Design, development and manufacture of opto-mechanical systems and precision mechanics

Image of an engineer working on the final assembly of the grisms wheel of the EMIR instrument in the laboratory. Large black metal wheel with holes for optical components
Organizational Unit
MECHANICS DEPARTMENT
Description

The mechanical design process of a specific astrophysical instrument begins with the generation of the technical specifications of its mechanical systems. Next, we go through the stages of conceptual design, preliminary and detailed design, with the help of specialized software for 3D design and finite elements analysis and calculation. This allows to complete the set of mechanical characteristics, geometry, materials, treatments, finishes, etc., to be used in the different subsystems, as well as the tolerances assigned to each of them, in order to generate the manufacturing drawings and specifications. Subsequently it is necessary to follow up the manufacture of the components and, after dimensional verification, it is undertaken the assembly, integration and final verification of the different subsystems as well as the global system, both in the laboratory and in the telescope. The mechanical engineering team of the IAC already has numerous examples of scientific instrumentation whose structures, mechanisms and opto-mechanical systems have been designed, manufactured and verified in their facilities.

Related Technical facility
General view of the Mechanical Integration and Verification Laboratory. Medium-sized laboratory with work benches, electronic devices, mechanical tools and cabinets
Mechanical Integration and Verification Laboratory
The Mechanical Integration and Verification Laboratory provides the basic and specific infrastructures needed for the development and integration of the medium-sized mechanical systems developed at the Technology Division.
Alberto
Hernández González
General view of the Dimensional Metrology Laboratory with several measuring machines, one of bridge type on a table and another in the form of an arm on a tripod
Dimensional Metrology Laboratory
In the Dimensional Metrology Laboratory it is verified that the manufactured parts meet the required design specifications.
Partial view of the mechanics workshop with technicians working. Author A. L. Aldai. Large workshop with several manufacturing machines and a technician on the right adjusting a piece in one of them
Mechanics Workshop
The Mechanics Workshop main purpose is the manufacture, measurement and assembly of mechanical parts.
Type
Engineering applied to the design, development and verification of scientific instrumentation
Cosmology & Astroparticles (CYA, CTA)
Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)
Solar Physics (FS)
Stellar & Interstellar Physics (FEEI)
Formation & Evolution of Galaxies (FYEG)
Singular projects
Infrared instrumentation
Visible instrumentation
Microwave instrumentation
Adaptive Optics
Space instrumentation
Telescopes
Research and Development

It may interest you

  • Integrated Circuit (IC)
    Design, development and verification of Integrated Circuits
  • Setup in the laboratory for the characterization of optical fibers. View of a setup with several optical components and optical fibers on a laboratory table
    Design, manufacture and verification of optical fibres
    Within its capability to develop optical instrumentation, the IAC has a deep knowledge and experience in the design, manufacture and verification of optical fibres and their applications.
  • Night image of the Milky Way and the emission of a green laser from the OGS during tests of communications with La Palma. Author Daniel López.
    Design and development of optical laser communication systems
    Since its initial participation in the Optical Ground Station project for the European Space Agency, the IAC is a reference in the study and characterization of optical communications with artificial satellites from Earth.