AGC’s Glass Lens Business and Processing Technology

AGC’s Glass Lenses

AGC has long experience in mass-producing lenses and has supported the development and mass-production of various products. At present, AGC’s products are applied in a wide range of fields, including digital cameras, automotive cameras, optical communication devices, projectors, and sensing devices.
We use different manufacturing methods depending on the application, glass material, shape to be formed, and characteristics we want to achieve. Here, we’ll introduce some of our representative manufacturing methods.

Features

  • Manufacturing methods excellently suited to mass-production, and rich experience of mass-production and quality assurance
  • Composed of inorganic materials, very resistant to heat and weathering
  • Various methods that can be selected to meet the needs of customers
  • Capable of producing both customized products in small quantities and mass-produced products.
  • Please contact us for special-shaped lenses.
  • Coated glass is also available (antireflection coating, UVIR cut filter, etc.)

AGC Glass Lens Processing Technology

AGC uses three main processing methods. After hearing your required lens specifications, including the glass category, size, shape and processing accuracy, our staff can also suggest a suitable processing technology.

Press molding method Reheat press method Glass micro-processing
Glass material Various types of optical glass developed for press molding Borosilicate glass
We can handle other requests.		 Please contact us.
Molding method Low Tg glass is heated and pressed in an ultraprecision metal mold and formed into a shape. Glass heated above the softening point is pressed in a precision-processed metal mold and formed into a shape. Optical glass is etched and coated to produce lenses.
Applicable shapes Aspherical, biconvex, meniscus (convex, concave), biconcave, toroidal, cylindrical and other microlens arrays (single-sided, double-sided) Spherical/aspherical convex and concave shapes
Fly eye lens, microlens array, single lens		 Microlens array
Features High processing accuracy is required to correct aberration.
Suitable for mass-production of lenses having an aspherical surface, such as imaging lenses for cameras.		 Manufacturing method having a high degree of freedom in shape which makes it possible to produce large and complex-shaped lenses. Used for lighting and imaging applications. Micro-sized glass lens array having higher thermal resistance and reliability than those produced by injection molding using resin materials.
Corresponding size φ 1 - 48.5 mm: Please consult us first. Approx. 2 mm to 100 mm: Please consult us first. Microlens array with a micrometer-size pitch
Applications Digital cameras, interchangeable lenses, monitoring cameras, automotive cameras, projector projection lenses, optical communication lenses, sensing devices, etc. Fly eye lens for projectors, condenser lens, and aspherical lens for laser light source Projectors, sensing, etc.