• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Your Membership
    • Edit Your Profile
  • Services
    • Advertising
    • Case studies
    • Design
    • Email marketing
    • Lead generation
    • Magazine
    • Press releases
    • Publishing
    • Sponsored posts
    • Webcasting
    • Webinars
    • White papers
    • Writing
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Terms of use
  • Events

Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

  • News
  • Features
  • Video
  • Webinars
  • White papers
  • Press releases
  • Featured companies
    • AMD Xilinx
    • BlueBotics
    • Elite Robot
    • RGo Robotics
    • SICK Sensor Intelligence
    • Vicor Power

Laser interferometry: An enabling technology for optimized automated manufacturing

May 12, 2020 by David Edwards Leave a Comment

By Tyler Steele, product manager – laser interferometers, Zygo

In this article, precision Beryllium mirror manufacturer Cambridge Technology explains how the use of interferometry hardware and software solutions has streamlined its manufacturing processes and added efficiencies as well as time and cost-savings across the company. 

Technological advances over recent years have elevated metrology from being a “necessary evil” in manufacturing scenarios to enabling technologies, allowing the measurement of previously impossible part characteristics and therefore driving innovation across numerous industry sectors.

It is arguable that best-in-class metrology solutions are the catalyst that drive the trend towards miniaturization, higher precision, faster throughput, and fewer rejects.

As the old adage goes, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t make it”, but if you can measure to the required accuracy repeatably, then the sky is the limit in terms of producing cutting-edge parts and components.

One company operating on the bleeding-edge of precision is Cambridge Technology, based in Taunton in the United Kingdom.

Cambridge Technology boasts an over 50-year pedigree manufacturing ultra-lightweight coated beryllium mirrors for its parent facility in Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.

These mirrors which are integrated into laser beam steering assemblies are used in various applications from PCB drilling to laser eye surgery.

Cambridge Technology had a goal to advance its design and manufacturing capabilities with a focus on integrating and leveraging process metrology to optimize quality control and manufacturing yields.

The exacting nature of the mirrors manufactured by Cambridge Technology has meant that over time, it has learned to partner with innovative technology suppliers to enable optimal manufacturing processes.

The company chosen to help advance its metrology capabilities was Zygo, which supplied Cambridge Technology with new state-of-the-art laser interferometer systems operating on Zygo’s Mx metrology software.

This article analyses the role of laser interferometry as an integral part of an optimized automated manufacturing process, highlighting key issues in supplier selection and providing first-hand testimony from Cambridge Technology as to how it used Zygo’s advanced optical metrology solutions to advance innovation in product design and manufacturing process development.

Assessing the advanced metrology landscape

Zygo has elevated the status of metrology to a disruptive, enabling technology, with its non-contact, non-destructive 3D optical profilers and laser interferometers.

Optical metrology is extremely versatile and has an important role in the verification of quality and design intent.

Today, in many scenarios, it has become the preferred solution, benefitting from the fact that it is non-contact (meaning it can be used to measure delicate deformable components), non-destructive, fast, highly sensitive, and exhibits exceptional resolution and accuracy characteristics.

For Zygo, however, the use of its optical metrology instruments goes well beyond quality control as its benefits are being utilized in advanced R & D, process development, process control, and overall manufacturing optimization.

Cambridge Technology understands that interferometry is the logical choice for the advanced characterization of its critical parts and recognized that there are no other metrology solution innovators that came close to matching the level of experience and understanding of Zygo.

Cambridge Technology and Zygo’s Laser Interferometry

Cambridge Technology uses laser interferometry to measure the surface form of almost every precision beryllium mirror it manufacturers, and at various stages in the production lifecycle for a clear understanding of performance characteristics.

The company’s original laser interferometry solution was seen as being deficient in two key areas. First, it was prone to environmental vibrations, and second measurement data was stored as individual text files (or text reports) which meant that it was extremely difficult to analyse.

