Autumn 2018

Team : 4 students

Responsability: team leader

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In collaboration with Mr. Lonchamp, amateur astronomer

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Designing a Foucault apparatus for small series production

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Context

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The Foucault apparatus is an instrument to control the quality of curvature of a telescope mirror. Today, it is made of DIY by astronomers. The objective was therefore to design this instrument with the optical precision necessary for its use: clearance-free connections and deformations of less than 10 µm. In addition, the user will be able to choose between a manual mode - eye observation - and a remote mode - with a camera. 

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Studies carried out 

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We carried out architectural researches on the different sub-assemblies that make up the instrument: the knife, the travel trolleys, the light source, the remote module and the mirror holder. The mechanical resistances of the parts have been calculated and simulated: bearing forces, topological optimization, vibration resistance, etc.
Mechanical welding and the use of magnets lighten the system. All trolleys can be easily dismantled while ensuring that there are no gaps, which would have compromised the validity of the measurement of the mirror curvature.. 

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Digital model

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Finally, we made the digital model of the Foucault apparatus.
The carriages are moved by a prestressed ball screw, activated by motor or by hand via a knurled screw. The mirror rests on a strap that can be adjusted according to its size. The light source has a slit adjustable by micrometer screw to polarize the light. Finally, the remote observation module consists of several slide modules on 3 axes to position a Raspberry camera precisely. 

Throughout the project, we had our decisions validated by Mr. Lonchamp, the subject's lead astronomer. 

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