Optical Machined Components
What Machining Processes Are Used for Optics and Related Components?
There is an array of machining methods used for precision optics and related components such as CNC Milling, CNC Turning, diamond tool cutting, fly cutting tools, ball endmills, wire EDM, laser cutting and ultra-machining technology. Each method has its own specialization in capabilities to produce precision optical components and other components from industries running A-to-Z. Precision is inherent regarding optics as it has a long history of supporting breakthroughs early on in science and medicine. Of course, the early telescopes and microscopes may have been crude by today’s standards, but the inventors and subsequent manufacturers of optics learned the quality of an optical system was only as good as the manufacturing process. As technology moved forward and skills of manufacturing increased along with new materials being discovered and invented, optics and all other industries advanced enormously over the past 400 years. We can look at optics machining in two ways, with the first using machining technology for lenses, mirrors and prisms and methods used for lens housings, camera shutters, aperture stops, and washers for example. The following tables are included for review:
Lenses, Mirrors and Prisms, etc.
| Machining Method | Commonly Used For | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| CNC Grinding | Rough shaping of lenses, mirrors, and prisms | Glass, ceramics, crystals |
| Polishing | Achieving desired surface finish and shape accuracy for lenses, mirrors, and prisms | Glass, ceramics, crystals |
| Diamond Turning | Creating aspheric surfaces on lenses and mirrors, especially for metal optics | Metals, glass, ceramics |
| Ion Beam | Fine polishing and surface modification for lenses and mirrors | Glass, ceramics |
| Molding-Injection, Compression, Glass | Mass production of plastic lenses, some glass lenses | Plastics, glass |
Lens Housing, Camera Shutters, Washers, etc.
| Machining Method | Commonly Use For | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| CNC Milling | Lens housings, camera bodies, aperture stops | Metals: aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, molybdenum |
| CNC Turning | Cylindrical housings, lens barrels, filter rings | Metals: aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, molybdenum |
| Wire EDM | Intricate features in housings, apertures with small holes | Conductive metals |
| Laser Cutting | Aperture stops, camera shutters, washers | Metals: aluminum, stainless steel, tungsten, titanium, polyimides, non-conductive materials |
| Injection Molding | Simple housings, lens covers, baffles | Sheet metal (aluminum, steel) |
With such a variety of machining methods available optical machining manufacturers may have several of these systems in house or they may cooperate with other service providers who specialize in specific manufacturing methods to produce an optical component. The optics industry plays an important role in our modern society by providing eyeglasses to complex optical systems supporting scientific research, defense industries, medical industries, consumer products and the list goes on. Optical component manufacturing is the cornerstone of the optics industry and with revenue over 300 billion in 2021, will continue to rely on the precision provided and the crucial roles these machining methods provide for years to come.
What Are the Different Types of Optical Components That Can Be Machined?
Optical component manufacturing includes a vast assortment of different types of products and supporting elements. With multiple machining and manufacturing methods used, it is no wonder that this industry provides products for numerous consumer applications, and is deeply entrenched in the medical, science, defense, aerospace, automotive industries as well as municipal and civil needs as well as countless additional industries. Optics have become a big part of home security, traffic enforcement and transportation safety with the use of high-definition cameras. This technology also helped create a culture of online celebrities and social influencers. Without optics and the supporting technologies, what many of us enjoy, would not be possible. Advancements in technology always seem to have leaps in the quality of the products and the applications they are applied to. Much of this progress can be attributed to manufacturing technologies that need to continue growing in the skills and capabilities they offer. Consumer and industry demand for better optics and optical systems are supported by numerous methods and the following list are some of the most prominent used in machining components for the optical industry:
CNC Milling: Lens mounts, Mirror holders, Prism housings, Aperture stops, Camera bodies, Filter rings, Complex shaped components.
- Materials: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Titanium, Brass, Copper.
- Non-metallics: Ceramics, Delrin, Peek, Acrylic.
CNC Turning: Cylindrical lens mounts, Lens barrels, Filter rings, Shaft components, rotationally symmetric parts.
- Materials: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Copper, Brass, Titanium.
Wire EDM: Intricate aperture shapes, Complex lens mounts, Mirror holders, Small, precise holes, Thin-walled components, Hard-to-machine materials.
- Materials: Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Molybdenum, Tungsten, Titanium.
Laser Cutting: Flat optical components like washers, camera shutters, Aperture plates, Metal housings, Prototyping components.
- Materials: Thin gauges and foils of Aluminum, Stainless Steel, SomaBlack, Kapton, Tungsten, Titanium.
Injection Molding: Plastic lens mounts, Camera body parts, Lens caps, Filter rings, Mass-produced components.
- Materials: Thermo-Plastics like Acrylic (PMMA), Polycarbonate (PC), Polystyrene(PS), Cyclic Olefin Copolymers(COCs), Cyclic Olefin Polymers(COPs), Polyetherimide(PEI).
Precision machining manufacturers provide support for so many industries that we don’t realize the impact that they have on our economy and how much we use and rely on these parts and assemblies to function to their optimum levels and reliability. Optics and all the supporting systems are just one out of thousands of products manufactured. Your phone is a great example of optics in use and how much technology has advanced over the past 20 years. YouTube, Instagram and other online media have come into our lives by the advancement of optics for image and video, with ever increasing quality too. We rely heavily on medical diagnostics and treatments using optics and of course security at home and with our mass transportation industry. From recreational use to scientific research, optical machining service providers do not fill the gaps in manufacturing but rather are the foundation for this industry as integral suppliers of precision components.