This invention is for a robotic system that is designed to polish multiple regions of a large optical surface simultaneously. It includes a novel internal propulsion mechanism that uses coils to drive a magnetic weight along a circular track. This method can accelerate the mirror fabrication time, eliminating the need for off-line testing, reducing downtime and improving overall efficiency. Background: Conventional polishing of meter-class optics can take several years to complete and often is a bottleneck in preparing mirrors for large telescopes. This novel method uses a coil propulsion system in order to polish mirrors for telescopes with integrated monitoring and process control. This approach enables in situ, real-time monitoring and evaluation of surface quality, thereby eliminating the need for off-line testing. As a result, it reduces process downtime and enhances overall operational efficiency. Applications:
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