Precision molding is a replicative production method for the mass production of complex glass optics in high precision. In contrast to the traditional material removal process, such as grinding and polishing, the surface as well as the entire shape of the optical component is created by deforming glass at elevated temperatures using precise molding tools with optical surfaces. The molded glass components present high shape accuracy and surface finish after the molding process, therefore no further processing is required. During the molding process, the glass is heated in the molding tool up to above the transition temperature Tg, then pressed into desired shape and cooled down to approximately 200 °C. The precision glass molding is therefore a complex thermo-mechanical process, in which the glass lens undergoes uneven cooling speed and stress distribution. These lead to several drawbacks on the molded glass optics, such as form deviation, index change and fracture. In this study, FEM simulation was employed in order to achieve preliminary understanding of the molding process. The FEM model included viscoelasticity behavior of glass material (stress-relaxation, structure-relaxation and thermosrheological simplicity), as well as thermodynamics model of the molding machine. In the form of a case study of a real molding example, the form deviation, index change and fracture of the molded glass optic were predicted in advance of the molding experiment by means of the numerical calculation of thermal shrinkage, volume change and stress distribution respectively. The good agreement between simulation results and molding experiment results proves the accuracy of the developed FEM model.
