The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Xros, Inc.

Cdm Optics, Inc.

James B Bryan

Jack D Foster

A method and control system for forming workpiece surfaces with at least a portion being non-rotationally symmetric (i.e., axis asymmetric) is provided. In one aspect, a slow tool servo system is provided to fabricate a surface having at least an axis asymmetric portion, and optionally, a superimposed axis symmetric asphere or spherical portion. A workpiece is mounted on a spindle and a tool is mounted to a translatable tabletop surface. The z position of the contact point of the workpiece and working tool is determined as a function of the x position of the same contact point and as a function of the angle of rotation of the spindle about the spindle axis. By making the z position of the contact point a function of both the angle of spindle rotation and the x position, the lateral and longitudinal position of the working tool can be moved at designated spindle rotation angles to form a surface having both axis asymmetric and axis symmetric asphere or spherical portions.

System and method for forming a non-rotationally symmetric portion of a workpiece

A mechanism for reducing radial offset in a collimnated optical beam associated with an angled end fiber and minimizing an angular offset caused by collimator lens centration errors is presented. An angled end fiber is oriented in a supporting collimator so that the angled surface of the fiber is parallel to the collimator axis, thereby compensating for the radial offset. The angled end fiber is again so oriented after the angular-offset producing collimator lens rotation (used to determine the optical center of the lens) and the collimator lens is moved in a direction parallel to the collimator axis to provide a desired output focal position for the lens.

Precision fiber optic collimator

A telescoping magnetic ball bar test gage for determining the accuracy of machine tools, including robots, and those measuring machines having non-disengageable servo drives which cannot be clutched out. Two gage balls (10, 12) are held and separated from one another by a telescoping fixture which allows them relative radial motional freedom but not relative lateral motional freedom. The telescoping fixture comprises a parallel reed flexure unit (14) and a rigid member (16, 18, 20, 22, 24). One gage ball (10) is secured by a magnetic socket knuckle assembly (34) which fixes its center with respect to the machine being tested. The other gage ball (12) is secured by another magnetic socket knuckle assembly (38) which is engaged or held by the machine in such manner that the center of that ball (12) is directed to execute a prescribed trajectory, all points of which are equidistant from the center of the fixed gage ball (10). As the moving ball (12) executes its trajectory, changes in the radial distance between the centers of the two balls (10, 12) caused by inaccuracies in the machine are determined or measured by a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) assembly (50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60) actuated by the parallel reed flexure unit (14). Measurements can be quickly and easily taken for multiple trajectories about several different fixed ball (10) locations, thereby determining the accuracy of the machine.

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Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

James B Bryan