Part 4 - PROSurf: After measuring acylinders, toroids, freeforms, or aspheres on OptiPro's UltraSurf, the data reveals the need to make surface profile improvements to meet print requirements. How does the optician maneuver a polishing tool to remove fractions of a wavelength of material from the high zones of a part and less material in the valley zones of a part? If a preferential tool path could be created that would be ideal. Unlike common computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software, PROSurf is able to create tool path code for deterministic form corrections on freeform optics in either grinding or polishing. PROSurf software is an important part of the feedback loop in OptiPro's freeform package coupling metrology with a grinding or polishing platform. It contains a built-in form that makes it easier for an operator to define shapes such aspheric cylinders, toroids, freeforms, etcetera. Flexibility of shape definition such as IGS solid models are acceptable, the surface can be defined with an equation where Z is a function of X and Y, and the surface can be represented with a point cloud if no other method is available. To maximize the efficiency of manufacturing surfaces, PROSurf has the ability to perform grind corrections via input maps from a profilometer, CMM and other input formats. Grind corrections adjust heights of the tool path to compensate for the areas where either too much or too little material removal occurred, hence presenting a better surface for polishing that requires less time to finish. Polishing figure correction can be performed by deterministically adjusting the relative dwell times of the tool based on the error map input, therefore convergence of the surface figure toward the ideal finish is optimized with shorter polishing cycles.  PROSurf supports a number of different error files. CSV and MOD files can be input for 2D profile data while XYZ, DAT, and OPM files are supported for 3D measurements. The OPM file is a custom OptiPro error file that allows the user to do additional manipulation of the data if required while still having an easy method of importing into the software.

PROSurf software enables your team to compress the manufacturing cycle of complex shapes for optical components. Why wait? Contact OptiPro for a demonstration of how PROSurf coupled with an OptiPro grinder and polisher will elevate your capabilities to a higher level of profitability.