Speaker
Description
Fluid Jet Polishing (FJP) is a non-contact optical polishing technique that uses an abrasive fluid jet to achieve localized material removal and surface correction. This technique has potential applications in high-precision optical components, such as Fabry–Perot etalons, which require strict control of surface shape, parallelism, and roughness. However, the practical implementation of FJP requires experimental systems capable of accurately controlling process parameters and ensuring repeatable operating conditions. Here, we present the design and implementation of an automated experimental platform for FJP, integrating mechanical, hydraulic, electronic, and computational subsystems for process control and data acquisition. The system uses a diaphragm pump and a closed-loop control strategy implemented with a microcontroller and a proportional-integral algorithm to regulate the average operating pressure. The developed software enables monitoring and adjustment of experimental parameters during the tests. Initial experiments using an aqueous suspension containing 5% cerium oxide on optical glass substrates were performed to characterize the system response and evaluate the stability and repeatability of the experimental conditions. The initial results demonstrate the operation of the developed FJP experimental system, with preliminary evaluation of average pressure stability, exposure time control, and repeatability of the operating conditions. These results establish the experimental framework required for future studies on material removal behavior and process optimization in FJP.