PROJECT TITLE: Minianture, Rugged, Low Cost Surface Roughness Instrument
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Current surface roughness instruments can cost from $60k to $100k and above and, for the most part, are not only rather large and bulky, but some require special provisions even in a laboratory setting. The focus of this program will be to develop an instrument that retains the accuracy of these large, expensive, mostly laboratory instruments at one tenth of the cost (the $5k-$8k range is targeted) in a rugged, miniature package. The concept system consists of a measurement head and a display/readout. It is envisioned that the two will be connected by an umbilical consisting of a single mode fiber optic and a data link. The measurement head is anticipated to be extremely small: approximately 1.87 inches in diameter by 2 inches tall. The concept for the instrument head is very elegant and simple and consists of an extreme minimum part count in order to reduce the size, while increasing maintainability and reliability. It is anticipated that, through careful design and analysis, the accuracy of the instrument will not be compromised in order to achieve these goals.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The optical manufacturing industry (electroforming and diamond turning in particular), the ball-bearing industry, and the auto-paint industry would be considered as potential users of this technology. Several other potential industries have extremely good potential: semiconductors, computer disks, flat panel displays, rolling of paper, metal and film, and the manufacture of high gloss components. The projected size and cost of the instrument will introduce the instrument into markets never before thought possible.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
John Harchanko
AZ Technology, Inc.
4901 corporate Drive, Suite 101
Huntsville , AL 35805
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
AZ Technology, Inc.
4901 Corporate Drive, Suite 101
Huntsville , AL 35805