Freeform optics have emerged as a new tool for optical designers and integrators. Manufacturing innovations are gradually increasing availability of precision freeform optics.

The top five common freeforms have gained popularity with lens designers and optical system interrogators. 

Optical systems must perform under environmental conditions including thermal and mechanical loading. To predict the performance in the field, an integrated analysis combining optical and mechanical software is required to understand optical performance. 

Freeform optical shapes or optical surfaces that are designed with non-symmetric features are gaining popularity. This enabling technology allows for conformal sensor windows and domes that provide enhanced aerodynamic properties

Conformal windows pose new and unique challenges to manufacturing due to the shape, measurement of, and requested hard polycrystalline materials. Optimax has developed a process for manufacturing conformal windows out of fused silica, glass, zinc-sulfide multispectral, and spinel. 

Freeform optical surfaces are gaining popularity with lens designers and optical system integrators as a method to solve complex optical system design problems. Fortunately, advances in optical manufacturing have opened the possibility for designers to manufacture these complex surfaces

Freeform optical shapes that are designed with non-symmetric features allow for conformal sensor windows and domes that provide enhanced aerodynamic properties as well as environmental and ballistic protection

Freeform and conformal optics have the potential to dramatically improve optical systems by enabling systems with fewer
optical components, reduced aberrations, and improved aerodynamic performance

For more than 100 years, optical imaging systems were limited to rotationally symmetric lens elements, due to limitations in processing optics. However, the present application of CNC machines has made the fabrication of non-rotationally symmetric lenses, such as freeform surfaces, economical

The VIBE™ process is a full-aperture, conformal polishing process that has the potential to be introduced in areas of today’s modern optics manufacturing process

Improvements to sensing hardware and image processing for airborne optical systems have inspired designers to propose new optics and windows to be: more precise, conformal/freeform and multi-functional. 

Freeform optical shapes or optical surfaces that are designed with non-symmetric features are gaining popularity with lens
designers and optical system integrators. Tolerances on a freeform optical design influence the optical fabrication process

Freeform surfaces typically have little to no symmetry, making the alignment of the surfaces difficult. Fiducials are required to achieve higher accuracy measurements of freeform optical surfaces

Freeform optical surfaces, which have little to no symmetry, are gaining popularity with lens designers and optical system integrators. Using fiducials properly leads to higher accuracy measurements and allows more control of the surface throughout the manufacturing process

Our robotic polishing platforms are able to polish large, difficult-to-make optical surfaces with minimal surface error. 

Proper metrology is required to monitor and verify the freeform fabrication processes to improve capability and precision

The freeform monolithic multi-surface telescope design has all its off-axis optical surfaces manufactured from a single optical blank, resulting in truly monolithic telescope design, providing improvements in stability and payload. 

The addition of VIBE smoothing as the final optical fabrication process yields highly smooth surfaces on polycrystalline aspheres, improving optical performance. 

Optimax has developed a variety of new deterministic freeform manufacturing processes by combining traditional optical fabrication techniques with cutting edge technological innovations