Optical glass lens production process

In recent years, due to the development and advancement of science and technology, the manufacturing process of optical glass lenses, from molten raw materials to embossing molding, has adopted the consistent operation of automated production methods to improve the quality and production volume and reduce costs. Optical glass manufacturers often focus on developing new products, improving production technology and efficiency, improving quality, and reducing manufacturing costs, without expanding production equipment. Therefore, from order to shipment, it often takes several months. The manufacturing process for optical glass is as follows:

First, the manufacture of melting furnace: melting furnace has two kinds of clay furnace and platinum furnace. In recent years, optical glass infiltrated with rare elements has been used in a small platinum furnace to maintain quality stability.

Second, put into the optical glass raw materials: the melting furnace (especially the clay furnace) after a long time of drying, put into a special furnace and selected raw materials in the melting furnace, ready to melt.

Third, heating, melting, stirring: heating conditions, depending on the material. However, all materials must be mixed evenly for homogeneity.

Fourth, cooling: "Cold cold" for a long time. However, the length of time varies from material to material, which is the most important process to ensure good quality.

5. Furnace, sorting: Open the clay stove (Note 4), take out the blocky rough embryo and choose it.

Sixth, inspection, testing, integer: check or test their performance item by item to ensure good quality.

7. Cutting and chamfering (trimming): The block-shaped rough embryos are cut into small pieces and chamfered according to the purpose and specifications.

Eight, embossing molding: After the crude embryos are heated and softened, according to the specifications of the engineering drawings, the embossing is formed. However, it is necessary to manufacture or prepare various molds, tools, and auxiliary materials in advance.

Nine, burnt blunt: annealing passivation, eliminating internal stress.

X. Test and inspection: Test the optical performance and appearance of the embryo. The finished product will become the blank of the downstream industry (optical component manufacturing plant), and will continue to be processed and polished to become an optical component.

    The gas (gas) generated from the raw material at the time of melting remains in the glass, like a foam, and is a bubble. The traces of stirring will also remain in layers inside the glass, like stripes, called veins. At present, it is still difficult to melt an optical glass that is completely free of bubbles or veins. The yield is about 50 to 70%. Unqualified glass can be crushed, recycled, and remelted. Optical glass of the same type, when it is not melted in the same batch, may have different optical properties due to differences in raw material formulation or manufacturing conditions. Therefore, the manufacturer must attach the measured refractive index and Abbe number values to the finished product. It is very important that the downstream optical component manufacturer corrects its optical system design value according to this value if necessary.