Overview

From the point of view of a lens manufacturer, what design attributes have the most influence on manufacturing efficiency? The primary design considerations are optical material, component size, shape, and manufacturing tolerances. All of these attributes are variable at the design phase and can have significant impact on lens manufacturing costs.

In order to narrow the scope of this chapter, the text assumes the manufacture of a precision glass lens of approximately 50-mm diameter using grinding and polishing techniques. The information is presented in the following order:

1. Material. A summary of manufacturing considerations for optical glasses

2. Manufacturing. An overview of conventional and advanced process technologies

3. Special fabrication considerations. A review of tolerancing trade-offs and finishing options

4. Relative manufacturing cost. An analysis of manufacturing variables

5. Sourcing considerations. Suggestions for achieving project goals

6. Conclusion. A summary table for quick reference

While this analysis is based on a 50-mm-diameter glass lens, it can also be adapted to include specific market niches such as microoptics (diameters smaller than 5 mm), macrooptics (diameters larger than 300 mm), prisms and flats, molded glass and plastic optics, diamond-turned crystal and metal optics, and diffractive optical elements. These niches are addressed in additional chapters of this book.

Material

There are more than 100 different optical glasses available worldwide, and each has a unique set of optical, chemical, and thermal characteristics. Only a few glass manufacturers in the world produce these optical glass-es, and each manufacturer has a company-specific glass-naming convention. Cross-referencing...