Meddelelse
3D-print af VLT-komponenter
10. februar 2014
ESO har for nylig anvendt den innovative 3D-printteknologi [1] til at fremstille støbeforme til to nye teleskop-komponenter. De er nødvendige for MUSE-instrumentet på ESOs Very Large Telescope (VLT) i Chile og er en del af projektet Adpative Optics Facility. 3D-printteknologien lover rigtig godt for fremstillingen af komplekse speciallavede genstande, der ofte er behov for til astronomisk instrumentering, fordi teknologien kan levere komponenterne hurtigt og billigt og med større fleksibilitet.
Den første del, der blev fremstillet af det tyske firma voxeljet AG, er en del af en sensor-arm [2], som blev installeret i teleskopet for at arbejde sammen med MUSE-instrumentet. Denne ændring er også nødvendig for at bane vejen for GALACSI-modulet til adaptiv optik, der skal installeres i 2015. Den metalliske sensor-arm bruges til at holde tre flade spejle [3], der fører lysstråler ind i de sensorer, som styrer systemerne til adaptiv optik på VLT og dermed styrer teleskopet under observationerne.
Komponenten blev skabt med en teknik kaldet 'investment casting', der traditionelt er blevet anvendt at fremstille komponenter med en meget kompleks form som fx blade til gasturbiner. I denne støbemetode anvendes software til at opbygge en model af komponenten, hvorefter dens mekaniske egenskaber analyseres ud fra en almindelig industriel tilgang. Når en anvendelig virtuel model er lavet, kan et mønster printes – i det aktuelle tilfælde med polymetylmetakrylat, der er en slags termoplast.
Derefter laves en støbeform af plastmønstret, der er blevet fyldt med voks – en negativ udgave af den oprindelige form. Næste trin i 'investment casting'-processen er at dække mønstret med et varmebestandigt keramisk materiale. Under processen bliver det keramiske materiale behandlet og hærdet og det voksfyldte mønster smeltes ud af den nye keramiske skal. Det efterlader en perfekt form som metal kan hældes i for at lave den endelige afstøbning.
Den oprindelige sensor-arm var lavet af beryllium, der er et letmetal, som kunne opfylde alle krav til sensor-armen. Desværre er beryllium meget giftigt og kan ikke bearbejdes eller ændres sikkert, når først komponenten er blevet installeret. Derfor blev højkvalitets aluminium valgt til den endelige støbning af dens erstatning.
Den anden komponent er en stiver til VLT-testkameraet. Den blev lavet af ACTech GmbH, der er et andet tysk firma, som specialiserer sig i metalstøbningsteknikker. Denne komponent blev fremstillet af formbart støbejern ved en lignende 'investment casting'-proces efter at det originale mønster var blevet lavet med lasersintring.
Noter
[1] 3D-printteknologi er en additiv fremstillingsproces, der kan forkorte produktionstiden, minimere spild og spare penge for virksomheder. De traditionale teknikker som fræsning og drejning kaldes for subtraktive processer, fordi matriale her fjernes fra en større blok for at opnå den endelige form. Det skaber en hel del spild af materiale i form af spåner. Additive processer ungår dette spild ved at opbygge lag på lag indtil den endelige form er nået. 3D-print og mere specifikt 3D-print til støbeforme gør det muligt at skabe komplekse interne geometrier, der ellers ville være umulige af fremstille.
[2] Den nye sensor-arms funktion er at gøre det muligt for teleskopets system til adaptive optik at fokusere 250 millimeter fra den oprindelige fokus-position. Resultatet er, at det nye fokalplan nu ligger 500 millimeter fra Nasmyth-monteringsringen. Den ekstra afstand vil give plads nok til installationen af GALACSI, der er modulet til adaptiv optik for MUSE.
[3] Disse spejle er lavet af HB-CESIC® af siliciumcarbid forstærket med kulfiber. Dette materiale er karakteriseret ved at være meget hårdt og stift og ved at have en lav varmeudvidelseskoefficient. Spejlene er blevet fremstilet af ecm Engineered Ceramic Materials GmbH og Berliner Glas.
Kontakter
Christoph Frank
ESO, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6296
Email: cfrank@eso.org
Antonio Manescau
ESO, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6142
Email: amanesca@eso.org
Robin Arsenault
ESO, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6524
Email: rarsenau@eso.org
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