Inkjet printing of 3D optics for individualized illumination systems

Additive manufacturing of optical components is one of the most challenging aspects in rapid prototyping, as optics demands not only excellent surface shape and roughness parameters for the outer geometry of the printed part, but also pose stringent requirements for the homogeneity of the printed bulk material. The paper presents an approach to inkjet print optical volumes, using the specific hybrid polymer ORMOCER and an optimized, multilayer inkjet printing process to achieve shape deviations <20 µm PV, surface roughness in the range of <50 nm and a transparency of the printed bulk volume >95 %.