Learning from the metalworking industry

Combining CNC technology with a high-speed spindle has created an automated system for the production of lenses in minutes instead of hours or days.

Combining CNC technology from the machine tool industry with a SC 60122 high-speed spindle system delivers speeds up to 30,000 rpm. Built by Precise Corp., Racine, WI., the 13kW (17 hp) spindle helps produce lens in minutes instead of hours or days.

Opticam machining centers, developed under the sponsorship of the American Precision Optics Manufacturers Association (APOMA) and the U.S. Army Material Command, eliminate the specialized tooling, long cycle times, and special craft skills required with conventional lens grinding equipment. The Optical SX machining center was developed at the University of Rochester's Center for Optics Manufacturing (COM), in conjunction with Optipro, an Ontario, New York-based builder of CNC machinery.

"There were no CNC automated spherical generators that also performed functions such as edging, centering, beveling, truncating, and shaping. Using a multiple tool sequential grinding operation, we get a very good finish and alignment. In addition, we get excellent shape accuracy and the ability to finish the lens in one setup," explains Donald Golini, head of the cooperative manufacturing science program at COM.

The Rochester-based team borrowed software, hardware, and CNC technology from the metalworking industry and adapted them to optics. Their computer-controlled machining centers now produce lenses with levels of surface roughness and subsurface damage so low, final polishing in some applications is not required.

The SC 60122 High-Speed Spindle System provides infinitely variable speeds from 5,000 to 30,000 rpm. The 13kW (17 hp) spindle is powered by a variable frequency converter and is liquid-cooled to maintain a stable operating temperature. The spindle is also equipped with a pneumatically-actuated drawbar for automatic tool changing by the machine's eight-position robotic changer.

The Precise Corp.
Racine, WI
precise-corp.com
Circle 203