title: Development of a compression molding process for three-dimensional tailored free-form glass optics.
abstract: Because of the limitation of manufacturing capability, free-form glass optics cannot be produced in a large volume using traditional processes such as grinding, lapping, and polishing. Very recently compression molding of glass optics became a viable manufacturing process for the high-volume production of precision glass optical components. An ultraprecision diamond-turning machine retrofitted with a fast tool servo was used to fabricate a free-form optical mold on a nickel-plated surface. A nonuniform rational B-spline trajectory generator was developed to calculate the computer numerical control machine tool path. A specially formulated glass with low transition temperature (Tg) was used, since the nickel alloy mold cannot withstand the high temperatures required for regular optical glasses. We describe the details of this process, from optical surface geometry, mold making, molding experiment, to lens measurement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial, Welding, and Systems Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA. yi.71@osu.edu
authors.forename: Allen Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Chunning
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Klocke
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brecher
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pongs
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Winterschladen
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demmer
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bergs
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merz
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Niehaus