Speaker: Dr. Benny Cheung, Professor and an Associate Head of the Partner State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology in Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at The  Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Host: Dae Wook Kim (Please, email me for more information.)

Topic: Research in Ultra-precision Machining and Freeform Surface Measurement

Abstract: The use of freeform optics for various industrial applications has become more widespread. In this presentation, the latest research related to Ultra-precision Machining and Freeform Surface Measurement  being undertaken in the Partner State Key Laboratory of Ultraprecision Machining Technology at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is presented. Some examples of applications of the technologies in freeform optics are also discussed.

Speaker: David Gritz, Director Sales, Heraeus Quartz America, LLC Optics Division

Host: Dae Wook Kim (Please, email me for more information.)

Title: Benefits of molding fused silica with a focus on cost savings of raw material and CNC machine time

David’s career has focused on new process, product and business development in glass (most notably in fused silica and fused quartz glasses) and glass-ceramics primarily focused in advanced optical products in the Photonics areas. Areas of expertise include advanced lasers, optical instrumentation, semiconductors optical metrology, microlithography, aerospace optics, astronomy, optics used in military and scientific R&D.  Over the past 20 years, David has managed the development of over 30 new technology enabling products used by many tier-one manufacturers in these fields and has been responsible for development new business exceeding $100M’s business for Corning, Lucent & Heraeus.

The first GMT mirror is completed and wrapped. Check out the article on the university website.

http://uanews.org/story/world-s-most-advanced-mirror-giant-telescope-completed

Dae Wook Kim (Assistant Research Professor) presented in the Faculty Research session: “SAGUARO: Open Source Data Analysis and Visualization Software Platform”.

Sara Landau-Lampen (Ph.D. student) will present in the Student Research session: “Current Advancement in the Implementation of the Sine Condition Test”.

Sophie Morel (M.S. student) will present in the Five-Minute Presentation session: “Estimation of Phase Error Caused by Dust Particle in Interferometric Measurement”.

According to OSA, “Software Configurable Optical Test System: A Computerized Reverse Hartmann Test,” was the top downloaded article in Applied Optics for the month of August! The paper written, by LOFT researchers Peng Su, Robert E. Parks, Lirong Wang, J. Roger P. Angel and Jim H. Burge, has been viewed 1,425 times since it was published in August 2010. The article can be accessed through OSA’s website using the link above, or through the Publications menu option on the LOFT website. For direct access, click here.

Edmund Optics wrote a press release to herald the recently published SPIE “Field Guide to Optomechanical Design and Analysis,” which was written by professor James H. Burge and alumna Katie Schwertz.

The LOFT group just released SAGUARO 1.4.3. Feel free to check out our video tutorials on SAGUARO 101 and to post individual modules to SAGUARO Garden. SAGUARO has 576 recorded downloads! Many thanks to the LOFT SAGUARO team.

Since LOFT group released the beta version SAGUARO in Sept. 20011, the first official release of SAGUARO 1.4 is now available. Many thanks to the LOFT SAGUARO team.

One of our LOFT group Ph.D. students Laura Coyle was named one of only 85 Philanthropic Educational OrganizationScholars in the country, notes UANews.

SAGUARO 1.3.1 includes updated module fixes for GenDataConvert, UnitConvert, and MapMaskTool. SAGUARO users can download previous versions or see the Change Log for detailed information under the Release Archive.