December 03, 2013
Each year Guild Optical Associates attempts to find a good cause in which to donate optical components. The donation of optics is meant to help people with the studies of optics or the progression of sapphire use. In 2012 Guild Optics was fortunate enough to donate many lenses and windows to a children’s optical science program in California.
This year Guild Optics was approached by Keven Gemmell Jr. Kevin is a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Rhode Island and needed two forms of large sapphire windows for a medical project. Kevin’s words are stated below:
“Guild Optical Associates was contacted by me in hopes they could aid in the completion of my undergraduate senior Mechanical Engineering research project at the University of Rhode Island (URI). This project is being carried out in the Thermomechanics and Tribology Laboratory at URI.
The research project being conducted involves the investigation and experimentation of sliding wear of synthetic gemstone against various materials, particularly those used in medical applications and also those used in marine environments. The purpose is to determine the amount of wear debris generated and the wear rates between sliding surfaces, and compare the results to similar applications using conventional material combinations, none of which consider synthetic gemstone as a coating.
Guild Optical quickly responded with great interest and support for this project, and generously donated pieces of their rectangular synthetic sapphire windows to aiding the experimentation. These pieces of sapphire are a critical component that without them, this research project would not have been able to be completed. I have a great appreciation for Guild Optical, not only for their support and donation, but also for their flexibility in deviating from the optical field in order to help with a research project in which they see potential.”
Everyone at Guild Optical Associates wishes Kevin the best with his project. It is an interesting concept and could play a great role in the advancements of medical technology.
Testimonial by Kevin Gemmell Jr., Senior Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Rhode Island
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