Optical Research Associates (ORA), the supplier of imaging and illumination design/analysis software, and QED Technologies, provider of Magnetorheological Finishing (MRF) polishing and Subaperture Stitching Interferometry (SSI) metrology plaforms, have announced a cooperative agreement that will facilitate a complete design, tolerancing and manufacturing solution for lens systems incorporating aspheric surfaces. Under this agreement, ORA is integrating aspheric design and analysis capabilities in its Code V software, using its core analysis, optimisation, and tolerancing strengths. The integration includes the Forbes Polynomial surface formulations, developed by Dr Greg Forbes of QED Technologies.
Although aspheric surfaces offer significant advantages to optical systems, the conventional characterisation of their nominal shape is problematic. The Forbes Polynomials, a mathematical representational tool for describing aspheres, represents a novel solution to conventional aspheric characterisation challenges. By combining ORA's strength in optical software design with QED's expertise in optics manufacturing, the optical design and fabrication communities will now have a robust and effective tool for manufacturing aspheres, from concept to completion.
