Manufacturing of ultraprecision machines, metal optics and precision parts since 1995.
LT Ultra Precision Technology GmbH
Herdwangen-Schönach (Aftholderberg)New on Amplifa
About LT Ultra
LT Ultra-Precision Technology GmbH was founded in 1995 in Herdwangen-Schönach (Aftholderberg) and develops, manufactures and sells ultraprecision machines for turning, milling, grinding, polishing and lapping. In its in-house machine building, the company produces UP turning machines of the MTC series and UP milling machines of the MMC series with natural granite bases and aerostatic or hydrostatic bearings. In addition, the company offers contract manufacturing of metal optics such as spherical mirrors, freeform optics, lens arrays and polygons, as well as precision parts in single-piece, small-batch and series production. Tools for injection moulding, hot embossing and roll-to-foil replication are manufactured in brass, electroless nickel (NiP) and selected grades of steel. The portfolio is complemented by UP bearings, Fizeau interferometers, laser cutting heads and beam delivery systems as well as services such as contract metrology, cleanroom assembly, design & engineering and retrofitting. Customers come from optics and laser technology, medical technology, the semiconductor industry, metrology, mould making, research, aerospace and luxury goods. Around 150 employees work on 11,000 m² of production floor space at the Aftholderberg site.
- Site
- Herdwangen-Schönach
- Processes
- UP turning (ultraprecision turning, diamond turning), UP milling (ultraprecision milling), Flycutting, Diamond machining (diamond milling, diamond turning, flycutting with diamond), Ultrasonically assisted machining of steels with geometrically defined cutting edge, Grinding, Polishing, Lapping
- Materials
- Brass, Copper, Aluminium, Nickel-phosphorus (electroless nickel, NiP, high phosphorus content 10-14%), Plastics, Crystals, Steels / low-carbon steels (machinable with ultrasonic assistance), Plastic mould steel
- Certificates
- Fizeau interferometer, 3D probe / workpiece measurement system, Cleanroom assembly with functional testing, Contract metrology with measurement reports
- Founded
- 1995
- Employees
- 150
- Industries
- Optics and Laser, Medical Technology/Ophthalmology, Semiconductor Industry, Metrology, Mould Making and Automotive, Basic Research
- 01
Design & Engineering
- 02
Machine building (in-house UP machines)
- 03
UP turning / UP milling / flycutting
- 04
Grinding, polishing, lapping
- 05
Contract metrology (Fizeau interferometer)
- 06
Cleanroom assembly
- 07
Service, maintenance, training
Materials and Processes
UP Turning (Diamond Turning)
Production of optical surfaces in non-ferrous metals, plastics and crystals with form tolerances < 0.1 μm and roughnesses of typically 1-2 nm (Sa).
UP Milling (5-axis, hydrostatic)
Microstructures, freeform surfaces, lens arrays and cavity arrays with roughnesses of typically 1-4 nm (Sa) at part dimensions up to 850 x 300 x 350 mm³ and more.
Flycutting
Planar optical surfaces on aerostatically supported machines for workpieces up to 5 m in length.
Ultrasonically Assisted Steel Machining
Machining of low-carbon steels with monocrystalline diamond tools for optical quality (Ra < 3 nm) in series production.
Brass
Material for metal optics and mould inserts for injection moulding as well as embossing tools.
Electroless Nickel (NiP, 10-14% P)
Material for embossing tools and mould inserts with optical surface qualities.
Copper
Non-ferrous metal for UP-machined optics and mirror substrates.
Aluminium
Material for lightweight optics such as UP-turned space mirrors and precision parts.
Steel / Plastic Mould Steel
Material for long-lasting mould inserts, embossing tools and ultrasonically machinable low-carbon steels.
