Manufacturer of laser optics, telecentric lenses, precision aspheres and custom glass optics from 193 nm to 2100 nm.
Sill Optics GmbH
Wendelstein (headquarters, development, manufacturing, administration)New on Amplifa
About Sill Optics
Sill Optics GmbH in Wendelstein near Nuremberg develops and manufactures transmissive, rotationally symmetric glass optics: laser optics such as collimation and focusing optics, beam expanders and telecentric scan lenses (f-Theta) for wavelengths from 193 nm to 2100 nm, telecentric lenses for industrial image processing, as well as precision aspheres and special optics such as domes, rectangular and segmented lenses. Manufacturing ranges from rough grinding and milling with diamond crown tools through fine grinding, polishing (including MRF technology for aspheres up to 200 mm) and centering to in-house coating by E-Beam and IAD as well as cleanroom assembly. A wide variety of optical glasses, fused silica and CaF2 are processed; lens diameters from 4 to 650 mm with surface accuracies down to Lambda/10. Customers come from laser material processing, medical technology, aerospace, semiconductor and display, image processing, quantum technology and research. Around 160 employees work at the single site in Wendelstein; production ranges from prototypes (from 1 piece) via small series to medium volume quantities.
- Site
- Wendelstein
- Processes
- Rough grinding/milling of lens radii with diamond crown tools, Fine grinding/lapping of lens radii, Polishing of lenses (incl. interferometric testing), Centering (diameter and alignment to the optical axis), Optical coating (E-Beam, IAD, anti-reflection, low-absorption coatings), Cleanroom assembly of optical systems, Housing/holder manufacturing / machining (mechanical manufacturing, alignment turning), Optical design, optical and mechanical design (Zemax OpticStudio, SolidWorks)
- Materials
- Optical glasses (various), Fused silica, CaF2 (calcium fluoride)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1894
- Employees
- ca. 160
- Industries
- Laser material processing, Aerospace/defense, Medical technology, Semiconductor and display, Automotive/e-mobility, Additive manufacturing
- 01
Optical design and mechanical design (Zemax OpticStudio, SolidWorks)
- 02
Rough grinding/milling of lens radii with diamond crown tools
- 03
Fine grinding/lapping
- 04
Polishing (incl. MRF for aspheres)
- 05
Centering
- 06
Coating (E-Beam, IAD, AR, low absorption)
- 07
Housing/holder manufacturing (machining, alignment turning)
- 08
Cleanroom assembly
- 09
Testing and final inspection
Materials and Processes
Optical glasses (various)
Base material for lenses and objectives, processed as pressings or round blanks.
Fused silica
For laser optics and aspheres with high power density and low thermal lensing.
CaF2 (calcium fluoride)
Material suitable for optical coatings in the UV range.
Sites
Wendelstein
DEHeadquarters, development, manufacturing, administration
- Lot size
- Prototypes from 1 piece, small series from 10 pieces, medium volume quantities
- Materials
- Optical glasses, fused silica, CaF2
- CNC machines (machining, Synchro Speed process)
- MRF system (aspheres up to 200 mm)
- Coating systems (E-Beam)
- Coating systems (IAD)
- Interferometers
- Wavefront sensor
- MTF measurement system
- Goniometer
- Autocollimators
- 3D coordinate measuring machine
- Laser test systems (1064/980/635/532/515/405/355 nm)
- Cleanroom for assembly
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rough grinding/milling of lens radii with diamond crown toolsMachining | – | 650 mm (lens diameter) | – | – | optical glasses, fused silica |
| Fine grinding/lapping of lens radiiMachining | – | – | – | – | optical glasses, fused silica |
| Polishing of lenses (incl. interferometric testing)Surface | Surface accuracy down to Lambda/10 | 650 mm | – | – | optical glasses, fused silica |
| Centering (diameter and alignment to the optical axis)Machining | Centering error standard 3 arcmin, precision 0.5 arcmin | 4-650 mm | – | – | optical glasses, fused silica |
| Surface | PV(fWD) down to 0.15 µm, RMSi < 0.025 µm | 200 mm (aspheres) | – | – | fused silica, optical glasses |
| Optical coating (E-Beam, IAD, anti-reflection, low-absorption coatings)Surface | R < 0.2 % down to < 0.5 % | – | – | – | optical glasses, fused silica, CaF2 |
| Cleanroom assembly of optical systemsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Housing/holder manufacturing / machining (mechanical manufacturing, alignment turning)Machining | – | – | – | – | metals |
| Optical design, optical and mechanical design (Zemax OpticStudio, SolidWorks)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | Surface accuracy down to Lambda/10 | 650 mm | – | 1 piece (prototypes) – medium volume quantities | optical glasses, fused silica |
| Manufacture of telecentric lenses for industrial image processingAssembly | – | – | – | – | optical glasses |
| Manufacture of precision aspheres and special optics (domes, rectangular and segmented lenses)Engineering | – | – | – | – | fused silica, optical glasses |
12 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC machines (machining, mechanical manufacturing, Synchro Speed process) | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| MRF system (magneto-rheological finishing) | – | – | Aspheres up to 200 mm diameter | – | Wendelstein |
| Coating systems (E-Beam) | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| Coating systems (IAD) | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| Interferometer | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| Wavefront sensor | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| MTF measurement system | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| Goniometer | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| Autocollimators | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| 3D coordinate measuring machine | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
| Cleanroom for assembly | – | – | – | 2021-heute | Wendelstein |
| Laser test systems (1064 nm; 980 nm; 635 nm; 532 nm; 515 nm; 405 nm; 355 nm) | – | – | – | – | Wendelstein |
Additional services
Quality
The lenses are specified according to the optics standard DIN EN ISO 10110; each batch of coatings is inspected and 100% production inspection is performed. The quality management system is certified to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015.
| Evidence | Wendelstein |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1894
Founded as a glass grinding workshop by Julius Ernst Sill
- vor 1980
Manufacture of Correctal spectacle lenses, illumination objectives and profile projection lenses
- 1980–1990
Acquisition by Melles Griot, founding of the optical design department, start of laser optics production
- 1991–2000
Purchase of the company premises in Wendelstein, 100th company anniversary
- 2001–2010
Extension building for administration, assembly and QA; establishment of an in-house coating department; expansion of mechanical manufacturing
- 2011–2015
Manufacture of large precision lenses, expansion of metrology and asphere production
- 2016–2020
Stake by Pinova, 125th company anniversary
- 2021
Establishment of a cleanroom for assembly, expansion of large optics (up to 600 mm diameter), stake by DPE