Center Turning

The ILCentric300 is the leading ultra-precision machine platform for high-performance centering of mounted lenses with diameters of up to 250 mm. Various integrated optical and tactile sensors enable the centering of all relevant modern optics. The ILCentric does not use a conventional center chuck, but a unique dynamic turning process to correct the alignment of the optical axes from lens to frame. As a result, the machine can be used not only for centering turning, but also for the diamond turning process and the high-precision manufacturing of mechanical components. The machine utilization can thus be individually adjusted between centering turning and ultra-precise manufacturing in order to minimize depreciation periods.

Based on the experience with the ILCentric300, the ILCentric500 has been developed for centering large lenses with diameters of up to 400 mm. Furthermore, the machine offers space to integrate additional, permanently equipped measuring technology or processes such as the engraving of reference marks, the milling of reference grooves or automated assembly using robots. The ILCENTRIC does not use a conventional center chuck, but a unique dynamic turning process to correct the alignment of the optical axes from lens to frame. As a result, the machine can be used not only for centering turning, but also for the diamond turning process and the high-precision manufacturing of mechanical components. The machine utilization can thus be individually adjusted between centering turning and ultra-precise manufacturing in order to minimize depreciation periods.

ILCAM CT was developed to efficiently program highly automated center turning jobs consisting of diverse measurement routines for geometry and optical axis characterization, machining jobs, quality inspection routines and fully integrated quality documentation. Graphical user support and intuitive operation are fundamental elements of the software that interacts directly with the machine controller. ILCAM will give you ultimate geometrical freedom to taylor your mounts contour consisting of lines, champfers, radii and even threads.

The standard functionality of the ILCENTRIC is to center coated and uncoated mounted spherical lenses in a highly-automated way. The applied measurement routine is a precision autocollimator measurement. Diameters of up to 250 mm are supported on the machine. Customized solutions for larger diameters are available.

Depending on the customers mount design typical accuracies are:

– remaining eccentricity after machining < 1.5 μm

– remaining angular displacment < 0.2 arcmin

Achromats correct for chromatic abberation and are an important brick in optical systems. The autocollimator system will safely detect the single optical axis of the achromats lenses and will average for the overall optical axis of the achromat.

Aspherical lens shapes and free form surfaces become more and more relevant in modern optics design. Due to a unique confocal scanning system with a high accuracy fitting algorithm, the ILCENTRIC is the leading-edge platform for automated centering of aspherical and also free form optics.

Due to the Innolite unique aspherical scanning process for center turning operation, also infrared optics with at least one aspherical surface can be efficiently center turned to the highest precision. There is no need for expensive infrared cameras or light sources with the flexible surface scanning approach.

With lens diameters down to 0.5 mm, the ILCENTRIC center turning platform has been applied for machining micro optics. As there is no need for a mechanical alignment chuck, the highest accuracy as requested for micro optics can be achieved efficiently with the system.