Optical Alignment Device

Fans of Dan Gelbart might recognise the principle of this one:

**LINK**

https://www.huberlab.org/resources/optical-alignment-device/

MichaelG.

Clever design, I did not understand how the laser image presented a circular image and whether that image diameter reduced to a point when the axes were exactly at right angles in all planes. Particularly how the persistance of the projected beam worked. Normally such a beam would always only show as a spot, not a circle.

There is more detail about it here:**LINK**

https://opg.optica.org/boe/fulltext.cfm?uri=boe-9-8-3624&id=395204

MichaelG.

Unless I have misunderstood the details in the abstract and the fuller description in the second link, I dont think this device will be any use for centering a workpiece.

Its purpose seems to be to (only) ensure that the window is perfectly perpendicular to the microscope optical axis.

Ian P

You have not misunderstood, Ian

… this the optical equivalent of ‘tramming’

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 05/09/2023 04:16:27

I totally agree Michael.

However the device I saw in a Dan Gelbart video was for centering work for drilling/milling not tramming.

I will have to read the paper again but I did not get the impression that the accuracy of the optical device would be as good as using conventional (Spindle mounted DTI swinging over the table) but for its medical purpose it makse sense.

Ian P

I totally agree Michael.

However the device I saw in a Dan Gelbart video was for centering work for drilling/milling not tramming.

I will have to read the paper again but I did not get the impression that the accuracy of the optical device would be as good as using conventional (Spindle mounted DTI swinging over the table) but for its medical purpose it makse sense.

Ian P

.

Sorry if the comment in my opening post was misleading, Ian

What I meant was that it was an evolution from Dan Gelbart’s device.

MichaelG.