OptiPro Systems 
Optical Ultra-News
OptiPro Systems Monthly Newsletter
November 2010 
In This Issue...
Achieve Your Production Requirements with APD
OptiPro Launches Two White Papers on Asphere Fabrication
A Follow-Up to June's Asphere Fabrication Webinar
Section 179 Can Help Your Company Save Big
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Greetings!
Optical Ultra-News highlights important news, new product information, and the latest technical process developments from OptiPro's Advanced Process Development (APD) department . You will also be able to find special promotions that are being offered. We hope you enjoy catching up on the exciting news in the world of OptiPro Systems.
OptiPro Systems

Difficult/Complex Customer Optic Requirements? Team Up With OptiPro's APD! 

Our advanced OptiPro machines and experienced development team will supply you a solution!

Advanced Process Development - Concept to Solution

Over the last five years, OptiPro Systems, in conjunction with the U.S. Army and Navy, Penn State Electro-Optics Center and the University of Rochester have been developing manufacturing solutions for advanced precision optical applications. Through Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants, this area of the company has grown into what is now known as the Advanced Process Development (APD) lab.

The APD lab has made a focused effort to develop unique CNC machines for fabricating aspheric and freeform optics. In addition to developing these unique manufacturing platforms, the APD lab has performed a great deal of research in refining grinding, polishing, and metrology solutions for developmental ceramics and crystals as well as industry standard optical glasses and I.R. materials. These challenges have driven OptiPro to add many resources to their department. The lab now has 9 CNC machine platforms for precision grinding, high speed polishing, and deterministic sub-aperture polishing. There is also a dedicated metrology lab that includes two Zygo interferometers, a profilometer, a Zygo New View, a CMM, and OptiPro's non-contact 5-axis scanning system the UltraSurf. These resources are allocated for our team of engineers and technicians to tackle these difficult tasks. This team comprises personnel from the optics industry and academia, including mechanical engineers, process engineers, scientists, and mathematicians with over 50 years of combined experience.

The APD's role has now expanded to help our current and future customers develop robust processes using OptiPro's CNC optical manufacturing platforms to meet their production needs. Many customers have already taken advantage of this special service to refine their existing processes for speed and efficiency. Other companies have contracted OptiPro to deliver "turnkey solutions" in order to safeguard resources that were dedicated to production. If our team can help your organization please contact Dave Mohring by calling 585-265-0160 x232 or send emails to [email protected].

If the forthcoming newsletter, we will give details regarding our new APD website interface, to be launched by the new year.

OptiPro SystemsOptiPro Releases Two White Papers on Asphere Fabrication

OptiPro and Laser Focus World have teamed up to provide those in the precision optics industry a series of white papers on asphere fabrication. The first white paper is titled "Aspheric Lens Contour Deterministic Microgrinding" and was written by Shai Shafrir, Scientist at OptiPro Systems.

The white paper discuss the main steps and considerations for contour deterministic microgrinding (DMG) of aspheric surfaces. Contour deterministic microgrinding is widely considered the most effective technique for small to medium scale production of aspherical optical components. Utilizing this technique with OptiPro's eSX grinding platform can help optical fabrication shops maximize production efficiency and profitability.

The second white paper, titled "Aspheric Lens Sub-Aperture Polishing 101," was written by Scott Bambrick and discusses the required inputs for the polishing process and the sub aperture process flow for OptiPro's newly developed UltraForm Finishing machine.

To download the two white papers, simply click on the links below, which will redirect you to the Laser Focus World website. Once you have arrived at the LFW website, click "Download Now".

Download the Aspheric Lens Contour DMG White Paper Aspheric Lens Sub-Aperture Polishing 101
        
Download White Paper >>               Download White Paper >>

If you would like to learn more about contour deterministic microgrinding or sub-aperture polishing, please contact OptiPro by calling 585-265-0160 or send emails to Shai ([email protected]) or Scott ([email protected]).

OptiPro Systems
A Follow-Up to the Asphere Fabrication Webinar from June

This past June, OptiPro Systems presented an hour long webinar for Laser Focus World on Asphere Manufacturing. The presentation focused on the current methods of grinding, sub-aperture polishing, and measuring aspheric surfaces as used in the optics industry today. While the presentation contained process information from OptiPro's aspheric product line (i.e. - eSX grinding, UFF polishing, and OptiTrace 5000 metrology), general concepts for how those processes work was discussed, as well as other technologies that are currently used. The presentation also talked about process limitations, and methods for identifying and correcting errors that may become present during the asphere manufacturing process. The webinar was very well received, with nearly 500 people logged in from all over the globe. To view the presentation, please click on the following link:

View the Asphere Fabrication Webinar >>

If you have any questions or comments regarding the webinar, please feel free to contact OptiPro by calling 585-265-0160 or send emails to Ed Fess at [email protected].

OptiPro SystemsSection 179 Tax Deductions Can Help You Save Big on Equipment Costs

The section 179 tax deduction, which as allowed businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment purchased or financed during the tax year, has been extended through 2011. Additionally, benefits of Section 179 were made even bigger. Among the changes of Section 179 in the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 are the following:

  • An increase of the total amount available for deduction to $500,000 (up from $250,000)
  • An increase of the total amount of equipment purchased to $2 million (up from $800,000)
  • 50% bonus depreciation extended to tax year 2010 (it was rescinded earlier this year but has been restored)

What does this all mean for businesses? Simply put, if your company purchased at least $500,000 in equipment in 2010, you can reduce the total equipment cost by the tax deductions under Section 179. See the below chart as an example:

Section 179 Tax Deductions 

Any questions that you may have about Section 179 can be answered at www.section179.org. For more information on OptiPro's optical fabrication equipment and to request a quote, please feel free to contact Dave Mohring by calling 585-265-0160 x 232 or send emails to [email protected].

OptiPro Systems is a global leader in designing and building computer controlled grinding, polishing, and measuring equipment for the precision optics industry. If you would like to reach us, please call (585) 265-0160 or send emails to [email protected].  
 
Sincerely, 
OptiPro Systems
*The Machines Behind Precision Optics*