Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT
Precision molding is an excellent means of manufacturing and machining complete optical parts made of glass – particularly in medium to large batch sizes. It is vital that the forming tools used, maintain form accuracy of well under one micrometer and surface quality within the range of only a few manometers. Tools for precision glass molding are produced via a ductile, ultra-precision grinding process.
In the course of numerous publicly-funded projects and close collaboration with companies from the optical industry, we have developed a whole host of different solutions in the field of replicative forming for optical parts. The range of services we offer extends from flat optics, spherical and aspherical micro and macro optics through freeform surfaces to non-rotationally symmetrical contours such as lens arrays.
Services
- Carrying out publicly funded research and development projects
- Analyzing and assessing optical parts in terms of their suitability for precision glass molding
- Conducting feasibility studies
- Producing prototypes
- Testing tools under production conditions