Analysis and experiment of a pneumatic-hydraulic composite support system for in-situ mirror processing and testing

To address the deformation issues caused by the self-gravity and machining stresses in the process of large-aperture mirror fabrication, this paper proposes an in-situ switchable pneumatic-hydraulic hybrid supporting system that enables the seamless transition between machining and testing. By facilitating in-situ switching, this system not only reduces the machining time of large-aperture mirrors, thereby enhancing production efficiency, but also mitigates the risks associated with traditional switching methods that may result in mirror damage due to human error. Three typical working conditions of the hybrid supporting system, namely hydraulic machining support, air-floating testing support, and three-point rigid support, are investigated in terms of mirror loading through a finite element simulation. Additionally, an experimental platform is constructed to validate the proposed system. The experimental results affirm the feasibility of the designed pneumatic-hydraulic hybrid supporting system. This system will serve as a technological support to advance the rapid development of large-aperture space telescope manufacturing techniques.(c) 2023 Optica Publishing Group