|
|
OPTIMAX NEWSLETTER
Q4 2011 |
|
|
Optimax
continues to grow through volatile economic times with a unique
corporate culture that fosters innovative
manufacturing solutions enabling
customer success.
|
- Launch of
"Curiosity":
Another chapter in space exploration begins as the newest Mars rover,
"Curiosity" is scheduled to investigate the surface of Mars in Fall
2011.
|
 |
|
|
- East High Tour and Summer Optics
Sizzler: This
year,
15 East High School students (juniors, seniors, and two new graduates)
attended a four day manufacturing
technology program at MCC's Applied Technologies Center.
|
|
|
- The Optimax Expansion:
We are nearing the completion of Optimax's 20,000 square foot
addition to
our facility in Ontario, NY.
|
|
|
Optimax
has made several updates and enhancements to our web site. For
the latest on Optimax, please check it out at Optimax
Web Site .
Cheers,
|
| Rick
Plympton |
Optimax
Systems, Inc.
|
| CEO |
6367
Dean Parkway
|
| Optimax
Systems, Inc. |
Ontario,
NY 14519-8939
|
|
|
|
Toll
Free: 877.396.7846 |
|
E-mail:
sales@optimaxsi.com |
An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
|
|
|
|
Launch of "Curiosity":
|
| The
newest Mars Rover "Curiosity" is scheduled to launch November 25. The
Rover will assess whether Mars ever was, or still is habitable.
It will be harboring the most advanced instruments for
scientific
study and will be analyzing numerous rock and soil samples.
It is
powered by a radioisotope power system that generates electricity from
the heat from plutonium radioactivity. This will allow the
Rover
to extend it's mission a full Martian year or 687 earth days. |
 |
Optimax
has played a part in making this mission possible by providing many of
the optics being utilized by the Rovers cameras and in-situ
instrumentation. The following are the instruments Curiosity
will
be using to analyze the Martian surface:
- Mast Camera
- allows for advanced scientific studies of the landscape physiography
and processes. It will also provide observations of
atmospheric
and meteorological events
- Mars
Hand Lens Imager - a
new device that allows researchers on earth to see Mars surface
features that are smaller than the diameter of a human hair
- Chemistry & Mineralogy
X-Ray Diffractor - helps in identifying martian materials
- ChemCam
- a remote sensing camera that captures high resolution images that are
five to ten times as sharp as the shots returned from the Exploration
Rovers.
- Mars Instrument Suite
- searches the surface for carbon (including methane)
- Radiation Detector -
will characterize the full radiation environment on Mars and the
effects of radiation at the surface
- Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons
- will provide a way of detecting hydrogen and the presence of water
- Environmental Monitoring Station
- provides a daily report of atmospheric weather conditions on Mars
- Alpha particle X-Ray Spectrometer
- measures the abundance of chemical elements in rocks and soil
For more
information on the MSL Rover Mission and how these instruments work
visit
NASA's Mars Science Laboratory page.
|
Return to Top
An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
|
|
|
|
Optimax makes it to the Inc. 5000 again:
|
|
|
On August 8, 2011, Optimax was
informed that it earned a position on the Inc.
5000 annual
ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
The
Inc. magazine ranking has been providing evidence of the significant
accomplishments of
private enterprises for more than 30 years. Optimax is
honored to be
recognized for our accomplishments.
Moving forward, we will continue to focus on our progressive
corporate culture and seek market opportunities to leverage our
innovative optics manufacturing capabilities.
|
Return to Top
An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
|
|
|
|
East High Tour and Summer Optics Sizzler:
|
| Optimax
supports tech awareness in Rochester high schools. Fifteen
East High
School students (juniors, seniors, and two new graduates) attended the
Summer Optics Sizzler at Monroe Community College's
Applied Technologies Center. The "Sizzler" gives students the
opportunity to learn about optics manufacturing in hopes that they will
pursue a career in the field. Students
were divided into five groups, and each group worked on a different
optical experiment. They spent two and a half days running
experiments, collecting data, and creating a presentation. On
the
fourth day, they presented what they learned to their peers, team
leaders,
and to industry and academic representatives. |
 |
We had
guest
speakers, either optics students or young people from the industry,
that came in each day to address the students during lunch.
