Docter Optics Surprises Visitors with Robust, Glare-Free Miniature Lenses and an Economical Process for Industrial-Scale Production of Precision-Molded Glass Components
When it comes to imaging, unmanned and robotic systems, biometrics, fiber optics, visual analytics or security systems, the number of optical subassemblies used is increasing dramatically – and so is the demand for economical production.
And this is precisely where Docter Optics makes available a value chain that no other company can offer in this form. Docter Optics is not only the international market and technology leader in the area of precision-molded optical components, but has for decades also been a reliable source of lenses and optical subassemblies for special-purpose cameras and high-end imaging systems.
The sizeable investments the company has made in the improvement of industrial-scale molding technology for aspheres, free-form lenses, arrays and light pipes (homogenizers) opens up completely new perspectives for developers in the defense, security and sensing industries. As a result, optical applications that up until very recently would have been unthinkable for economic reasons have suddenly become thoroughly feasible. That applies in particular in the case of free-form lenses, which can combine a series of optical functions in the same lens. For quite some time, the complicated optical design of such lenses made large-scale production impractical. Today, Docter Optics technology even makes it possible to use optical glass for the production of large-format components with a degree of precision that provides the optimal solution for many applications in terms of economy. The samples Docter Optics has on display at Stand No. 339 show how this technology permits not only unprecedented freedom of design but also an impressive range of production possibilities.
The development and production of optical systems is a further important activity of Germany’s Docter Optics, which has been present in the U.S. with its own company since 1997. This location focuses primarily on the Tevidon, Auto-Tessar and Stilar lenses for which Docter Optics is well known. At the same time, Docter Optics is also an important development partner and supplier optical subassemblies for manufacturers in the areas of biometrics, digital imaging and visual analytics.
This year, industry professionals were particularly interested in the new Auto-Tessar series of miniature lenses. These lenses, the smallest of which weighs only 2.5 grams, absorb strong light reflections and veiling glare without the use of electronic means. These robust lenses are designed for use with both visible light as well as the near-IR spectrum (NIR) and have the technical specifications required to support a wide range of defense, security and sensing applications. Auto-Tessar lenses are the choice of preference for applications that call for clear images for processing purposes under extremely unfavorable light, radiation and environmental conditions or even when electronic outages must be expected.
Last, but far from least, industrial users are sure to be interested in the Stilar 2.8/8, a special super-wide-angle for 1.2" sensor chips, and the many possibilities Docter Optics offers users with its range of Tevidon CCD lenses.
SPIE Defense, Security + Sensing, Orlando, 13 - 17 April 2009
Docter Optics GmbH
09.04.2009
