Nonisothermal glass molding for cost-efficient production of glass optics

What is it about?

A newly developed glass molding technology, namely Nonisothermal Glass Molding (NGM), enables a cost-efficient production of complex precision glass optics. The innovative NGM technology possesses many attractive advantages against the state-of-the-art Precision Glass Molding (PGM), including increased mold lifetime, less energy consumption, and high throughput from a fast process chain. Several unique features of NGM compared to PGM process, for example the formation of chill ripples and the boundary for glass sticking, are discussed in this research. Successful numerical modeling and available simulation tool for the NGM process as well as an approach to optimize the process parameters promise a quick time-to-market technology, providing industrial companies in the photonic market an efficient production of complex precision yet low-cost glass optics.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This research introduces a new concept in glass molding processes of which the time required for a unit molded glass optic can be reduced to several seconds, while the mold lifetime can be increased and less energy consumption can be obtained. For this newly developed technology, an integrated numerical modeling has been implemented into the process chain by which several defects during the molding process such as chill ripples and glass sticking can be predicted and avoided. The innovative molding process and available simulation tool provide industrial companies an efficient large-volume production of complex precision yet low-cost glass optics for the photonic market in the 21st century.

Perspectives