Skip to main content
Log in

Study on the fast tool servo-assisted milling of microlens arrays

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to reduce the cost of milling ultra-precision microlens arrays and improve its efficiency, a fast tool servo-assisted microlens milling method is proposed which combines a fast tool servo (FTS) and a traditional three-axis displacement platform. The FTS-assisted microlens arrays milling path generation algorithm is established and the milling surface simulation model based on milling kinematics and grid discretization principle is constructed. A high precision FTS system is developed based on which a FTS-assisted microlens arrays milling platform is built. For verifying the effectiveness of this new method, a series of experiments are carried out. The minimum surface roughness and surface PV error of the machined micro-lenses are 0.046 µm and 0.673 µm, respectively. The results of tests with various cutting parameters illustrate that feed rate is the main cutting parameter to affect the milling quality of micro-lens array.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

r :

The radius of the tool

ω :

The angular speed of rotation of the milling spindle

t :

Machining time

θ :

The tilt angle of tool

References

  1. F.-Z. Chen, C.-H. Chen and C.-H. Wu, Development of a double-sided microlens array for micro laser projector application, Optical Review, 19 (4) (2012) 238–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Z. Zhang, H. Peng and J. Yan, Micro-cutting characteristics of edm fabricated high-precision polycrystalline diamond tools, International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 65 (2013) 99–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. L. Li and A. Y. Yi, Design and fabrication of a freeform microlens array for a compact large-field-of-view compound-eye camera, Applied Optics, 51 (12) (2012) 1843–1852.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. S. Kindermann, A. Neubauer and R. Ramlau, A singular value decomposition for the shack-hartmann based wavefront reconstruction, Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics, 236 (8) (2012) 2186–2199.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. T. Zhou, J. Zhou and T. Wang, Fabrication of high aspect-ratio aspheric microlens array based on local spiral diamond milling, Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 83 (2022) 547–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. M. Mukaida and J. Yan, Ductile machining of single-crystal silicon for microlens arrays by ultraprecision diamond turning using a slow tool servo, International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 115 (2017) 2–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. V. Mishra, N. Kumar, R. Sharma, H. Garg and V. Karara, Development of aspheric lenslet array by slow tool servo machining, Materials Today: Proceedings, 24 (2020) 1602–1607.

    Google Scholar 

  8. S. Zhang, Y. Zhou, H. Zhang, Z. Xiong and S. To, Advances in ultraprecision machining of micro-structured functional surfaces and their typical applications, International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 142 (2019) 16–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. S. Scheiding, A. Y. Yi, A. Gebhardt, R. Loose, L. Li, S. Risse, R. Eberhardt and A. Tüunnermann, Diamond milling or turning for the fabrication of micro lens arrays: comparing different diamond machining technologies, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, San Diego, California, United States (2011).

  10. D. Zhao, Z. Zhu, P. Huang, P. Guo, L. Zhu and Z. Zhu, Development of a piezoelectrically actuated dual-stage fast tool servo, Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 144 (2020) 106873.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. G. Wang and W. Li, Manufacturing of lens arrays using fast tool servo system based on error correcting algorithm, Optik, 178 (2019) 698–703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. C. Guan, J. Yong, J. Liu, Y. Dai, Z. Fan and F. Li, Fabrication of optical microstructures on roller surface based on fast tool servo system, Micro Nano & Letters, 15 (3) (2020) 892–897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. B. McCall and T. S. Tkaczyk, Rapid fabrication of miniature lens arrays by four-axis single point diamond machining, Optics Express, 21 (3) (2013) 3557–3572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. X. Zhang, Z. Chen, J. Chen, Z. Wang and L. Zhu, Fabrication of a microlens array featuring a high aspect ratio with a swinging diamond tool, Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 75 (2022) 485–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. W. Zhu, F. Duan, X. Zhang and Z. Zhu, A new diamond machining approach for extendable fabrication of micro-freeform lens array, International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 124 (2018) 134–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. S. Kirchberg, L. Chen and L. Xie, Replication of precise polymeric microlens arrays combining ultra-precision diamond ballend milling and micro injection molding, Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics, 236 (8) (2012) 2186–2199.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. W. C. Sweatt, D. D. Gill, D. P. Adams, M. J. Vasile and A. A. Claudet, Diamond milling of micro-optics, 2006 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT, USA (2006).

  18. B. McCall, G. Birch, M. Descour and T. Tkaczyk, Fabrication of plastic microlens arrays for array microscopy by diamond milling techniques, SPIE MOEMS-MEMS, San Francisco, California, United States (2010).

  19. C.-C. Chen, C.-Y. Huang and Y.-C. Cheng, Ultra-precision diamond milling of aspheric microlens array, International Conference on Optics in Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology (icOPEN2013), Singapore, Singapore (2013).

  20. N. C. R. Holme, T. W. Berg and P. G. Dinesen, Diamond micro-milling for array mastering, Optical Engineering + Applications, San Diego, California, United States (2008).

  21. S. Xu et al., Development of a novel 2D rotary ultrasonic texturing technique for fabricating tailored structures, The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 89 (2017) 1161–1172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. J. Köhler and A. Seibel, FTS-based face milling of micro structures, Procedia CIRP, 28 (2015) 58–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. H. Yoshioka, S. Hidenori and S. Hiroshi, A newly developed rotary-linear motion platform with a giant magnetostrictive actuator, CIRP Annals, 62 (1) (2013) 371–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52105454, and U2013211, 52275437), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (30921013102), and the Special funding for Jiangsu Province Innovation Support Program (BZ2023058).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peng Huang.

Additional information

Tianxiao Chang received the B.E. degree in Weapon System & Engineering from Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China, in 2019. He is currently working towards his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering in Nanjing University of Science and Technology. His research interests include fabrication of microstructures, brittle material cutting and measurement.

Dongran Shen received the B.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China, in 2019, and M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China, in 2022. His research interest is micro nano actuation and control.

Zhiwei Zhu (Member, IEEE) is currently a Full Professor with the School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China. He received the B.E. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Jilin University, Changchun, China, in 2010 and 2013, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in industrial and systems engineering from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, in 2016. His research interests include the ultraprecision machining of freeform optics, and the design, modeling, and control of precision mechatronic systems for the measurement, as well as the manufacturing.

Peng Huang is an associate professor of the School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research interests include fabrication of microstructures, brittle material cutting and measurement.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chang, T., Shen, D., Zhu, Z. et al. Study on the fast tool servo-assisted milling of microlens arrays. J Mech Sci Technol 38, 2537–2545 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-024-0432-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-024-0432-2

Keywords

Navigation