Rugged Lenses – Proven for Use in Military and Space Applications

Resolve Optics reports on ongoing and increased demand for rugged high-performance lenses for military and space applications where the need for vibration / shock testing prior to deployment is a vital prerequisite.

For most military applications – operators demand much higher reliability than they would for most standard industrial products. Resolve Optics MIL-SPEC lenses have much higher life expectancy than regular commercial grade lenses. The defective rate is also extremely low. Lenses in military products are regularly subject to vibration. When functioning, vibration can be quite harmful to a lens. Slight vibration might cause malfunction in lenses, severe vibration to the body structure may result in damage that leaves it beyond repair. A MIL-SPEC lens can be designed to withstand vibration effects. Shock waves are also highly detrimental to the performance and operation of high precision military optical products. Ruggedisation to prevent changes in focus from shock and vibration is often enabled by simplifying the lens design and reenforcing the mechanics of the optical system.

The cost of launching optical payloads into space is considerable. Consequently incorporating only ruggedized lenses or optical systems into a satellite or space observation system is critical for achieving longer term, high-performance operation. During launch into space – lenses in high precision instruments and cameras are subject to high levels of vibration and shock. To minimize the effects of vibration and shock it is advisable to keep spaceborne components small and light. Minimising the mass of space optics and retaining them securely to an instrument baseplate will minimize the impact of vibration and shock

Investment in state-of-the-art vibration/shock test equipment allows Resolve Optics to field test ruggedized lenses and optical systems prior to deployment on the battlefield or launch into space. This vibration / shock testing service not only provide piece of mind that Resolve Optics lenses will not fail upon deployment but also will save customers considerable time and money by removing the need to use third party testing services. The company's new MPA101-L215M vibratory shaker coupled with a DTC Venzo 880 controller is certified and calibrated to ISO standards.