A study on the fabrication of main scale of linear encoder using continuous roller imprint method

Linear encoder composed of main and index scales has an extensive application in the field of modern precision measurement. The main scale is the key component of linear encoder as measuring basis. In this article, the continuous roller imprint technology is applied to the manufacturing of the main scale, this method can realize the high efficiency and low cost manufacturing of the ultra-long main scale. By means of the plastic deformation of the soft metal film substrate, the grating microstructure on the surface of the cylinder mold is replicated to the soft metal film substrate directly. Through the high precision control of continuous rotational motion of the mold, ultra-long high precision grating microstructure is obtained. This paper mainly discusses the manufacturing process of the high precision cylinder mold and the effects of the roller imprint pressure and roller rotation speed on the imprint replication quality. The above process parameters were optimized to manufacture the high quality main scale. At last, the reading test of a linear encoder contains the main scale made by the above method was conducted to evaluate its measurement accuracy, the result demonstrated the feasibility of the continuous roller imprint method.