Molded Optics

While several available texts discuss molded plastic optics, none provide information on all classes of molded optics. Filling this gap, Molded Optics: Design and Manufacture presents detailed descriptions of molded plastic, glass, and infrared optics. Since an understanding of the manufacturing process is necessary to develop cost-effective, producible designs, the book extensively covers various manufacturing methods, design guidelines, trade-offs, best practices, and testing of critical parameters. It also discusses topics that often arise when designing systems with molded optics, such as mitigating stray light and mating systems by eye. The first three chapters of the book focus on subjects important to the design of systems using molded optics: optical design, visual optics, and stray light. Following these background chapters, the text provides in-depth information on the design and manufacture of molded plastic optics, molded glass optics, and molded infrared optics. The final chapter on testing emphasizes the special characteristics of molded optics. Experts in their particular areas, the authors draw on their considerable knowledge and real-world experiences to give a thorough account of the design and manufacture of molded plastic, glass, and infrared optics. The book will help readers improve their ability to develop systems that employ molded optics.