As a key component in optics, the cylindrical lens plays an irreplaceable role in many cutting-edge fields such as laser processing, imaging systems, optical communications and so on due to its unique optical properties. It can focus or diverge light in one direction to achieve special optical effects, which provides important support for the innovative development of modern science and technology. Yighen Ultra Precision, with its profound technical accumulation, advanced equipment and professional team, has made continuous breakthroughs in processing cylindrical lenses to provide customers with high-quality, customized cylindrical lens products.
Material Selection: Laying the Foundation for High-Quality Cylindrical Lenses
Material selection is the first step in cylindrical lens processing, and it is directly related to the lens's optical performance, physical properties and application scenarios. Yighen Ultra Precision's rich material resource library and meticulous selection process ensure that the most suitable materials are chosen for different application needs, leading to high-quality, customized cylindrical lens products.
For optical instruments that require high transparency and good optical uniformity, such as microscopes and projectors, Yighen Ultra Precision prioritizes using high-quality optical glass, including products from well-known brands such as Schott Glass and Corning Glass. These glasses, characterized by low dispersion and high refractive index stability, effectively reduce the scattering and absorption of light during propagation, ensuring the clarity and color reproduction of imaging and demonstrating our commitment to providing superior products.
Optical plastics are ideal for weight- and cost-sensitive applications such as consumer electronics, wearable devices, etc. Yighen Ultra Precision stocks a wide range of high-performance optical plastics such as polycarbonate (PC) and acrylic (PMMA). These plastics, with good optical properties and the advantages of being lightweight, easy to process and mold, and low cost, meet the needs of mass production and product light-weighting, showcasing our versatility and ability to meet diverse customer needs.
In addition, for applications in special environments, such as high temperatures, high pressures, strong radiation, and other extreme conditions, Yighen Ultra Precision also offers cylindrical lens processing services with special materials. For example, materials such as quartz glass and sapphire are used, which resist high temperatures and radiation, ensuring that the pillar lens can still work stably in harsh environments.
Single Point Diamond Turning: Precision Cutting for Shaping Perfect Surfaces
Single-point diamond turning is one of the core processes of Yighen Ultra Precision's cylindrical lens processing, which is especially suitable for processing optical plastics and some soft metal materials. The company is equipped with several advanced single-point diamond lathes, such as Toshiba's ULC—100D (S) and ULC—100F (S), which are characterized by high precision and stability.
During the machining process, a highly hardened diamond tool acts like a master engraver, cutting the material at a single point under the precise control of the CNC. By precisely adjusting the cutting speed, feed, and depth of the tool's cut parameters, it is possible to realize high-precision machining of the curved surface of the cylindrical lens. Taking the processing of an optical plastic cylindrical lens as an example, the single-point diamond turning process can control the surface roughness at the nanometer level, and the surface shape precision reaches the submicron level, ensuring the smoothness and shape precision of the lens surface, effectively reducing the reflection and scattering of light on the lens surface, and improving the optical performance. This level of precision is a testament to our commitment to delivering high-quality products.
The single-point diamond turning process is not only precise but also highly flexible and customizable. According to customers' different needs, Yighen Ultra Precision's engineers can quickly adjust the machining parameters to realize the machining of cylindrical lenses with different curvature and aperture radii, which can meet the design requirements of various complex optical systems. This flexibility ensures that we can meet your specific needs and design requirements, providing you with the exact product you need for your optical system.
Grinding and Polishing: Striving for Excellence to Create Optical-Grade Surfaces
For cylindrical lenses made of hard materials such as glass, grinding and polishing are the key processes to improve surface quality and optical performance. Yighen Ultra Precision has a comprehensive set of grinding and polishing processes and advanced grinding and polishing equipment, such as Toshiba Ultra Precision Grinding Machines ULG—100D HYBS3 and ULG—100D (H3).
