Abstract
Autocollimators are versatile devices for angle metrology used in a wide range of applications in engineering and manufacturing. A modern electronic autocollimator generally features two measuring axes and can thus fully determine the surface normal of an optical surface relative to it in space. Until recently, however, the calibration capabilities of the national metrology institutes were limited to plane angles. Although it was possible to calibrate both measuring axes independently of each other, it was not feasible to determine their crosstalk if angular deflections were present in both axes simultaneously. To expand autocollimator calibrations from plane angles to spatial angles, PTB and VTT MIKES have created dedicated calibration devices which are based on different measurement principles and accomplish the task of measurand traceability in different ways. Comparing calibrations of a transfer standard makes it possible to detect systematic measurement errors of the two devices and to evaluate the validity of their uncertainty budgets. The importance of measurand traceability via calibration for a broad spectrum of autocollimator applications is one of the motivating factors behind the creation of both devices and for this comparison of the calibration capabilities of the two national metrology institutes. The latter is the focus of the work presented here.
Development of the Calibration Facility for Small Mass Flow Rates of Gases and the Sonic Venturi Nozzle Transfer Standard.
