Vertex Optics has the latest CNC grinding and polishing TECHNOLOGY and EXPERTISE for producing cylinder lenses and aspheric cylinders (acylinders) from prototype to production quantities. When creating the ground surface for both cylinders and acylinders, Vertex utilizes the OptiPro eSX 150 CNC optical grinder and OptiSonic 550X ultrasonic machining center. Both machines have 5-axes of motion, which is an important capability when generating acylinders as the aspheric prescription in the curved surface requires a more complex toolpath. Both machines have flexible machine travels to accommodate a range of part sizes: cylinders and acylinders up to 150mm can be generated on the eSX 150, while the OptiSonic 550X can handle lenses up to 300mm.
For precision polishing of cylinders and acylinders, Vertex employs the OptiPro UFF 300 and Triumph polishing machines which incorporate the sub-aperture polishing technology UltraForm Finishing (UFF). The UFF 300 and Triumph have 5-axis of precise motion control, making it ideal for complex geometries such as cylinders and acylinders. The tooling versatility of the UFF process makes it possible to polish lenses to sub-micron tolerances.
The eSX 150, OptiSonic 550X and Triumph each have user-friendly and powerful software to make the process of manufacturing cylinder lenses and aspheric cylinders easier and more efficient. Each machine can take on a variety of materials as well, including optical glasses, crystals, and technical ceramics.