (planar, concave, convex) by adjusting the tilt angle, while the computer calculates the appropriate virtual reference sphere radius for each configuration.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
A profllometer with a swing arm (5) comprised of a base (1), on which a sample table (6) is mounted, where the arm (5) is mounted to swing horizontally on a supporting block (2) and one of its end sections overlaps the sample table (6), where at this end section of the arm (5), an object probe (61) is mounted sliding both along the longitudinal axis (Zl) of the arm (5) and also vertically, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (Zl). Opposite the sample table (6) under the second end section of the arm (5) on the base (1) a standard table (7) is mounted and above it on the arm (5) a reference probe (71) is mounted sliding both along the longitudinal axis (Zl) of the arm (5) and also along the vertical axis (R2) perpendicular to the axis (Zl). The arm (5) is on the support block (2), mounted with its area positioned above the connecting line between the geometric centers of the sample table (6) and standard table (7), and the arm (5) is on the support block (2) mounted so as to swing vertically as well.