Custom optical lens prototyping and manufacturing can be a time-consuming and costly endeavor. High upfront investments are most likely required before you even hold a physical prototype in your hands. Even worse, custom optical lens prototyping with conventional methods might take weeks or months. This means you will lose valuable time in which your competitor might get a head start with their product launch.
Fortunately, there is an alternative. At Addoptics we have worked hard on our unique optics manufacturing service which enables you to save both time and costs in custom optical lens prototyping and production.
What are optical lenses?
First things first, what do we define as an optical lens?
An optical lens is a transparent optical component that is being used to either diverge or converge light from a peripheral object. The light rays will then form a virtual or real image of the object. An optical lens will pass or transmit light. Applications of optical lenses include magnification, image focusing, and correction of optical aberrations.
Prototyping custom optical lenses
We combine an additive manufacturing process with vacuum casting. This enables you to manufacture optics with the speed of 3D printing, while also benefiting from high accuracy, optimal surface roughness, and precision. If you are looking for optics prototyping or small series production, our technology is precisely what you need.
Manufacturing custom optical lenses
Once your initial prototypes have been tested and approved we can seamlessly scale up to series production. Because our technology is both suited for prototyping as well as series production we can quickly transfer from the prototyping phase to production.
Advantages of our custom optical lens manufacturing technology
With our technology, you can combine the best of both 3D printing and vacuum casting. This combination enables us to keep costs low and decrease time to market. While at the same time delivering high-quality optical components for your custom projects.
Benefits of our technology include:
- Save time and money
- Lower risk
- Last-minute changes are possible
- Full design freedom (incl. freeform optics)
- Cost- and time-effective testing of custom optical lens prototypes
- Minimized investment in tooling
- Shipment in days, instead of weeks
Let’s take a closer look at two of the main benefits of our technology, namely reducing costs and improving time to market.
Reduce costs
Even though we are able to give you full design freedom we are still able to offer custom optical lenses for an affordable price. We can manufacture complex shapes and surfaces for competitive prices.
Upfront investments and tooling costs are reduced to a minimum. This enables you to quickly and cost-effectively prototype various iterations of your optical products. Which in turn helps to reduce risk later on in the project, as you have more time and budget to thoroughly test and optimize, without fear of missing your deadlines.
Reduce time to market
Shorter lead times will allow you to get ahead of your competitors, meet deadlines more easily, increase order fulfillment and avoid being late to market. With our technology, you are able to drastically decrease the time between your initial physical prototype to series production of your custom optics.
By relying on our unique and fast process to test, iterate and produce your custom optical lenses it becomes easier to bring your products to market in a short amount of time. Reducing time to market will help you optimize profitability and helps you get ahead of your competition.
You might be thinking we can only achieve such manufacturing speeds by modifying stock optics. But on the contrary, we rely on a unique technology that combines vacuum casting with additive manufacturing to achieve a shorter time to market. Innovation has become accessible, fast, and cost-effective. Start working with us and receive your custom optical lens within only 6 working days.
From prototype to custom optical lens
Are you looking for a quick, cost-effective way to incorporate custom optics into your project?
Are you looking for ways to cut costs while improving time to market?
Addoptics offers the most flexible optics manufacturing service for prototyping and series production. We enable you to create unique, custom optical lenses for your projects while shortening lead times and reducing costs.
Reach out to us to discuss your project and discover the benefits of our technology for yourself.