Manufacturable surface definition
Balance freeform function with slope, departure, edge, substrate, process, and tool-access constraints.
Large freeform opticsPalo Alto, California
LARGE APERTURE / FREEFORM / REFLECTIVE
Freeform optics design and fabrication for large and demanding apertures.
PAO provides freeform optics design and fabrication for large-aperture and freeform optical surfaces — together with their datums, mounts, coatings, fabrication route, metrology, alignment, and acceptance strategy.
SYSTEM WORKFLOWPAO / 01
01Prescription
02Substrate
03Fabrication
04Metrology
05System alignment
For displays, simulators, illumination, solar, imaging, and application-specific reflective systems.
01Engineering reality
As optics grow, interfaces and verification become first-order design variables.
Surface definition alone is insufficient. Gravity, support, thermal gradients, coating stress, edge behavior, machine reach, datum transfer, metrology nulls, shipping, and system alignment can dominate performance.
Mechanically stable support
Control gravity, mounting loads, thermal distortion, adhesive or retention effects, and handling.
Traceable metrology
Plan datums, stitching, null optics, profilometry, interferometry, coordinate data, and uncertainty.
02Project fit
PAO is a fit when large freeform programs need one source-of-truth design and verification plan.
These projects are won by teams that reduce geometry, integration, and metrology risk early with a production-aware pathway.
Large geometry with tight integration
Optical form, mount, and enclosure constraints are coupled from day one.
Procurement and supplier transfer risk
Requests need a complete package that links tolerances to measurable supplier deliverables.
Environment and repeatability requirements
Thermal, gravity, vibration, handling, and maintenance constraints must be designed in with the surface.
ENGINEERING DECISION TABLE
Inputs that change the architecture, acceptance method, and program risk.
| Input condition | Key metric | Design choice | Risk if unresolved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface and environment requirements | Field behavior, slope control, and sensitivity under thermal/structural drift | Form family, substrate, mounting concept, and environmental boundary assumptions | Design can perform well in optics-only review yet fail in real system conditions. |
| Metrology readiness | Measurement uncertainty, null availability, and data traceability | Interferometry, profilometry, stitching strategy, and reference alignment | Verification may be delayed if no traceable measurement path exists. |
| Manufacturing and coating pathway | Tooling limits, slope/departure compliance, stress and mask tolerance | Route selection, supplier sequencing, and witness plan | Late design changes increase rework and schedule risk. |
| Assembly and transfer strategy | Alignment repeatability, serviceability, and acceptance criteria | Datum scheme, handling plan, and lot acceptance design | Optics can pass metrology but fail integration testing or production alignment. |
SELECTED ENGINEERING EVIDENCE
Published scope, verification method, and disclosure boundary.
These records describe documented engineering experience or the evidence plan PAO uses for new work. They do not imply that prior-employer programs were PAO customer engagements.
Large freeform delivery framework
- Scope
- System-level process that links optical form, metrology, mount, and acceptance for complex large optics.
- Verification
- Review includes risk logs, process assumptions, exchange format controls, and release thresholds.
- Boundary
- Customer project identifiers and exact commercial terms are omitted for confidentiality.
Production-ready technical package
- Scope
- Procurement-oriented content for suppliers, including what must be approved before build transfer.
- Verification
- Expected in request review: CAD, spec hierarchy, tolerance expectations, inspection strategy, and acceptance test definitions.
- Boundary
- Financial terms and supplier shortlist are handled case-by-case.
03Engineering scope
The optic, mount, test, and alignment strategy are designed together.
PAO connects the optical prescription to the physical and measurement chain needed to realize it.
Define a technical work packageOptical architecture
System layout, aperture, field, freeform basis, obscuration, image or illumination budgets, and trade studies.
Surface optimization
Aspheric or freeform coefficients, slope control, departure, manufacturability constraints, and sensitivity.
Substrate and process
Glass, glass-ceramic, metal, composite, replication, grinding, polishing, diamond turning, and finishing routes.
Mount and datum engineering
Support points, gravity orientation, retention, thermal behavior, fiducials, clocking, adjustment, and handling.
