Profile error compensation in ultra-precision grinding of aspheric surfaces with on-machine measurement

A compensation approach based on the on-machine measurement was developed for the grinding of tungsten carbide aspheric moulds. In this approach, the on-machine measurement was employed to eliminate the profile error caused by the re-installation of the workpiece. A new method was proposed to reconstruct the actual ground profile based on the measured profile data. The overall profile error after grinding was obtained by subtracting the target profile from the actual ground profile along normal direction and was then used to generate a new tool path for compensation grinding. The experimental results showed that after three compensation grinding cycles the aspheric surface had a profile accuracy of 177 nm (in PV) with a roughness of 1.7 nm (in Ra). The on-machine measurement was in excellent agreement with the off-machine measurement by commercially available profilometers.