IOActive Inc.

Develop a Motorized Angular Adjustment Head for a Mechanical Polishing System

This project addressed limitations in a mechanical polishing system that relied on manual, skill-dependent angular adjustments. It aimed to convert that process into a hands-free polishing platform by integrating motorized goniometer stages for tilt and theta adjustment, a motorized z-stage, and a Windows-based graphical interface. The system was intended to support very fine angular changes on the order of less than 0.01 degrees, provide variable sample loading from 20 g to 400 g, and guide operation through an intuitive interface that reduced the need for manual expertise. These results will provide a more reliable and accessible method for angular adjustment, along with a gentle, repeatable touchdown sequence designed to reduce the risk of sample damage during polishing.