OptiCentric® & LensAlign - Doubles the Efficiency of Your Alignment Process
With its LensAlign modules for OptiCentric® TRIOPTICS has developed a production device for the lens alignment and cementing process that more than doubles the throughput of the lens alignment process while increasing the accuracy of the lens alignment.
Depending on the configuration the system can be used for:
- Alignment of a lens to another lens
- Alignment of a lens to an arbor
LensAlign for OptiCentric® is a perfect supplement for optical edging machines. As a preliminary step of the edging process, the LensAlign modules align and cement lenses. If the lenses are aligned and cemented to each other the lenses are fixed with the bell clamping method in the edging machine. If the lenses are cemented on an arbor, the arbor is fixed in the edging machine and the edge of the lenses is machined.
OptiCentric® with LensAlign 2D Standard for lens alignment and cementing
Key Features:
- Aligning accuracy with the software OptiCentric 9 and the Align Module better than 2 µm
- Very short cycle, 10 s with MultiCentric® measurement head
- Automated alignment of the centers of curvature of the top lens surface to a customer-specific axis with SmartAlign Technology
- Alignment to the optical axis of the lower lens or to the axis of an arbor
- Automated process: measurement, alignment and UV curing completely software controlled
- Adapted to the production processes of lens manufacturers
- Short set up time for other lens geometries
- Based on well-established OptiCentric® measurement systems
- High-precision measurement of centration error in reflection mode (< 0.1 µm accuracy)
Applications:
- Automated lens alignment and cementing: doublets and triplets
- Automated lens alignment and cementing to centration arbor or rod lens
- Lenses are aligned and cemented to the optical axis and can be fixed with bell clamping method on the centration machine
- High-precise measurement of centration error of doublets and triplets
- Homogenous UV curing with constant rotation during illumination
- Manual lens alignment and cementing relative to circumference of lens possible on the lens rotation device and with the alignment module LensAlign 2D Air
LensAlign 2D Standards for OptiCentric® aligning a pair of lenses
LensAlign 2D Standards for OptiCentric® aligning a lens to an arbor
Videos
OptiCentric® 9 – Comprehensive Software for the Centering Measurement
The new OptiCentric® 9 software allows intuitive control of the complete measuring and alignment process of an OptiCentric® system. For user-friendly operation, all setup steps and test sequences were mapped in linear processes. The newly designed software guides the user through all sub-steps, whereby only the relevant details are displayed. In this way, the software focuses on the essentials and increases process reliability.
The check begins with the selection of the relevant testing process. This can be, for example, the centration test of a single lens, the cementing of a doublet or triplet or the bonding of a lens into a mount. The user is guided through the setup steps and receives assistance wherever necessary. The software checks the respective inputs for plausibility and thus ensures the configuration of a correct process flow. Then the measurement takes place. Its measurement results are statistically analyzed and output in a clear table or integrated in a measurement certificate.
Centration error measurement with the software OptiCentric® 9
Key Features:
- Comprehensive and professional control of all measuring and alignment processes
- User-friendly and intuitive handling due to a linear process structure and guided processes
- Data acquisition and evaluation of all integrated sensors as well as checking the measuring process
- Patented MultiLens software module for the measurement of complex objective lenses
- Centration error calculation and alignment independent of the primary alignment accuracy of the reference element by a freely definable mechanical or optical reference axis (SmartAlign)
- Flexibly configurable data import and export allows a fast and complex connection to existing processes or databases
- Optional software extensions for the measurement of objective lenses, aspheres and cylindrical lenses
Software Modules for Special Tasks:
Configuration of a MulitLens measurement
The three powerful modules MultiLens, Alignment and SmartAlign make OptiCentric® a highly precise system for the inspection and alignment of complex objective lenses.
MultiLens: Measuring and Aligning Lenses to a Freely Selectable Reference Axis
MultiLens is the software module for measuring objective lenses. The centration error of each individual surface of an objective lens and the overall centration of the system are determined non-destructively. This information can be used to calculate the centration of each lens or sub-group to a freely selectable reference axis.
Alignment: Alignment of Lenses
The alignment module enables the production of doublet or triplets and mounted lenses. It supports the planning of the complete alignment process including the application of the adhesive and its curing.
SmartAlign: Centration Error Adjustment In Reference to a Pre-adjusted Axes Only
The SmartAlign module allows the precise and fast alignment of optical elements to a user-defined axis. This reference axis, which can be represented by optical or mechanical surfaces, only needs to be pre-adjusted for this process. Therefore, this unique tool is used successfully especially in automated OptiCentric® cementing and bonding systems.
LensAlign Modules for OptiCentric®
OptiCentric® in combination with one of the available LensAlign modules aligns and cements lens pairs quickly and accurately with an accuracy of better 2 µm. During the alignment process the upper lens is either aligned to the optical axis of the lower lens or to a mechanical axis, e.g. the axis of an arbor. To provide cementing solutions for all lens geometries and manufacturing processes TRIOPTICS offers different LensAlign modules which can be placed on any OptiCentric® or MultiCentric® system.