It
was a great way for us to reach out to the students and create a buzz
about optics. Outreach
programs such as the "Sizzler" are aimed at generating awareness within
the community that manufacturing in the United States is doing well and
there are jobs available. Half of the high school graduates
that
attended the event are now enrolled in the Optics program at MCC.
Also, 45 students
are taking the college level optics course offered by East High. The
school is in the process of incorporating a precision optics
fabrication lab into the program and it should be operational by the
end of the year. |
Return to Top
An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
|
|
|
|
MCC Optics Program is looking for a full time facutly member:
|
| Optimax
has a vested interest in the Optics program offered at MCC as a means
of developing new talented optical technicians. The Rochester
area
community college is now seeking applicants
for a full time
tenure-track teaching position in the Optical Systems Technology
program beginning January 1, 2012. |
 |
Duties & Responsibilities
• Knowledge
of, or experience in, implementing a variety of teaching strategies.
• Teaching
experience.
• Awareness
of the potential value of technology as a tool for teaching writing and
research.
•
Experience and/or interest in teaching online courses desirable.
• Ability
to develop collaborative, multi-disciplinary relationships that bridge
traditional educational boundaries.
•
Understanding of the integrated nature of technology and the ability to
translate knowledge into relevant curriculum.
The
applicants are required to have:
• M.S. or
higher degree in Optics or Imaging Science from an accredited
institution.
•
Significant industrial experience in the areas of optical manufacturing
and testing.
• Evidence
of effective communication (interpersonal, speaking, and writing)
skills.
•
Experience in the successful design or implementation of student
recruitment and retention strategies or comparable experience within
business or industry
• Evidence
of effective service to an academic
department, division, or college in a previous teaching position or
comparable experience within business or industry.
|
Return to Top
An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
|
| |
|
|
The Optimax Expansion:
|
| Before
Expansion |
|
 |
|
| After
Expansion |
|
 |
|
Contractors
have been busy over the last 6 months adding an additional 20,000
square feet to our existing facility. This build out will include 70
new hires and double our manufacturing capacity. The space will be home
to more lean manufacturing cells for large (100 to 400mm) high
precision optics. The expansion will also include two high precision
metrology labs that will enable 50th wave metrology data. Our
coating capabilities will also increase with the addition of several
coating chambers and the development of
high uniformity coatings for large optics.
To get more information about our expansion please visit Optimax's Expansion page.
|
|
Return to Top
An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
|
|
|
|
|
Employee
Profile: Pete Kupinski
|
 |
|
Pete
Kupinski has joined Optimax as a Senior Coating Engineer. He has eight
years of
experience in optical manufacturing. His
career in optics began as an R&D
engineer developing light-weight glass and ceramic optics for space
applications. More recently he spent five years at the University of
Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) designing and
manufacturing
high laser damage threshold optical coatings for ICF
applications. With Pete's experience producing and qualifying
coatings with
difficult
spectral and mechanical requirements across large apertures Optimax
will have broader coating capabilities.
He
received an MS in Ceramic Engineering & Materials Science from
Alfred
University and graduated in June with an MBA from the University of
Rochester’s
Simon Graduate School of Business.
|
Pete's
goal as our Senior Coating Engineer is to improve process performance
and repeatability. He will utilize his experience to incorporate
new coating capabilities which will enhance optical system
performance
and enable customer success.
Pete
enjoys playing a wide range of sports
and has recently started sailing. He and his wife
just had their second baby Luke, on October 8th.
If you'd like to learn more
about Pete, please contact us at sales@optimaxsi.com. |
Return to Top
An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
|
|
