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Sankyo Optical Industry Corp.

processing flow

Optical Lens Manufacturing

Bundles of light can be controlled
only if each step in the manufacturing process
is perfectly executed.

Optical lens production requires plenty of experience as well as maximum precision throughout the manufacturing process—from material procurement to processing, assembly and inspection.
All of our employees work as one to maintain and improve our product quality, each taking pride in our company's technology.

STEP 1 Materials

  • Purchasing materials from optical glass manufacturers
  • Purchasing materials from optical glass manufacturers

STEP 2 Rough Grinding

  • Carving a designated spherical shape
  • Carving a designated spherical shape

STEP 3 Grinding

  • Finer grinding process to optimize the lens thickness and surface roughness. An element becomes more transparent after rough grinding.
  • Finer grinding process to optimize the lens thickness and surface roughness. An element becomes more transparent after rough grinding.

STEP 4 Polishing

  • Polishing spherical shape and surface roughness according to designated accuracy levels
  • Polishing spherical shape and surface roughness according to designated accuracy levels

STEP 5 Centering

  • Most optical construction includes multiple lens elements of different shapes and materials.
    Geometrical centers (optical axes) of elements that are not accurately aligned will degrade the optical performance.
    Independently from element-to-element decenter, the optical axis of each single element is precisely located by the centering process, grinding the circumferential edge of the element while spinning it at high speed.
  • Most optical construction includes multiple lens elements of different shapes and materials.
    Geometrical centers (optical axes) of elements that are not accurately aligned will degrade the optical performance.
    Independently from element-to-element decenter, the optical axis of each single element is precisely located by the centering process, grinding the circumferential edge of the element while spinning it at high speed.

STEP 6 Coating

  • A lens element without antireflective coating reflects a great deal of light, significantly reducing transmissivity.
    By applying thin layers of coating, light passes through the lenses, efficiently minimizing surface reflections.
  • A lens element without antireflective coating reflects a great deal of light, significantly reducing transmissivity.
    By applying thin layers of coating, light passes through the lenses, efficiently minimizing surface reflections.

STEP 7 Cementing

  • Bending of light when passing through a lens element is not consistent across the entire wavelength range; instead light is scattered like a rainbow from blue to red.
    The bending angle also varies with different glass materials.
    To reduce these color smears (chromatic aberration), lens elements of different profiles and materials are cemented together, meticulously aligning the optical axis.
  • Bending of light when passing through a lens element is not consistent across the entire wavelength range; instead light is scattered like a rainbow from blue to red.
    The bending angle also varies with different glass materials.
    To reduce these color smears (chromatic aberration), lens elements of different profiles and materials are cemented together, meticulously aligning the optical axis.

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