With most manufacturing processes, custom optical products are normally mass produced without consideration for individual design features or specifications. A unique, one-of-a-kind coated film is selected and mass produced with standard features and characteristics. Once completed in the clean-room, the coating is inspected for flaws and quality assurance before it is packaged for sale. However, there may be times when certain coatings need to be adjusted to better serve the purpose or to address new design requirements. Get more detaisl about custom optical products on this page.
For this purpose, there is a need for in-line inspection and testing of the final product to confirm that all the coating features have been met. The inspection process includes determining the parameters of measurement and taking a close-up photograph of the coated film for comparison purposes with a pre-production model. If the in-line inspection confirms that the parameters have been met, adjustments can then be made and the coating can be released. But sometimes, the coating may still need to be adjusted or changed according to production requirements, which will necessitate another round of in-line inspections.
One of the advantages of in-line inspection is that it provides information on the thickness and other physical properties of the final optical films. This will help in determining the quantity and quality of coating material needed for a particular job. Another advantage is that the in-line inspection process eliminates additional clean-room work, saving time and money, as well. The amount of clean-room time spent on each job will vary depending on the number of features to be measured, the complexity of the measurement process and the type and quality of the coating material being used. The total time needed for in-line optical inspections, when multiplied by the number of features to be measured, would provide a rough estimate of the additional cost of coating each job.
Other methods used in optical inspection include photo-lithography, digital-ridge scanning, microwave-wave radiation imaging, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and ultrasound-based methods. With the advent of newer technologies, newer generation of coating processes has emerged, too, allowing manufacturers to meet the growing demand for quality products at competitive prices. Some of the latest technologies available are: pulse oximeters, laser-based inks, dye-sublimation dry Film Lithography (DSDL) and surface acoustic wave emission (SAWED). All these methods are highly effective and have the ability to measure small and large features without additional clean-room time. Visit https://pfgoptics.com/products/ to get the best custom optical products shop.
The key benefits of using in-line inspection are: faster process evaluation, better time management, higher reliability, improved flexibility, lower cost, and increased production. These advantages lead to an overall reduction in cost of production, thereby increasing profitability. In addition, the absence of clean-room work reduces the environmental impact of manufacturing, as well as contributing to the social and environmental welfare. The use of in-line coating techniques also ensures that the right coating is chosen for specific applications and that materials and coatings are compatible with each other.
The process of in-line inspection involves high-speed, high resolution, and high volume production. It offers a flexible and efficient method of evaluating the physical properties of optical media that can include: fiber optics, polymers, plastics, and crystals. This technology is capable of fine-tuning measurements and is highly applicable in a wide range of optical applications. In addition, this technique makes use of extremely high optical transmission and emphasizes high optical clarity, high durability, and excellent optical quality. It also offers a high level of cost effectiveness, high reliability, and a long service life. Check out this related post to get more enlightened on the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optics.
