Science of and Advanced Technology for Cost-Effective Manufacture of High Precision Engineering Products. Volume 7

摘要

Much of the hardware of high technology is characterized by miniaturization, extremely close tolerances and position control within fractions of a micrometer. Both national security and primacy in international economics are directly related to strength in the development of advanced precision systems and their production at low cost and high reliability. Comparing the status of precision engineering in the U.S. with that of Switzerland, Germany, and Japan, countries with enviable trade balances suggests that the time has arrived for an explicit and aggressive program focused on developing a formal discipline of precision engineering in the U.S. It is recommended here that one facet of such a program be the creation of a series of monographs dealing in depth with the basic components and metrology of high precision control and manufacturing systems. Ten to fifteen such monographs could serve to direct U.S. engineering education in this direction or retain practicing engineers for entry into this field. The document is a suggested initial monograph and deals with the basic problem of precision mechanical linear guidance. Keywords: Thin film slideways; Thick fluid film lubrication; Linear slideways; Hydrostatic guideways; Aerostatic slideways; Machine tool guideways; Gas bearings; Friction.