Opti-Cal GmbH, a spin-off of the TU Kaiserslautern, has occupied a market niche in measurement technology: The from developed by the company enables the complete Calibration of optical measuring instruments, which can be used down to the sub-micrometer range work. The so-called calibration standards, in high-precision micro-3D printing already cover the standards of the future norm (DIN EN ISO 25178-700) for the calibration of the corresponding measuring technique. For these trend-setting development, the Kaiserslautern start-up received the Innovation Award of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate in the category "Special Award of the Minister of Economics 2020: 3D Printing", endowed with 10.000 Euro prize money.
Measurement technology makes today smallest details visible. For example, with optical topography measuring instruments functional microstructures on the surface of Scan and check components point by point. So that the devices are as precise and thus reliably measure, they must - like other measurement technology - regularly be calibrated. Calibration standards provide the necessary reference values, which are necessary to assess the accuracy and detect deviations can.
The new Opti-Cal developed test specimen combines six different microstructures in four different sizes - from star-shaped grooves to cross grids with surfaces from 100 by 100 to 800 by 800 micrometers. "In total, this results in 24 measuring ranges. With these forms a complete calibration of the measuring technique possible," says Dr. rer. nat. Julian Hering. "Under a microscope, it is possible to Cover magnifications from 5 to 100 times."
And the best part is: All test parameters, which will be used in the future standard for the calibration of laminar topography measuring devices, Opti-Cal fulfils the requirements of the Universal standard already in advance. "It is, of course, perfect for us to be tool in the offer, with which customers can test the upcoming test specifications from the beginning in accordance with the standards", emphasizes Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Georg von Freymann, one of the four company founders and head of the working group (AG) Optical Technologies and Photonics at the TUK. "From today's perspective there are no comparable solution on the market."
Co-founder and Head of Development Julian Hering adds: "The Innovation Award of the state is for us now the visible recognition that our idea of economic and social relevance; he and his colleague Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Eifler from the department of mechanical engineering and Process engineering at TUK controls the operational business of the start-up. The fourth Partner in the company is Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Seewig, who holds the chair of Metrology and Sensor Technology at the TUK.
The initiative to make Opti-Cal is part of the interdisciplinary cooperation in the Collaborative research center 926 "Bauteiloberflächen" (component surfaces) created at the TUK. The four later founders of the company discovered how Profitably combining high-precision 3D printing and high-precision metrology in order to be able to calibrate measuring instruments even more easily than before was. Two things are on the agenda for the future: "Since the draft of the new standard will soon be finalized, we are working on making sure that our test specimen is relevant manufacturer catalogs is listed", explains Dr. Hering. "Parallel we will be certified as a calibration laboratory, so that we can also be able to perform job calibrations."
Further information about the Startup under www.opti-cal.de.
Further information about the Innovation Award under www.innovationspreis.rlp.de.
Questions to:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Eifler
Opti-Cal GmbH
Tel.: 0631 34359706
E-Mail: eifler(at)opti-cal.de
Dr. rer. nat. Julian Hering
Opti-Cal GmbH
Tel.: 0631 34359706
E-Mail: hering(at)opti-cal.de