A lens changes the direction of light as it passes between materials. In industrial lighting, lens geometry is often selected around a particular LED, working distance, beam pattern, target area, and mechanical envelope.
Lens Geometry
Curved Surfaces Change Ray Direction
Lens surfaces can be shaped to converge rays, spread them, redirect off-axis light, or create controlled distributions that would not occur directly from the source.
Small differences in curvature, source position, refractive index, thickness, and spacing can change the final optical result.
Collimation
Managing Diverging Light
LEDs normally emit light across a range of angles. Lens systems can collect portions of that output and redirect it into a narrower or otherwise controlled distribution.
Real sources have physical size, so performance depends on more than an idealized single ray or point-source model.
Beam Shaping
Round, Elliptical and Specialized Patterns
Industrial lighting does not always need a symmetrical circular beam. Optics can be designed to spread light differently in horizontal and vertical directions or to illuminate elongated work areas.
Lens Materials
Glass and Optical Polymers
Material affects transmission, temperature resistance, impact behavior, weight, moldability, machining, chemical compatibility, and surface durability.
Glass fabrication supports many types of precision transparent components, while polymers can enable lightweight molded optical geometries.
Glass Families
Borosilicate Glass
Borosilicate glass is one glass family used across industrial and technical products where its material properties are appropriate to the application.
Optical material selection should still be based on the wavelength, temperature, mechanical loading, surface requirements, and environment of the actual system.
Mechanical Position
Source-to-Lens Alignment
The lens must remain in the intended position relative to the emitting area. Mechanical features such as locating shoulders, holders, clips, retainers, bosses, and machined datums can control alignment.
Alignment becomes particularly important when narrow beams or multiple individual lenses are used over an LED array.
Machine Vision
Lenses in Inspection Systems
Machine vision uses optics on both sides of the imaging problem: lighting optics control how the target is illuminated, while imaging optics control how reflected or transmitted light reaches the camera sensor.
The complete system should be evaluated together when repeatable inspection contrast is required.
Selection