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Custom Drum & Half Drum Lenses

Cylindrical Drum & Half Drum Lenses

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Find out more about our custom drum & half drum lenses

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Global leaders in custom optical solutions
Internationally recognised
All optical components 100% QA checked
ISO14001 & ISO9001 certified

Specialising in the world of optics, Knight Optical offers a tailored range of drum lenses and half drum lenses, which are a specialised form of adapted ball lenses designed for superior performance in various applications.

Our drum and half drum lenses stand out for their unique manufacturing process, involving axial grinding of precision spheres to create a more manageable and mountable cylindrical form. This innovative approach not only simplifies alignment in optical systems but also retains the spherical lens’s optimal characteristics for applications such as fibre-coupling and endoscopy.

Half drum lenses, as their name implies, are essentially drum lenses bisected to form an elongated planoconvex lens. This is achieved by polishing one spherical face of a full drum lens to a flat plane, enhancing its application in systems requiring precise light direction and focus. Our expertise in crafting drum and half drum lenses from high-quality materials such as N-BK7 or equivalent for visible light applications, and Quartz or UV fused silica for deep UV to NIR wavelengths, ensures versatility and performance across a broad spectrum of optical needs.

The materials selection extends to high index options from renowned manufacturers like Schott and Ohara, offering grades such as Lasfn9, Lasf35, S-Lah65, and Lah78 for applications demanding very short focal lengths with minimal spherical aberrations. These materials are meticulously chosen to accommodate the specific wavelength and focusing requirements of your projects, ensuring optimal performance and minimal optical distortions.

Cylindrical Drum & Half Drum Lenses

Speak to our experts about your Custom Drum & Half Drum Lens needs today

Call +44 (0)1622 859444 Call +1 401 583 7846

Make a quick enquiry about Custom Drum & Half Drum Lenses Now

Dive into the forefront of optical solutions. Got questions about an optical product? Reach out now and let our expertise guide you.

    Metrology Testing and Quality Assurance

    Knight Optical’s commitment is evident in our quality control processes. Each drum lens and half drum lens undergoes individual testing in our advanced metrology lab by experienced technicians to guarantee that every component meets our stringent quality standards. This top-of-the-line attention to detail ensures that our drum and half drum lenses, along with our adapted ball lenses and precision spheres, offer unmatched quality and reliability for your optical systems.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Drum lenses are cylindrical optical components with a portion of their surface curved, resembling the shape of a drum. They’re primarily used in applications requiring precise light direction control without the full 360-degree manipulation provided by spherical lenses. Their unique shape allows them to focus or diverge light in specific directions, making them ideal for use in scanning systems, optical processing, and laser emission projects.

    Half drum lenses are essentially a segment of a full drum lens, with one flat side and one curved side, resembling a hemisphere extended into a cylindrical shape. Unlike full drum lenses, which can manipulate light across their entire curved surface, half drum lenses offer a more directed control of light, making them suitable for applications where light needs to be manipulated over a narrow area, such as in line scanning or optical detection systems.

    The primary benefit of using drum and half drum lenses in optical systems is their ability to provide targeted light manipulation. Drum lenses can offer precise control over the direction and focus of light beams, while half drum lenses are perfect for applications requiring linear light distribution. Their unique geometries make them particularly useful for enhancing performance in optical systems where space is limited and specific light shaping is required.

    While drum lenses and precision spheres both serve to manipulate light, they are designed for different purposes. Precision spheres, or ball lenses, are used to focus light into a point or to collimate light emitted from a point source. Drum lenses, with their cylindrical form, are better suited for applications requiring directed light manipulation along one axis. However, drum lenses can be used in conjunction with precision spheres to achieve complex light manipulation tasks in advanced optical setups.

    Adapted ball lenses are a variation of traditional ball lenses that have been modified or combined with other optical components to meet specific application needs. Unlike standard lenses that typically have uniform shapes (such as spherical, cylindrical), adapted ball lenses may feature adjustments to their shape or refractive properties to enhance performance in specific applications, such as in fiber optic coupling, laser collimation, or endoscopy.

    When selecting drum or half drum lenses for your project, consider the application’s specific light manipulation requirements, including the desired direction and shape of the light beam. The lens material, size, and curvature will also play critical roles in performance, affecting factors such as focal length, light transmission, and aberration. Consulting with optical experts, such as those at Knight Optical, can provide valuable guidance in choosing the most suitable lens type and specifications for your optical system’s needs. Get in touch for advice today.


    Typical Applications

    Drum & Half Drum Lenses for Fibre Coupling

    Fibre-coupling

    Rod and Cone Lenses for Endoscopes

    Endoscopy

    Get in touch with us:

    Contact our multilingual technical sales team today to explore how Knight Optical’s premium drum and half drum lenses can improve the performance of your instrumentation while streamlining your supply chain. Discover the perfect optical solution for your specifications, where quality, precision, and customer satisfaction are our top priorities.

    With our in-house state-of-the-art metrology laboratory you can be confident that your optical components will meet your requirements. You can find out more about our testing facilities here.









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