Abstract

High speed polishing is a polishing process which, unlike conventional polishing, requires neither tool adjustment during the polishing cycle nor frequent tool and machine-stroke corrections. Such a process should be very consistent. In order to achieve this consistency several conditions should be met: the lens blocker must run true, the curvature ground on the lens must be correct, the spindle speed, arm stroke, lap load and lap aperture must be maintained constant and tuned to each other and to the ground curve; the polishing slurry density, pH value and temperature must be controlled, etc. Now, no one should expect to receive an absolute recipe on how to do all these things, considering the fact that there are so many variants, such as blocker size, lens size, lens radius, material and tolerances, etc., etc. There are many years of investigations ahead of us. In the meantime, it is mandatory to run a pilot run for each job, in order to establish all the parameters before giving the production tools to the operator.

© 1982 Optical Society of America