Key advantages of ‘application-optimised’ custom optical design

Whether you are designing a new product or looking to extend the life of an existing optical product, opting for a custom optical design can minimise any compromises by designing the lens from the ground up to exactly match your needs.

Design parameters that can impact the suitability of a lens for your camera, optical instrument or sensor include:

Size – increasingly optical applications are constrained by a lack of space in which the measurement device can be situated. Keeping lens design compact is a speciality of Resolve Optics.

Format – Sensors are constantly evolving with a notable trend towards non-standard standard formats. Custom lenses are often the only choice if you want an optical system optimised to leverage top performance from a non-standard format sensor.

Resolution – to gain more information from an optical measurement typically requires higher resolution. Achieving highest possible resolution is rarely done with a standard off-the-shelf lens.

Aperture – Lens performance is affected by how much light you can get through it – this is commonly known as the lens F-number. Custom lens design helps you achieve the maximum F-number within the constraints of your application

Wavelength – Most applications have a key bandwidth or wavelength at which optical measurement / sensing is optimally carried out. Rarely do off-the-shelf lenses provide peak performance in the key bandwidth / wavelength for your target application.

Lens housing – Some applications and operating environments place great demands on an optical system. Consequently, having a custom lens housing or mounting arrangement can, for instance, minimise the detrimental effect of vibration or shock.

Security of supply – choosing to incorporate an off-the-shelf lens into your optical product may seem like a good idea but it offers you no security of supply. A key consideration for many companies when choosing a product is security of supply. With a custom lens design from Resolve Optics there is no risk of the lens ever being discontinued, for as long as you keep placing orders, we will continue to manufacture the lens.

While choosing an ‘application optimised’ custom lens design has many advantages, if a suitable off-the-shelf lens is available, we will always make this known to you.

Click here to learn more about application optimised custom optics.