Omega-X micromachining system

Patent · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:863050

Miller, Donald M ^[1]

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1. Sunnyside, WA

A micromachining tool system with X- and omega-axes is used to machine spherical, aspherical, and irregular surfaces with a maximum contour error of 100 nonometers (nm) and surface waviness of no more than 0.8 nm RMS. The omega axis, named for the angular measurement of the rotation of an eccentric mechanism supporting one end of a tool bar, enables the pulse increments of the tool toward the workpiece to be as little as 0 to 4.4 nm. A dedicated computer coordinates motion in the two axes to produce the workpiece contour. Inertia is reduced by reducing the mass pulsed toward the workpiece to about one-fifth of its former value. The tool system includes calibration instruments to calibrate the micromachining tool system. Backlash is reduced and flexing decreased by using a rotary table and servomotor to pulse the tool in the omega-axis instead of a ball screw mechanism. A thermally-stabilized spindle rotates the workpiece and is driven by a motor not mounted on the micromachining tool base through a torque-smoothing pulley and vibrationless rotary coupling. Abbe offset errors are almost eliminated by tool setting and calibration at spindle center height. Tool contour and workpiece contour are gaged on the machine; this enables the source of machining errors to be determined more readily, because the workpiece is gaged before its shape can be changed by removal from the machine.

• Research Organization: BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4083272
• OSTI ID: 863050
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/82/33/451/
100
abbe
angular
aspherical
axes
axis
backlash
ball
bar
base
calibrate
calibration
center
changed
computer
contour
contour error
coordinates
coupling
decreased
dedicated
dedicated computer
determined
driven
eccentric
eliminated
enables
error
errors
flexing
former
gaged
height
increments
inertia
instruments
irregular
irregular surfaces
machine
machine spherical
machining
machining tool
mass
maximum
maximum contour
measurement
mechanism
micromachining
micromachining tool
motion
motor
mounted
named
nm
nm rms
nonometers
offset
omega
omega-axes
omega-axis
omega-x
one-fifth
produce
pulley
pulse
pulsed
readily
reduced
reducing
regular surface
removal
rms
rotary
rotary coupling
rotates
rotation
screw
screw mechanism
servomotor
setting
shape
source
spherical
spindle
supporting
surface
surface waviness
surfaces
table
thermally-stabilized
tool
tool bar
tool setting
torque-smoothing
value
vibrationless
vibrationless rotary
waviness
workpiece
x-