TURNHOUT, Belgium—Luxexcel NV, a 3D print company that can print lenses and Automation and Robotics (A&R), a manufacturer of high-tech measurement equipment for optical labs, are collaborating on a quality control program to ensure that 3D printed lenses will meet industry and user requirements. Luxexcel can 3D print lenses without polishing or grinding. The quality control program makes use of the Dual LensMapper manufactured by A&R.

“Together with A&R Automation and Robotics we have now started a quality control program which will allow us to assure that our 3D printed lenses will meet both industry and user requirements,” said Guido Groet, CMO of Luxexcel. “Our continuous development efforts will bring us to imaging quality and we expect to be ready for certain applications in the course of 2017. The Dual LensMapper allows us to inspect the lenses in detail and take our quality control to the next level.”

Christian Laurent, PhD., R&D director at A&R commented that the A&R unique measurement technology as well as the lens quality and real time manufacturing process evaluation tools, developed for the free form manufacturing, fit particularly well to the needs of the 3D printing.

“The accurate and high resolution optical power error map provided by the Dual LensMapper evaluates the ability of the digital 3D manufacturing method to replicate the expected theoretical design,” said Laurent. “In parallel, it is possible to demonstrate that this ‘through’ power error is related to the lens thickness local variations, the most important aspect of the additive manufacturing process to be controlled for providing good quality lenses.”