Output details

Generalized form characterization of ultra-precision freeform surfaces

The growing need for optimised performance and low cost especially of optical components, has resulted in the use of so called freeform surfaces having indefinable form: a new requirement in engineering. Attempts to measure them to control their manufacture using instrument coordinate systems have been non-robust and inaccurate. The new approach in this paper uses intrinsic coordinates which allow sampling and characterization to be independent of instrument axes thereby enabling a more direct link to computer aided manufacture. The impact of this development is a more robust and accurate quality control of these new surfaces.