Multiplex path for magnetorheological jet polishing with vertical impinging

We report a way to shape surfaces by optimizing the path instead of changing the removal function of a polishing tool for magnetorheological jet polishing (MJP). The M-shaped removal function of MJP generates a track with a W-shaped profile along one path. However, applying two parallel paths with appropriate line spacing can obtain a track with V-shaped profile, which has a removal distribution similar to that by using the Gaussian removal function along one path. Based on this, a multiplex path applying an M-shaped removal function is constructed in an actual process. A transformation model describing the relationship between the M-shaped removal function and the Gaussian removal function is established, which is crucial to determine the velocity function on the multiplex path. By using the M-shaped removal function, we have planned new processing steps by applying the multiplex path and the velocity function for full aperture polishing. Polishing performance is designed and demonstrated on two K9 work-pieces with different multiplex paths. The form error on 23 mm diameter is decreased from 0.256 lambda PV (lambda = 632.8 nm) and 0.068 lambda RMS to 0.038 lambda PV and 0.005 lambda RMS with scanning multiplex path. Results indicate that this method of path optimization is suitable for optical manufacturing. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America