In the grinding stage, the glass blank is first coarsely ground using coarse-grained abrasive material to quickly remove most excess material and give the glass its initial cylindrical shape. As the grinding progresses, the fine-grained abrasive material is gradually replaced by fine grinding to improve further the surface flatness and precision in preparation for the subsequent polishing process. During the fine grinding process, Yighen Ultra Precision utilizes advanced CNC technology to control the grinding equipment's motion trajectory and pressure distribution to ensure that the cylindrical lens's face shape precision and dimensional accuracy meet the requirements.
Polishing is the next step in the grinding process and a key step in achieving optical grade surface quality; Yighen Ultra Precision uses advanced polishing fluids and pads to fine-polish the surface of the lapped cylindrical lens through both physical and chemical action. During the polishing process, parameters such as time, pressure and temperature are precisely controlled to achieve the desired surface finish. After grinding and polishing, the surface roughness of the glass cylindrical lens can reach the nanometer level, and the optical uniformity has been significantly improved, which can meet the stringent requirements of high-end optical instruments on imaging quality.
Molding: Efficient production to meet large-scale requirements
Moulding is an important process for Yighen Ultra Precision to realize mass production of cylindrical lenses, which has the advantages of high production efficiency and good product consistency. A high-precision mould is first required in the moulding process. Yighen Ultra Precision utilizes advanced mould manufacturing techniques, such as EDM and grinding, to create a cylindrical lens mould with high surface quality and precise dimensional accuracy.
Then, heated and softened optical materials are placed into the mould cavities. Under high temperatures and pressure, the materials fill the mould cavities and are cooled and solidified, resulting in a cylindrical lens that conforms to the shape of the mould. To ensure the quality of the moulding process, Yighen Ultra Precision strictly controls the process parameters such as temperature, pressure and time during the moulding process, and at the same time, adopts an advanced mould cooling system so that the cylindrical lenses are uniformly cooled during the moulding process, which reduces the internal stress and deformation, and ensures the dimensional accuracy and optical performance of the products.
The moulding process is suitable for the mass production of optical plastic and glass cylindrical lenses by optimizing the mould design and process parameters. Yighen Ultra Precision's moulding line is equipped with highly efficient automated production capacity, which can quickly respond to market demand and provide our customers with high-quality and low-cost cylindrical lenses.
Quality Assurance: Stringent Quality Controls to Ensure Product Excellence
Quality is the lifeblood of Yighen Ultra Precision. During the processing of cylindrical lenses, the company has established a perfect quality inspection system to strictly check each process to ensure that the quality of products meets international standards and customer requirements.
In the material inspection, Yighen Ultra Precision adopts advanced equipment such as spectral analyzers and densitometers to strictly test the chemical composition, optical properties, density and other parameters of raw materials to ensure that the quality of raw materials is qualified. Only raw materials that have passed the inspection can enter the production process, ensuring product quality from the source.
During processing, Yighen Ultra Precision utilizes high-precision measuring equipment, such as CMMs and laser interferometers, to monitor key parameters such as face shape accuracy, dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, and other critical parameters of the cylindrical lenses in real-time. Once parameter deviations are detected, the machining process is immediately adjusted to ensure the stability of product quality.
In the finished product inspection stage, Yighen Ultra Precision adopts various methods to inspect the cylindrical lenses comprehensively. In addition to the optical properties, the appearance of the cylindrical lens is also strictly inspected to ensure that the product's surface is free of scratches, bubbles, impurities and other defects. Only products that pass all the inspection items can be finally shipped out and delivered to customers.
Yighen Ultra Precision's excellence in cylindrical lens processing is attributed to its strict control of material selection, advanced processing technology, perfect quality inspection system and professional technical team. The company continuously pursues technological innovation and process optimization to provide customers with high-quality cylindrical lens products and promote the development and progress of the optical field. In the future, Yighen Ultra Precision will continue to plough into cylindrical lens processing, provide high-quality optical solutions for more industries, and help scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading.