Each unique mirror in the Cambridge Technology range required a different application which in turn required specific configuration of the laser interferometer.

This made the metrology operator-intensive, and required technicians to manually load different masks for each mirror type and for every measurement performed, sometimes three times per mirror.

To overcome these deficiencies, the company required a metrology solution that would promote process automation and relieve manual workload pressure while minimizing sensitivity to environmental vibration which had led to some mirrors requiring remeasuring.

The solution chosen was to replace existing laser interferometers with current generation instruments operating on Zygo’s Mx software, which immediately allowed the company to realize improvements in processing times and a reduction in operator errors.

Greg Salter, Quality Engineer at Cambridge Technology continues, “The reduction in processing times comes as a result of our ability to customize Mx using scripting.

“The reduced processing times for parts with multiple masks (apertures) has been a massive improvement, along with the removal of the necessity of operators from having to manually load each mask, or having to select different parts of a mask to re-analyze different apertures of a mirror.”

Using Zygo’s Mx software and Python scripts, Cambridge Technology now has a database of all its parts, with corresponding tolerances, settings and masks that is easily selectable by the operator.

Tolerances can be adjusted remotely in a centrally located database by the production engineer without disrupting the production workflow.

Salter says: “MX loads the correct masks and tolerances for each part automatically by selecting the part number from a drop-down menu.

“The Zygo laser interferometer software can now automatically load and swap different masks during measurement without operator input, which means measurement is quicker, throughput of mirrors is increased, and operator errors have been reduced.

“The flatness data automatically outputs to a database for easy analysis and monitoring of each stage of manufacturing (SPC and so on).

“This has already enabled us to use control limits at various manufacturing stages to ensure that the mirrors will be compliant at the end of the manufacturing process.

“As we continually improve our methods of manufacture, the analysis that this system provides will enable us to gradually reduce how many mirrors we inspect per batch of mirrors, whilst still providing flatness compliance.”

Salter continues: “If a mirror is not suitable for the application for which it was intended, Mx can check similar mirror types and advise if we can use that mirror for an alternative application thus reducing scrap.

“Our parent company in Bedford, MA, USA also uses our database to control their Zygo interferometers, it gets instantly updated at both sites simultaneously, which has once and for all ironed out discrepancies between our methods of measurement.

“Our parent company also stores measurement data so we can monitor mirror performance as it progresses through manufacturing.

“All of this is achieved using the ability of Mx to allow us to customize how it works by using Python scripts to adapt to our required methods.”

It was vital that whatever software solution Cambridge Technology chose could be deployed over multiple instruments across manufacturing facilities in multiple locations to support a 24/7 manufacturing operation.

Minimizing the amount of downtime and levels of operator training were a must, and this was achieved through a good partnership between Zygo and Cambridge Technology.

Salter explains. “We found MX to be a simple, efficient, and supportable solution that minimized impact on resources and capacity within the manufacturing environment.

The intuitive design of Mx and its overall simplicity were hugely important, as was the help and assistance from Lambda Photometrics and Zygo with our particular issues and requirements when it came to problems we were unsure how to overcome, especially with python scripts.

Lambda and Zygo provided an understanding of how to achieve certain goals using python (including sending us code examples), and providing us with a way of using a catalogue of existing Mx masks on the new interferometer.”

Creating a ‘set-and-forget’ application software environment

The use of the scripting function within Zygo’s Mx software has allowed Cambridge Technology to create a recipe driven “set-and-forget” application.

Salter says: “This was achieved by utilising a database which we designed and built to work within Mx, containing all of the parameters required to enable the measurement of any mirror. These include mask names, number of masks and flatness tolerances.

“All the operator has to do is select a part number from a list (or scan a barcode on our manufacturing datapack) and Mx applies the predetermined settings for that particular mirror prescription, records its a serial number, acquires and analyses the data and informs the operator if it is a pass or a fail in simple terms.”

“With Zygo’s Mx-based metrology instruments our configuration control is much more efficient and we now have the ability to embark on a statistical process control methodology for monitoring our operations.

