Optical Surfaces has announced its investment in a coating facility that will allow the company to provide all standard metal coatings (aluminium, silver and gold) on mirror substrates up to 355mm in diameter.
The UK-based manufacturer produces ultra-high precision off-axis parabola, aspheres, toroids and flats for organisations involved with fundamental physics, astronomy, space, defence and the environment, the new facility will enable Optical Surfaces to offer shorter delivery times and ensure full quality control of coated products.
'In the initial phase of implementation of the new facility - we will focus upon offering protected aluminium coatings on glass substrates to customers - which is the company's standard and most commonly used type of coating for mirrors,' said Aris Kouris, sales manager at Optical Surfaces. To ensure the contamination-free status of its high precision optics - Optical Surfaces invested in a new class 10,000 clean room facility during 2009. The company's main workshops and test facilities are deep underground in a series of tunnels excavated in solid chalk, where temperature remains constant and vibration is practically non-existent.
