Acta Optica Sinica, Volume. 40, Issue 9, 0912001(2020)

Optical Measurement Method for a Traveling Wave Tube Helix

Jian Wang*, Fei Li, and Youwei Fang
Author Affiliations
  • Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101407, China
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    A high-efficiency optical method was developed to solve the problems of measurement inefficiency and instability in the helix of a traveling wave tube (TWT). This method offers several improvements over existing methods. First, a device for helix placement and adjustment based on double standard bar rolling was chosen to make the rotation angle of the parts controllable and the placement straightness within 0.01 mm. Second, a linear viewfinder was used to effectively increase the stability of the automatic edge finding process by avoiding burr and overturn interference; the repeatability of the measurement results was better than 0.8 μm. Next, a port inner diameter measurement setup based on a 45° rectangular prism was developed to obtain a distinct contrast imaging effect, and the helix’s outer surface roughness was measured using a laser confocal microscope; the measurement results were in good agreement with those in process law. Finally, high efficiency and flexibility was achieved by applying a segmented array programming strategy and intersection distance algorithm for the detection of the stepping pitch helix; the detection time for a single helix reduced to one-third that of the existing method. These results are of great significance for improving the qualification rate of helical TWT products and realizing their batch production.

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    Jian Wang, Fei Li, Youwei Fang. Optical Measurement Method for a Traveling Wave Tube Helix[J]. Acta Optica Sinica, 2020, 40(9): 0912001

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    Paper Information

    Category: Instrumentation, Measurement and Metrology

    Received: Dec. 11, 2019

    Accepted: Jan. 15, 2020

    Published Online: May. 6, 2020

    The Author Email: Wang Jian (wjnust@163.com)

    DOI:10.3788/AOS202040.0912001

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