“Zygo’s solutions have helped us drive our mirror yields up to 99 per cent with excellent correlation between our two sites.”

Removing bottlenecks

Using ZYGO’s Mx metrology software, Cambridge Technology has now upgraded the capabilities of its interferometers, realizing significant savings.

This has led to the company being able to realize cost savings by removing bottlenecks in production and quality control, and in turn has provided better utilization of staff resources and an overall improvement in manufacturing efficiencies.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Pocket

You might also like…

Filed Under: Design, Features Tagged With: cambridge, company, control, interferometry, laser, manufacturing, measurement, metrology, mirror, mirrors, mx, process, software, solution, technology, zygo

Join the Robotics & Automation News community

Reader Interactions

You must log in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest articles

  • Factory Visit: Investment bankers tour client’s robot-filled machine shop
  • Hengbot unveils ‘world’s first robotic dog with musculoskeletal limbs’
  • AutomationWare prepares for future with new robotic joints
  • RoboUP launches ‘the most intelligent and precise robotic lawn mower ever created’
  • Switzerland’s IAR Group establishes new subsidiary in Germany
  • Techman unveils ‘industry’s lightest high-payload AI collaborative robot’
  • The Future of Personal Computers: What to Expect in the Next Decade
  • 5 Ideas for Getting More Clients for Your Business in 2023
  • Improving Building Entry Security with AI
  • How do you heat a car to sleep?

Most Read

  • Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
    Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
  • Stiga launches ‘world’s smartest’ autonomous lawn mower
    Stiga launches ‘world’s smartest’ autonomous lawn mower
  • Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
    Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
  • Hengbot unveils ‘world’s first robotic dog with musculoskeletal limbs’
    Hengbot unveils ‘world’s first robotic dog with musculoskeletal limbs’
  • Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
    Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
  • Schneider Electric invests €40 million in new smart factory in Hungary
    Schneider Electric invests €40 million in new smart factory in Hungary
  • Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
    Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
  • Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
    Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
  • What You Need to Know About Fixing an Engine Misfire
    What You Need to Know About Fixing an Engine Misfire
  • DeepRoute.ai launches $1,000 ‘map-free’ self-driving solution
    DeepRoute.ai launches $1,000 ‘map-free’ self-driving solution

Overused words

ai applications automated automation automotive autonomous business companies company control customers data design development digital electric global industrial industry logistics machine manufacturing market mobile operations platform process production robot robotic robotics robots safety software solution solutions system systems technologies technology time vehicle vehicles warehouse work

Secondary Sidebar

Latest news

  • Factory Visit: Investment bankers tour client’s robot-filled machine shop
  • Hengbot unveils ‘world’s first robotic dog with musculoskeletal limbs’
  • AutomationWare prepares for future with new robotic joints
  • RoboUP launches ‘the most intelligent and precise robotic lawn mower ever created’
  • Switzerland’s IAR Group establishes new subsidiary in Germany
  • Techman unveils ‘industry’s lightest high-payload AI collaborative robot’
  • The Future of Personal Computers: What to Expect in the Next Decade
  • 5 Ideas for Getting More Clients for Your Business in 2023
  • Improving Building Entry Security with AI
  • How do you heat a car to sleep?

Footer

We are…

Robotics and Automation News was established in May, 2015, and is now one of the most widely-read websites in its category.

Please consider supporting us by becoming a paying subscriber, or through advertising and sponsorships, or by purchasing products and services through our shop – or a combination of all of the above.

Thank you.

Independent

Archivists

May 2020
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Apr   Jun »

Complex

Old-skool

This website and its associated magazine, and weekly newsletter, are all produced by a small team of experienced journalists and media professionals.

If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact us at any of the email addresses on our contact page.

We’d be happy to hear from you, and will always reply as soon as possible.

Future-facing

Free, fair and legal

We support the principles of net neutrality and equal opportunities.

Member of The Internet Defense League

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT