The main disadvantage of CNC glass machining is that the upfront cost of purchasing CNC machines is higher than that of conventional machines. More expensive equipment leads to higher prices for customers, but CNC glass machining can create intricate features with far more precision and repeatability than conventional equipment. CNC glass machining isn’t a cost effective method for making simple optics like spherical lenses and right angle prisms, but it is the ideal method for manufacturing components with complex geometries.

Penta prisms deviate beams of light by a constant of ninety degrees.  In imaging applications, the penta prism maintains the original orientation and does not reverse the image.

The maximum component diameter that Edmund Optics® can manufacture using our DMG MORI® ULTRASONIC 5-Axis Precision Machine Centers is 175mm.

Whether you need a penta prism, a roof penta prism, or any other custom optical component, our team here at Avantier is ready to help you find the perfect part. Our optical designers can assist in designing the ideal prism for your specific application, or if you already know what you need, we can fast-track the prototyping and manufacturing process to deliver it faster than any other custom optics provider. Our unparalleled supplier network, extensive in-house manufacturing equipment, and state-of-the-art metrology enable us to produce almost any part you might require. Please contact us today to place an order or schedule an initial consultation.

CNC machining offers numerous advantages over conventional grinding and polishing for fabricating optical components including:

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A roof penta prism is often used in photography, especially in the viewfinder of single lens reflex cameras. This type of camera also includes a camera lens which produces an image that is reversed vertically and laterally, and a mirror which re-inverts it, removing the vertical reversion but leaving an image laterally reversed.

They are a great  choice when you want to turn a beam of light by  precisely  degrees, irrespective of the exact orientation of the prism.  An alternative to the prism would be three mirrors, placed in a configuration called “the pentamirror”.  Either a prism or mirror will deviate the light. But a penta prism is inherently much more stable than a pentamirror, and  since light enters and exits the system only once it exhibits much better optical performance.

RepeatabilityCNC machines have excellent repeatability because every component is manufactured following the same program. In conventional machining, even the most talented operators will produce components that vary slightly; this is not the case with CNC machines.

Complex Component GeometriesCNC machines are able to create components with complex geometries including bevels, deep holes, counterbores, chamfers, steps, slots, notches, and more. Even the most skilled operators using conventional machines cannot achieve the same precision and repeatability as CNC machines.

A penta prism has two transmitting faces, arranged at a ninety-degree angle, and both entrance and exit faces are typically coated with anti-reflection coating. It also has two mirror faces coated with reflective coatings and one face between the two mirror faces that has no optical function except to join the two mirrors. Because the beams are incident at an angle less than the critical angle, the reflections are not due to total internal reflection. Instead, metallic or dielectric coatings are applied to the two reflective faces to create mirror surfaces. A beam of light will enter the first transmissive face and be reflected on the first mirror, be transmitted within the prism to the second mirror, and then be reflected from that out of the second transmissive face.

Limited Supervision RequiredFewer technicians are required to monitor the work of CNC machines compared to conventional methods because CNC machines are autonomous. Their autonomy allows for one person to watch several machines operate for hours on end after they have been programmed. The reduction of the number of technicians needed also reduces operating costs.

CNC machined precision optical components from Edmund Optics are ideal for a wide variety of applications including advanced space telescopes and liquid chromatography systems.

24 Hour OperationCNC machines have the ability to work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, only needing to be switched off for maintenance or repair.

It is almost identical to a regular prism, with one key difference: one reflective face is replaced by a roof shape, where two surfaces meet at a ninety-degree angle.  When this prism is used in an optical system, such as a single- lens reflex camera, the image is not only deviated ninety degrees it is also laterally reversed (returning to normal in the case of the camera).

Edmund Optics® (EO) employs a wide range of CNC glass machining equipment to machine complex optical component geometries including ultrasonic machining and high speed cutting (HSC) technology from DMG MORI®. Our true 5-axis precision machine centers have the capability to machine lightweight structures and high aspect ratio components with specialty bevels, precision holes and inserts, and mounting interfaces. In addition to optical glass, we machine a wide range of demanding materials including ceramics, corundum, tungsten carbide, and even composites.

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines are quickly gaining traction as indispensable tools for machining optical components with complex geometries. They are computer controlled electro-mechanical devices programmed with a machining language called “G-code,” and have numerous benefits over operator-required conventional machining. CNC machines offer the highest amount of precision, flexibility, and repeatability when it comes to fabricating components beyond basic shapes. CNC machining has been used for manufacturing metal and plastic parts for decades but is now pushing the boundaries of manufacturing glass and other optical materials. In addition to optical glass, CNC machining can be used to machine a wide range of demanding materials including ceramics, corundum, tungsten carbide, and even composites. Some of these advanced materials, such as Tungsten Carbide and composites, cannot be machined using conventional machining.

The geometry of these prisms requires coating the reflecting surfaces. The reflective coating is often aluminum, which may be coating with a protective coat of black paint overcoat.

Standard penta prisms are used in image erecting assemblies, laser insertion prisms for range-finding, and advanced surveillance. Their fixed deviation, unaffected by slight rotations, makes them valuable for precise applications where exact alignment is challenging. This stability ensures a clear image despite minor movements. At Avantier, we produce custom prisms for metrology, surveillance, range finding and many other applications.

In addition to DMG MORI® ULTRASONIC 5-Axis Precision Machine Centers, Edmund Optics® utilizes 5-Axis CNC Grinding Machines, 5-Axis CNC Polishing Machines, 3-Axis CNC Profiling Machines, 4-Axis CNC Slicing Machines, and 3-Axis CNC Milling Machines.