Nanometrology meets the factory floor
Delivering a product consistent with an engineer’s design requires careful monitoring and control of both the work piece and machine tool’s key mechanical properties. Parameters including topography, morphology, roughness, adhesion, and micro- and nano-hardness are critical, yet there are no flexible and reliable technologies available to monitor them in-line during production. The EU-funded project AIM4NP (Automated in-line metrology for nanoscale production) took important steps towards remedying the situation and ensuring rapid development cycles and resource efficiency. Exploiting nanotechnology measuring (metrology) techniques and novel control methodologies, scientists delivered a robotic metrology platform with nanometre resolution of large samples in an industrial setting. Depending on requirements, AIM4NP’s newly developed metrology platform can be attached to either a robotic arm or a fixed frame. It can accommodate different metrology heads and perform measurements with six degrees of freedom. In particular, the system comprises an atomic force microscope for high-resolution imaging, a tactile measurement instrument and a white-light interferometer for lower resolution optical measurements. These complementary metrology heads are mounted on the platform whose relative position to the work piece is actively stabilised by a control unit and a six degree-of-freedom optical tracking actuator. This allows to compensate for vibrational disturbances that are typically present in industrial settings. AIM4NP robot-mounted metrology is expected to significantly cut production costs thanks to optimised production parameters. This will enhance product quality with reduced material and energy losses. In addition, maintenance and repair costs will be reduced thanks to better monitoring of the machinery itself. The end result is a major enhancement in competitiveness for the EU high-tech industry at the forefront of equipment suppliers for high-precision, high-volume manufacturing.
Keywords
Nanometrology, nanoscale, work pieces, machinery, AIM4NP, metrology platform
