Manufacturing and Assembly
Diamond Turned Components and Assemblies

We have developed numerous state-of-the-art processes that optimize dimensional accuracy, optical surface figure and the mechanical stability of diamond turned substrates.

One of our flagship products – the IRST Integrated Optical Assembly – has been in production for over two decades. 

Technologically savvy, the founders of LightWorks Optics were instrumental in developing the Diamond Turning process –the process used to produce the first truly high-performance “snap-together” off-axis imaging system. 

We commonly design many features into our products that take advantage of diamond turning's superior accuracy. These features allow for more accurate alignment plus reduced labor in integration and alignment.

In the past several years, our diamond turned products have seen an exponential growth in demand for applications relating to missile warning optical systems, IR sensing systems for Homeland Security, infrared search and track systems, a broad range of transmissive IR optics and systems, snap-together telescope designs, numerous reflective TMA telescopes, and focal plane array back thinning.

In early 2008, we expanded our diamond turning and diamond flycutting capacity by introducing our new high volume production facility, located 60 miles south of our Tustin, California headquarters. 

In total, we now have seven diamond turning centers between our two locations.

LightWorks Optics' exacting diamond turning assembly and components capabilities provide:

• Environmentally controlled facilities
• Machines customized to LightWorks Optics' specifications
• On-machine profilometry
• All IR materials, including AMTIR
• Metals, including nickel plating
• CaFL
• Plastic materials
• Binary/diffractive surfaces
• Free form; non-rotational symmetries
• Five axis control
• Customized servo
• Hyperboloids
• Toroids
• Ellipsoids
• Parabloids
• Hyper-hemispherical domes
• Steep aspheric surfaces
• Form TalySurf  (surface figure measurements)
• TalySurf machine designed to enable aspheric profile verification over full 90 degree aspheric components on production programs
• Surface figure < 25 nm
• Design feature precision to < 1 um
• High volume throughput
• Substrate sizes < 700 mm