Locations
Herdwangen-Schönach (Aftholderberg)
DEHeadquarters, manufacturing, machine building and administration
- Part weight / size
- Ø up to 1,800 mm (turning), up to 5 m (flycutting)
- Lot size
- Single parts to series
- Materials
- Brass, copper, aluminium, NiP, steel, plastics, crystals
- UP turning machines MTC 250-C / 250 / 350 / 400 / 650 / 1800
- UP milling machines MMC 600H / 900H / 600 / 900 / 5000
- Fizeau interferometers
- Cleanrooms for assembly
Components and Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UP turning (ultraprecision turning, diamond turning)Machining | Form tolerances < 0.1 μm · typically 1-2 nm (Sa) | Diameters up to 1800 mm and more | – | Single parts – Series | Brass, Copper, Aluminium, Nickel-phosphorus, Plastics, Crystals, Steels, Non-ferrous metals |
| UP milling (ultraprecision milling)Machining | Form tolerances < 1 μm · typically 1-4 nm (Sa) | 850 x 300 x 350 mm³ and more × 300 mm × 350 mm | – | – | Brass, Copper, Aluminium, Nickel-phosphorus, Plastics, Crystals, Steels |
| FlycuttingMachining | Form tolerances < 0.1 μm · typically 2-4 nm (Sa) | up to 5 m | – | – | Brass, Copper, Aluminium, Nickel-phosphorus, Plastics |
| Diamond machining (diamond milling, diamond turning, flycutting with diamond)Machining | – | – | – | – | Non-ferrous metals, Plastics, Crystals |
| Ultrasonically assisted machining of steels with geometrically defined cutting edgeMachining | Ra(Sa)<3nm | – | – | Series production | low-carbon steels |
| GrindingMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| PolishingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| LappingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pre-machining with CBN tools (rough turning)Machining | – | – | – | – | Steels |
| Microstructuring of metal surfaces (subtractive)Machining | – | – | – | – | Brass, electroless nickel (NiP), steels |
| Slow-tool machining (dynamic axis mode, non-rotational/freeform parts)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacture of metal optics (spherical mirrors, freeform optics, lens arrays, microlenses, polygons,Machining | – | – | – | Single parts – Series | Metals, Nickel-phosphorus, Plastics |
| Manufacture of injection-moulding mould inserts / cavity arraysMachining | – | – | – | – | Brass, NiP, plastic mould steel |
| Manufacture of embossing tools (hot embossing)Machining | – | – | – | – | Brass, electroless nickel, hardened steels |
| Manufacture of structured embossing rollers (roll-to-foil replication)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Shaping planing (planing on UP milling machines)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Contract manufacturing (precision parts with highest geometric accuracies)Machining | – | – | – | Single-piece production – Series production | – |
| Contract metrology (inspection of components with measurement reports)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly of optical/mechanical precision systems in cleanroom incl. functional testingAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Design & Engineering (development and realisation of solutions)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Process development for UP and micro machiningEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Modernisation & retrofitting of machines and systemsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Measurement and analysis of surfaces with Fizeau interferometerTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
11 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultraprecision turning machine (UP lathe, Micro Turning Center) | LT Ultra MTC 250-Compact | – | X axis = 350 mm, Z axis = 250 mm; workpieces up to 30 mm | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision turning machine | LT Ultra MTC 250 | – | X axis = 350 mm, Z axis = 250 mm (Compact variant); natural granite, hydrostatic guides, | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision turning machine | LT Ultra MTC 350 | – | – | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision turning machine | LT Ultra MTC 650 | – | Workpieces up to 1200 mm diameter, mass > 200 kg | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision turning machine | LT Ultra MTC 1800 | – | Plane mirrors up to Ø 2 m; part dimensions up to 1800 mm diameter | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision turning machine | LT Ultra MTC 400 | – | – | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision milling machine (hydrostatically supported, 5-axis UP machining) | LT Ultra MMC 600H | – | X = 600 mm, Y = 220 mm, Z = 250 mm | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision milling machine (hydrostatically supported) | LT Ultra MMC 900H | – | X = 900 mm, Y = 350 mm, Z = 250 mm | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision milling machine (aerostatically supported, flycutter) | LT Ultra MMC 600 | – | – | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision milling machine (aerostatically supported, flycutter) | LT Ultra MMC 900 | – | – | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
| Ultraprecision milling machine (aerostatically supported) | LT Ultra MMC 5000 | – | X travel 5 m | – | Herdwangen-Schönach |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Metrology
Quality assurance is carried out, among other things, with Fizeau interferometers, 3D probes and integrated tool and workpiece measurement systems; form tolerances below 0.1 μm and roughnesses in the nanometre range are metrologically documented. Contract measurements with measurement reports and cleanroom assembly including functional testing are part of the range of services.
| Evidence | Herdwangen-Schönach (Aftholderberg) |
|---|---|
| Fizeau interferometer | |
| 3D probe / workpiece measurement system | |
| Cleanroom assembly with functional testing | |
| Contract metrology with measurement reports |
Company History
- 1995
Founding of LT Ultra-Precision Technology GmbH by Richard Widemann and Dietmar Bischof without external capital, initially with approx. 100 m² at the neighbouring company.
- 1999
Move into the first own building.
- 2001
Founding of the subsidiary LT Ultra-Precision Optics in Brighton near Detroit, USA.
- 2002
Expansion of production floor space to 3,800 m².
- 2005
Expansion of production floor space to 4,600 m².
- 2007
Headcount exceeds 50.
- 2008
MTC 250 – turning of freeform surfaces; start of cooperative degree programme with DHBW Ravensburg.
- 2009
MTC 400 turns parts up to 800 mm diameter.
- 2010
20 UP machines; over 150,000 metal optics and precision parts per year.
- 2012
Expansion to 6,700 m²; MMC 900H; over 200,000 workpieces.
- 2013
Introduction of standard UP machining of steel with monocrystalline diamond tools.
- 2014
Over 80 employees, over 300,000 workpieces.
- 2015
20th anniversary; over 30 UP machines; over 350,000 workpieces.
- 2016
Dominik Widemann takes on his first tasks – setting the course for the second generation.
- 2018
MTC 650 added to the standard product range.
- 2019
Expansion of component and air-bearing manufacturing by 700 m².
- 2020
25th anniversary; additional hall with approx. 1,000 m², two more cleanrooms.
- 2021
Over 110 employees, approx. 9,000 m² of production floor space.
- 2024
Additional production hall with approx. 1,000 m², 50 office workspaces, three more cleanrooms.
- 2025
30th anniversary; over 150 employees, 11,000 m² of production floor space, 438 kWp solar installation.