Design for Manufacture of High-resolution 3D Printed Rotation Optics

Freeform Optics explores the evolving impact of freeform optical surfaces on optical systems for both imaging and illumination. The scope features work on the optical design of imaging systems with freeform surfaces, evolving methods for surface representation for illumination system optimization and a perspective on the new challenges these surface present to optical testing.

3D Printed Varifocal Freeform Optics

In the paper ‘Design for Manufacture of High-resolution 3D Printed Rotation Optics’, design and manufacture of a novel varifocal freeform optics by means of high-resolution 3D printing are presented. Tuning of its focal length is achieved by mutually rotating two lens bodies around the optical axis.

3D structures additively manufactured in optical quality by means of UV-cured inkjet printing of polymers are on the market already (Luximprint, red.). Hence, this manufacturing method opens up a high potential for creating new approaches and solutions for optical systems [10] and is thus used for the fabrication of the rotation optics.

A publication by Ingo Sieber, Daniel Moser, and Ulrich Gengenbach for Freeform Optics, in Proceedings of the Optical Design and Fabrication 2019 (Freeform, OFT) conference, held from 10–12 June 2019, Washington, DC, United States.

Get the article at the OSA Publishing website, the Conference Proceedings can be obtained here.