Development of an OCT system for measuring machining defects on a texturing laser machine

During the process of parts produced by texturing laser machine, the dimensional verifications are done manually. For a specified kind of laser, the machining pass may remove approximately few hundred nanometers of material to a maximum depth of 150µm after several sequences. If one could perform at least one measure after each laser pass, the machine will be able to correct by itself the defects and the flatness of the machined area. This research has the aim of detecting, measuring, and correcting in real time defects that may occur. To realize the feedback process, which is an innovation in that area, we have coupled an optical measurement system to the laser machining head. Such a system, developed by HEPIA, is an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) adapted for this specific application. Automatic verification will allow instant rectification of texturing defects bringing time saved of the produced parts