As a new member of ACOP, Panacol is contributing its adhesive knowledge to develop sustainable solutions in the field of optical systems. These projects are not only about adhesives as composite materials for optical assembling, but also about liquid-applied and generated polymer optics. One project, for example, is concerned with transferring the expertise of process simulation of glass forming to bonded optical systems in order to predict shrinkage behavior or other parameters or to better assess their influence. Another project is dedicated to cleaning methods for the pretreatment of optical elements prior to further processing and assembling.
Free-form optics with liquid polymers in particular offer a wide variety of production and product options. Products from consumer electronics, consumer electronics and sensor technology offer potential for MLAs (Micro Lens Arrays), DOEs (Diffractive Optical Elements) and metal lenses, optical components based on micro- or nanostructured surfaces. Ever smaller designs as well as more homogeneous signal pickup and distribution contribute to increased performance potential here. The new concepts resulting from the research projects can support manufacturers in their product and process improvements. Together with the other ACOP members, Panacol plans to contribute further proposals in the future to establish polymer optics on the market that are competitive and suitable for mass production.