The general guideline for cleaning optics is “if it’s not dirty, don’t clean it”. Handling optics increases their chances of getting dirty or damaged, so you should clean optics only when necessary. Both the proper cleaning products and proper methods are equally important to cleaning the optic. There are different methods for cleaning and certain specialized optics require particular attention and change in procedures. Below are general guidelines to be used as a reference only…

The imaging applications in the automotive industry go through rapid changes. Where just a couple of years ago a lens/camera just needed to survive, the expectations moved to better performance, consistent and reliable over a wide temperature range. Below is a video of the talk Sunex presented at the AutoSens 2017 show, sharing experiences and observations on how requirement changes on the camera level impact consideration and design approaches on the lens level. Some of…

With the advent of computers and more processing power, the art of lens design has matured. But computers cannot solve the whole problem. A computer can select a configuration and designer optimizes that configuration. Can a machine learning algorithm find the absolute best lens design? Yes, if you try an infinite number of different design form. But..”I still want to be young when we get there!” Hence, the journey of developing an elegant design will…

One of the most common questions Sunex receives is regarding the need for Active Alignment of lens modules. Initially, customers designing or prototyping an imaging system may find it hard to see the value of actively aligned modules. After all, active alignment requires a significant tooling investment. In addition, during the prototyping phase, customers can typically achieve great results in small numbers by manually focusing the lens and gluing it into an off-the-shelf camera module….

Sunex Inc. has developed design expertise, process know-how, and manufacturing facilities to eliminate or minimize optical noise (such as ghosts, flare, starbursts, spurious images) in lenses for high-performance applications. Lenses designed and manufactured with this process are known as NoGhost™ lenses. The following comparison demonstrates the advantages of a NoGhost™ lens: Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXMqwkKNY5k At Sunex, we are always interested to learn about new applications and project requirements. If we can’t find something which works in…

Following up on the article Optical Tolerances – Part 1, Part 2 discusses the quantitative measure of image quality. The modulation transfer function (MTF) is a quantitative measure of image quality. MTF describes the ability of a lens or system to transfer object contrast to the image. Consider a sine-wave chart in the form of a positive transparency in which transmittance varies in one dimension. Assume that the transparency is viewed against a uniformly illuminated…

Tolerance is a critical factor impacting the performance and cost of an optical system. Optical components usually require much tighter tolerances than that commonly associated with mechanical components. As a result, special equipment and techniques are used in the manufacturing process and measuring of the optical tolerances.  SURFACE ACCURACY When attempting to specify how closely an optical surface conforms to its intended shape, a measure of surface accuracy is needed. Surface accuracy can be determined by…

At Sunex we are using our deep design expertise, understanding of material properties, and state-of-the-art high-volume manufacturing process to deliver Digital Imaging Systems based on plastic, glass, and glass/plastic hybrid elements depending on the application, performance and environmental requirements of our clients from the Automotive, Security, VR/AR, Robotics, and Medical industry around the globe. For the 1998 SPIE-Conference, Sunex Founder and CEO Alex Ning wrote a whitepaper discussing the key factors to consider when choosing…