Design and implementation of a rotary fast tool servo for a turning machine

Abstract

In this thesis we describe the design and implementation of a rotary fast tool servo (RFTS) in a machine tool for turning ophthalmic lenses. To machine nonrotationally symmetric lenses, the cutting tool on the RFTS must move synchronously with the spindle rotation. Therefore, to cut a lens at high spindle speeds, the cutting tool must be capable of extremely high accelerations. In our design we mount the cutting tool at the end of a rotary arm. This allows us to achieve higher accelerations and lower vibrations than conventional fast tool servos. This thesis describes the development of the RFTS, including component selection and testing. We also detail the design and fabrication of the RFTS that is installed in a prototype turning machine.