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Development of a steel ball center alignment device based on Michelson interference concept
1Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|October 3, 2014
Summary
This study introduces a novel ball center alignment technique using a modified Michelson interferometer. The method enhances offset detection accuracy and significantly speeds up data processing for precision measurements.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Metrology and Measurement Science
Background:
- Precision alignment is critical in optical systems and manufacturing.
- Traditional alignment methods can be time-consuming and lack sensitivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an enhanced ball center alignment method using a Michelson interferometer.
- To improve the sensitivity and speed of ball center alignment detection.
Main Methods:
- A Michelson interferometer was modified by replacing a mirror with a lens and steel ball.
- The steel ball was positioned off-focus to generate a spherical wave for interference.
- Interference patterns were captured using a lens-less camera and analyzed with a fast ring profile fitting algorithm.
Main Results:
- The ball center offset distance was amplified by over 140%.
- The ring profile fitting method reduced circle fitting time by approximately two-thirds compared to Hough transformation.
- Clear interference rings were observed, enabling precise alignment.
Conclusions:
- The proposed method offers a highly sensitive and efficient approach for ball center alignment.
- This technique has potential applications in precision engineering and optical metrology.
- The accelerated data processing is advantageous for real-time alignment applications.