LensAlign 2D Air
The module LensAlign 2D Air enhances OptiCentric® systems by adding a software-controlled air manipulator and offers a cost-efficient solution for an entry-level active automated lens alignment. As the process enabled by LensAlign 2D Air does not require operator interaction, a persistent sample quality and an improved process safety can be guaranteed.
Lens alignment with the LensAlign 2D Air on a lens rotation device
Technical Data of LensAlign 2D Air
| LensAlign 2D Air | |
|---|---|
| Measurement accuracy | < 0.1 µm |
| Alignment accuracy | Up to 1 µm¹ |
| Cycle Time (measurement and alignment, not including curing time) | < 30 seconds |
| Sample size | Up to 50 mm² |
¹ Depending on the lens geometry
² Additional sizes upon request
LensAlign 2D Standard
The module LensAlign 2D Standard aligns and cements lenses with a sample geometry of D/(2R) ≤ 0.7¹. The unit can be easily adapted to different lens sizes and is therefore more flexible when different doublets need to be aligned within short notice.
LensAlign 2D Standard
Technical Data of LensAlign 2D Standard
| Coaxial alignment (3 surfaces) | Alignment on arbor (1 surface) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sample geometry ¹ | D/(2R) ≤ 0.7 | D/(2R) ≤ 0.7 |
| Alignment accuracy | Better 2 µm | Better 2 µm |
| Lens diameters ² | 4 - 90 mm | 4 - 90 mm |
| Time for change-over to other sample type (predefined set up) | 10 s | 10 s |
| Cycle Time | 1 min | 10 s |
| Cycle time with MultiCentric® measurement head | 10 s | on request |
¹ D = lens diameter, R = radius of curvature of the intermediate lens surface of the doublet
² Other diameters on request
LensAlign 2D Advanced
The module LensAlign 2D Advanced was developed to overcome the limitations of the LensAlign 2D Standard. All kinds of lenses can be aligned with this unit, including:
- hemispherical lenses
- lenses with D/(2R) > 0.7
- doublets where the edge of the upper lens in not accessible
- lenses with tight tolerances for cement wedge
The work angle of the linear actors can be adjusted between 0° and 90°
Technical Data of LensAlign 2D Advanced
| Coaxial alignment | |
|---|---|
| Sample geometry | All geometries |
| Alignment accuracy | Better 1 µm |
| Lens diameters¹ | 5 – 100 mm |
| Time for change-over to other sample type (predefined set up) | 5 min |
| Cycle Time | 1 min |
| Cycle time with MultiCentric® measurement head | 10 s |
¹ Other diameters on request
Lens alignment and cementing on arbor on request
LensAlign 4D
LensAlign 4D represents a module for the OptiCentric® 100 that enables the alignment and cementing of a small lens to a mechanical reference axis, such as an arbor or a cell. For precise positioning, the lens is placed on a thicker adhesive film and held by a micro-gripper, which shifts and tilts the lens in four degrees of freedom until the optical axis aligns with the mechanical axis. This achieves a high precision alignment without unintentional adhesive wedges.
Lens Align 4D working principle: Positioning of the lens on the arbor with four degrees of freedom
Technical Data of LensAlign 4D
| LensAlign 4D | |
|---|---|
| Positioning accuracy (independet of the arbor quality) | Up to 1 µm for shift and 5 arcsec for tilt |
| Cycle Time (measurement and alignment, not including curing time) | < 1 minute |
Upgrades & Accessories
The OptiCentric® systems are modular and can be expanded with upgrades and accessories to extend their range of application when measuring centration, aligning lenses and cementing of achromats:
Accessories for the Bonding and Cementing Process
Accessories for the Alignment and Assembly of Optics
UV light source, manual bonding unit with foot pedal, automated bonding unit, needles and tubes for bonding unit, other accessories
Manipulator for Various Sample Sizes
The manipulator can be adapted to different sample sizes. It is possible that the customer does the adaption.
Chuck
Various chucks are available for use when cementing to an arbor or a rod lens, which ensure both good pre-centration of the sample and a stable mount. Individual solutions may also be developed, depending on the geometry of the sample.
Adhesives
A range of different adhesives are available to choose from and purchase. In addition to the required accuracy, selection of the correct adhesive also depends on the refractive index, the geometry of the sample and the subsequent application. Therefore, the best solution always has to be found individually. Our professional team will gladly advise you if needed and automatically provide the appropriate adhesive.
Barcode Scanner
Barcode scanners are also often used in production to quickly and easily load design files of various types of lenses into the software.
Further Updates, Upgrades and Accessories
Additionally almost all updates, upgrades and accessories available for OptiCentric® are available for OptiCentric® Cementing as well.
