October 18, 2017
Following the successful launch of the Alignment Turning Station ATS 200 for the manufacturing of high-precision optical assemblies, TRIOPTICS is now officially presenting the more compact and efficient ATS 100 model.
Increasing demands on the performance of optical systems require tighter mechanical and optical tolerances in the assembly. The quality of objective lenses depends to a large extent on the centration of the individual lenses and their relative distances. For objective lenses of highest precision, the alignment turning of sub-elements with micron accuracy is the preferred manufacturing method. Finally, the sub-elements are tightly fitted into the lens barrel machined with comparable precision for achievement of the objectives.
TRIOPTICS ATS family offers the perfect solution of alignment turning stations, which machine the lens mounts in such a way that the lens centration and the air gaps between the individual optical components fit together perfectly. The ATS 200 model is characterized by its flexible workpiece holder and highest repeatability.
The new ATS 100 model is specifically designed and optimized for the serial production of optics with a diameter of up to 100 mm and a workpiece weight of up to 3 kg. The ATS 100 can be easily integrated into existing production areas thanks to its very compact footprint of 1 x 1 m2.
Compact ATS 100 alignment turning station
Following the successful presentation of the ATS 100 to individual customers, the new alignment turning station is now presented to the general public at OptiFab 2017 in Rochester, NY, USA. This presentation was accompanied by a lecture on October 17, 2017 by product manager Dr. Christan Buss, who was leading the development: "With the ATS 100 and its mineral composite base, we have succeeded in developing a very compact and economically attractive alignment turning station. Despite its compactness, the ATS 100 does not forfeit anything in terms of stability compared to the larger ATS 200."
As in the larger version, the quality of the manufacturing results is based on the integration of the proven TRIOPTICS OptiCentric® measuring technology, which measures the lens centration. The exact alignment of the workpiece can be achieved by means of an automatic alignment chuck with operator independent centering precision. It provides the basis for the subsequent machining.
One innovation is the continuous monitoring of the environmental conditions, which are measured in the station during machining. Temperature changes are directly taken into account in the machining process calculations. "This means that all workpieces have the same size under the same temperature conditions – with a repeatability of better 2.5 μm," explains Dr. Buss.
Same as with the ATS 200, the well-proven ATS Control software is used. A unique feature in the market is the single integrated user interface that controls all measuring and machining processes. The user is actively guided through all the steps and receives intelligent suggestions for the tool and turning paths. Once all parameters have been defined, the machining is automatically calculated and the result monitored. Finally, the traceability of the individual machined lenses is ensured by the test report.
