Individualisierte optische Messtechnik mittels 3D-Druck-Optiken

What is it about?

In recent years additive manufacturing technologies have been improved concerning printing techniques as well as printing materials. Based on this improvement freeform optical elements can now be printed in optical quality with 3D printers. Using rapid prototyping technologies for the generation of optical components new possibilities for optical metrology arise. Based on variations of the optical element in size and shape metrology systems can be realized which adapt to metrological applications. In this contribution two metrological applications from the field of in-line inspection are presented. In each example an additively manufactured optical element is utilized. In the first example a metrology system based on the laser triangulation principle is described. With this metrology system turbine blades are inspected. The metrology device includes an additively manufactured transparent freeform optical element as part of the illumination optics to generate a line without shadowing effects on a complex 3D geometry. In the second example a miniature metrology system is presented. The system is specifically designed to inspect the interior of small cavities with a 3D sensor. This metrology device based on the light section technique includes a 3D printed reflector which creates a defined sampling signal within the cavity.

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Why is it important?

In the contribution recent developments concerning the manufacture of 3D printed mirrors and transmissive optical elements are exemplified. Applications from the field of optical metrology utilizing those additively manufactured freeform optical elements are provided.

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