Non-Contact Sensor Technology to Locate Electromagnetic Grids in Ceramics

Electromagnetic grid structures buried in optical ceramic domes may be accurately located using an electromagnetic sensing and detection techniques. Under the Phase I effort, Resodyn Corporation developed a sensor and detection technology that demonstrated position location to within 1 mil is possible. Competing technologies such as capacitive, optical, or sonic lack a key advantage the electromagnetic approach offers - optical ceramic, cutting fluids, dust, and surface conditions are electromagnetically transparent. In a manufacturing environment the sensing technology can be used to direct grinding and polishing machine operations, real-time, where to locate dome surfaces with respect to the buried grid. In a metrology environment the technology can be integrated with a coordinate measuring machine. Under the Phase II effort, Resodyn Corporation proposes to develop two useful prototypes. The first is a low-cost tabletop tool that will locate grid depth from the surface of a dome. The second is a higher cost hybrid sensor that combines the electromagnetic sensor for grid location with a laser sensor for dome surface location. The hybrid sensor could be used with a variety of manufacturing equipment.