Precision Component Production

Traditionally, mirror optics are produced in a lengthy process similar to that of a manufactory. In order to meet the growing demand for precision componentsand to enable cost-effective, high-quality production in the face of increasing demands and high volumes, new manufacturing approaches are required.

Fraunhofer has succeeded in developing a new efficient and scalable
way while maintaining the highest quality features and low costs. By means of workload-optimized manufacturing, it is possible for the first time to decouple the scaling of the number of workpieces, size and accuracy from the individual performance of the processing machines. Various operating equipment, machining, measurement and handling processes are linked to each other via in-situ process analyses and multiple cooperating robot stations. The networking and communication of the tools and measuring equipment is realized via the SWAP-IT architecture.

Current situation and challenges

  • Manufacturing of large and/or segmented optics with accuracies down to the sub-nm range
  • previously linear process chain with strong interaction of characterization and manufacturing
  • Overhead due to setup times and component handling

Our goal

  • Development of a robot ensemble for parallelized polishing, roughness and shape characterization
  • Robot based polishing and sensor heads
  • Optimization of the process in terms of process sequence and ideal time slots for characterization in the ensemble
  • Robot coordination and tool path planning

Our vision

  • Reduction of overall process time by parallelization of measuring and machining processes via robot ensemble
  • Simultaneous, cost-efficient production of several optics

Fields of application

  • Telescopes for satellite and quantum communications, earth observation, astronomy and remote sensing