Launched in March 2017, the SKALIR project (Scalable Replication of Lenses for IR Applications) has a duration of three years and is funded by the federal state of North Rhine‑Westphalia. As a user of precision pressing technology and a manufacturer of micro‑optics, INGENERIC is working together with tooling supplier Aixtooling and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, which acts as the process development partner. The goal is to explore new approaches to enable the cost‑efficient mass production of micro‑optical elements for infrared technology.

The project is based on specialized glasses for infrared applications, enabling a more economical alternative to the costly direct manufacturing of IR optics. To further reduce production costs, the project focuses on developing suitable tooling concepts that allow scalable, high‑volume manufacturing processes for micro‑optics. One key approach is the production of optics based on glass wafers incorporating a large number of integrated individual lenses.

Further information about the project is available at: www.skalir.de

SKALIR is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2014–2020. Funding reference: EFRE‑0800802.