Alignment Turning

Innolite - Main building

Technical Background

Alignment turning to us means to machine a mounted lens to minimize tilt < 12 arcseconds and shift < 1 µm. It has been used in industry since the 1960s. Nevertheless, the technology is still not highly common in optical assembly. Innolite has been developing customer- oriented solutions and machine systems for over 10 years. We are glad to share our expertise in the field of lens design, measurability, machining, optics protection during cutting, cell design and mounting.
As well, proper tolerancing is a decisive topic to optimize the systems performance at the lowest possible cost.

Innolite - Main building

Lens Types for Centering

We cover the widest range of lens types in alignment turning at Innolite. For spheres and achromats we use our autocollimator metrology to determine the optical axis. The orientation of aspheric surfaces are characterized by full confocal scanning to the highest precision with our patented technology. Infrared lenses can be measured with an inline fully integrated laser alignment system by OptoAlignment. To measure micro optics with single millimeter diameter, we use special projection objectives to still receive sufficient signal quality.
Our unique chuck-less centering approach utilizes slow tool turning for the highest accuracy and unmatched productivity. Depending on the part, we can realize centering turning at up to 1,600 rpm.

Innolite - Main building

Centering of Lasers

We also use our alignment turning technology to align active components, such as lasers or diodes. With a battery-operated chuck, we allow for light emission of the active components during continuous rotation. These light beams are measured with our integrated metrology to seamlessly generate self-centering programs for machining of alignment mounts. This unique approach allows for efficient assembly processes and easy reinstallation of spares in the field.

Innolite - Main building

Mounts & Barrels

Since we work chuck-less by slow tool turning, our machines are fully developed ultra-precision CNC lathes. We can leverage this capability to your advantage, and machine high precision mechanics, such as barrels, spacers, and mounts. Due to the high stiffness of our machines, we cut commonly used aluminum and brass as well as steel, titanium or other high-performance metals.