Cylindrical Lenses

Precision polymer cylindrical lenses for beam shaping manipulate light along a single axis, focusing or expanding it in one direction to form lines or sheets of light. At G&H | GS Optics, we manufacture custom cylindrical polymer lenses that deliver exceptional uniformity, surface accuracy, and repeatability - ideal for line generation, laser scanning, barcode reading, and spectroscopic systems.

Applications

• Machine vision – structured illumination and sheet-of-light systems
• Barcode and LiDAR scanners – uniform line generation
• Spectroscopy – wavelength dispersion and beam shaping
• Optical sensors – power distribution and beam homogenization
• Medical imaging – linear illumination for diagnostic instruments

Manufacturing Capabilities

• Cylindrical or acylindrical geometries up to 150 mm in length
• Molded or diamond-turned surfaces with nanometric finish
• Multi-cavity mold designs for scalable production
• In-house AR or reflective coatings to maximize transmission and contrast
• Advanced optical metrology and inspection facilities

Advantages of Polymer Cylindrical Lenses

• Controlled beam shaping: Converts a point source into a line or sheet with high uniformity.
• Lightweight and durable: Ideal for handheld, robotic, or airborne systems.
• Cost-effective precision: Replicates complex surfaces with high accuracy at scale.
• Integrated design: Optical and mechanical features molded in one part.
• Thermal stability: Engineered for consistent performance in demanding environments.

Why G&H | GS Optics

• Proven expertise in molding precision cylindrical and acylindrical optics
• Complete in-house tooling, coating, and metrology
• ISO-certified and DDTC-registered U.S. facility
• Experienced engineering collaboration from concept through production
• 100+ years of polymer optics manufacturing heritage

Engineering Expertise

Based on decades of expertise, G&H | GS Optics engineers provide our customers with DFM recommendations to ensure that their polymer optics programs are successful. Using mold flow simulations, we can model how resin will fill the mold during the injection molding process to better position gates, anticipate where knit lines will appear, and locate difficult to fill spots in the mold. G&H | GS Optics specializes in scientific injection molding which is a systematic, data-driven methodology to produce world class polymer optics.

Prototypes are diamond-turned using Precitech Nanoform 200 and Nanoform X systems, achieving nanometric surface finish without post-polishing. The same tooling precision transfers directly into injection molds for scalable production.

Quality Assurance and Process Validation

All polymer optics produced by G&H | GS Optics are subject to rigorous quality standards to ensure consistent, reliable performance. Each lens is measured using a variety of metrology equipment to verify dimensional accuracy, surface quality, and refractive characteristics.

To reduce risk after transferring from development to production, GS Optics can conduct a process validation through a combination of installation (IQ), operational (OQ), and performance (PQ) qualifications, ensuring process repeatability and consistent optical performance.

Material Selection

We select materials according to optical performance, mechanical robustness, and environmental demands.