PRODUCTION OF OPTICAL PARTS WITH
ADAPTED PROCESS AND MOULD TECHNOLOGY
Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV), Pontstraße 49,
D-52062 Aachen, Germany
ABSTRACT
This
paper presents research in the field of injection moulding and
injection-compression moulding of optical plastics parts. The injection
moulding of optical components requires sophisticated machine and mould
technology as well as a good know-how about the injection moulding process
itself. In this work, investigations were carried out on the basis of an
exemplary plano-convex lens. This exemplary lens with a diameter of 100 mm and
a maximum thickness of 15 mm was produced both using the injection moulding and
the injection-compression moulding process. The quality of an optical part is
dependent on the accuracy of its surface geometry and on its inner properties.
To analyse the influence of the main process parameters on the quality of the
exemplary lens, measuring methods and quality criteria were defined. The convex
surface of the lens was surveyed using an interferometer, the inner properties
were visualised with polarised images. This paper points out the effect of the
main process parameters on the quality of an exemplary lens. It compares the
results that could be achieved using the injection moulding process with the
results obtained by its variant, the injection-compression moulding process.