Coating integration
Spectral and angular response, uniformity, stress, durability, masking, witness samples, and process effects.
Metrology and alignment
Surface and system test architecture, reference datums, uncertainty, assembly alignment, and acceptance.
04Technical envelope
Large optics for imaging, display, and controlled illumination.
Representative capability is shown with the context needed to qualify it. Program requirements control the final architecture and acceptance values.
HUD and virtual-image systems
Freeform mirrors and folds for eye-box, distortion, package, luminance, and sunlight constraints.
Projection and simulation
Large reflective or transmissive optics for collimation, display, training, and visualization systems.
Solar and source simulation
Large-area collection, homogenization, collimation, and spectral-management optics.
Large-area illumination
Elliptical reflectors, condensers, fly-eye arrays, and freeforms for controlled high-flux fields.
REFERENCE ENVELOPE
Freeform production pathsAbout 50 mm to 3 mGeometry, material, tolerance, and metrology dependent
Elliptical reflector referenceUp to 900 mm diameterRepresentative large illumination-optic class
Fly-eye reference20 to 500 mmCustom pitch, envelope, material, and spectral requirements
Surface typesAspheric / off-axis / freeformReflective or transmissive system architectures
Size ranges indicate available production pathways, not guaranteed limits for every prescription. Feasibility depends on material, sag, slope, departure, tolerance, coating, metrology, quantity, handling, and schedule.
05What you receive
Engineering outputs your team can review, build, test, and maintain.
The exact package follows the program stage and scope. Assumptions, interfaces, decisions, and acceptance evidence remain visible.
Optical and surface definition
Prescription, coordinate system, aperture, freeform data, tolerances, and exchange-file controls.
Manufacturing feasibility package
Process route, substrate, tooling, slope and departure review, edge strategy, and risk retirements.
Mounting concept
Support, gravity, thermal, retention, datum, handling, transport, and alignment interfaces.
Metrology architecture
Surface, form, coordinate, coating, and system-level methods with uncertainty and data requirements.
Coating specification
Spectral, angle, polarization, uniformity, stress, durability, masking, and witness requirements.
Integration support
Fabrication review, data evaluation, assembly, alignment, system test, and nonconformance resolution.
06Controlled delivery
A local engineering interface from first review through release.
PAO leads the technical work, coordinates specialized fabrication and production resources under the project quality process, and keeps responsibility for requirements, interfaces, evidence, and issue closure clear.
- 01
Technical intake
Define the system boundary, decision to be made, current evidence, constraints, and confidentiality path.
- 02
Requirements and risk
Create measurable requirements, interface assumptions, performance budgets, and a ranked technical risk register.
- 03
Architecture and proof
Compare viable concepts and retire the highest-risk assumptions with analysis, breadboards, or targeted tests.
- 04
Detailed engineering
Develop controlled optical, mechanical, calibration, test, and supplier-ready documentation.
- 05
Build and verification
Support procurement, assembly, alignment, test correlation, root cause, and evidence-based iteration.
- 06
Release and transfer
Close acceptance criteria, configuration, supplier questions, manufacturing issues, and production handoff.
07Qualification questions
Questions engineering teams ask before engaging.
01What information is needed to quote a large freeform optic?
Provide the surface definition, aperture, material, tolerances, coating, coordinate and datum definition, quantity, schedule, and desired inspection data. If these are incomplete, PAO can develop the specification first.
02How do you verify a large freeform surface?
The method may combine coordinate metrology, profilometry, stitching interferometry, deflectometry, custom nulls, fiducials, and system-level testing. The test architecture is selected with the surface and mount design.
03Can PAO also design the mount and alignment method?
Yes. For large optics, support, datum transfer, gravity orientation, handling, thermal behavior, and alignment should be engineered with the surface rather than assigned after fabrication.
09Start a conversation
Bring the prescription and the system interface, not only the aperture.
PAO can assess feasibility, develop the optical and mechanical definition, or manage a controlled path through fabrication and system alignment.