Optical attenuator molding system

Abstract

A system for molding optical attenuators that have a lens portion and a supporting portion includes a molding machine containing a mold, an extractor robot and optical inspection portion, and a controller that assesses the inspection information and send control signals to the molding machine and mold. The mold includes a cavity and a core which define a space in which the supporting portion and the attenuator are formed. The mold also includes a core pin, movably located in the core element. The core pin has a proximal end defining a surface of the lens portion and a distal end remote from the molding space. A core pin motor is coupled to the core pin, through a number of intermediate elements, so that the core pin can be moved relative to the core element to adjust a thickness of the lens portion. The movement of the core pin motor is controlled by the controller that is supplied with a stepped index or table of optimum thickness values corresponding to selected values of attenuation desired for the lens portion. The controller preferably includes a comparitor that compares the result of the optical measuring with a selected one of the stepped index values and associated ranges. The controller then generates a signal to the core pin motor based upon the amount to which the result of the optical measurement differs from the desired range for the selected stepped index value.