Closed-loop laser beam alignment along active robot arm

Carla C. Neumann; Felix E. Morgan; Terry S. Shirrod

doi:10.1117/12.145562

28 May 1993 Closed-loop laser beam alignment along active robot arm

Carla C. Neumann, Felix E. Morgan, Terry S. Shirrod

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 1821, Industrial Applications of Optical Inspection, Metrology, and Sensing; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145562
Event: Applications in Optical Science and Engineering, 1992, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

Several applications require agile and accurate positioning of a high power laser beam. Agile positioning is generally accomplished via manipulation of some jointed support apparatus such as a robot arm. The size and weight limitations of high power lasers prevent placement of the laser at the final node of the robot arm. Hughes has developed a continuous, automatic, closed loop, alignment system for robot arm propagation of a high power laser beam based on conical scan tracking. The Hughes design employs a low power, continuous, HeNe laser for control purposes which is co-aligned with the high power beam. The control system receives its continuous feedback from a retro-reflective annulus located at the final node of the robot arm. The system includes a coelostat at each joint enabling complete angular coverage. The type II control system operates with a 30 Hz bandwidth ensuring precise alignment over typical arm velocities and accelerations.

Citation Download Citation

Carla C. Neumann, Felix E. Morgan, and Terry S. Shirrod "Closed-loop laser beam alignment along active robot arm", Proc. SPIE 1821, Industrial Applications of Optical Inspection, Metrology, and Sensing, (28 May 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145562

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