An ultra-precision polishing technique using high-velocity abrasive fluid

Abstract

This paper deals with a newly developed method of high-velocity fluid polishing using an ultra fine abrasive wheel. In the first part of this process, the workpiece is ground by a wheel; then the wheel is drawn back for a few ?m and the ground surface is polished with a fine abrasive polishing fluid that flows at a high velocity between the wheel and the workpiece. In the conventional finishing process of optical and electrical components such as lenses and mirrors, some complicated processes including grinding and polishing are required. With the new method, the workpiece is finished successively by grinding and polishing on the same machine using the same polishing tool (wheel). In this work, an experimental system capable of successively grinding and polishing an optical component on the same machine was established, and experiments involving optical glass specimens were conducted in order to examine the proposed new method. The experimental results indicated that the workpiece was finished precisely and efficiently with an optimal surface roughness of 9 nm Ra after polishing.