Optikos® will present its full portfolio of optical capabilities at Photonics West 2026 between January 20th and 22nd in San Francisco, California, with an exhibit centered on automation and scalability – two imperatives driving the future of high-volume optics manufacturing. The company's demonstrations will illustrate how integrated design, engineering, manufacturing, and metrology enable production at scale without compromising quality.
Intelligent Automation in Action
Central to the exhibit will be a live demonstration of the Optikos LensCheck™ featuring Cobot Loading and OpTest® Synchronization. This automated MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) test station exemplifies how intelligent automation removes production bottlenecks. The system features a collaborative robot trained to retrieve lenses from a tray feeder, scan unique barcodes for traceability, and load each lens onto a LensCheck station. The customized OpTest software synchronizes seamlessly with the cobot, triggering MTF measurements upon loading and signaling lens removal once testing is complete. This closed-loop automation enables 24/7 operations, continuing testing during shift downtime when traditional manual processes would normally halt.
The technical achievement lies in OpTest's dual capabilities: enabling automated MTF measurement routines and guaranteeing a standardized CSV data output. This integration has proven its value in real-world production, where the system has enabled Optikos to manufacture over 200 lenses per day while producing MTF test reports for 100 % of units. The approach is meant to ensure zero quality compromises while scaling volume production.
Optikos LensCheck system with collaborative robot (cobot) for automated MTF testing and lens production.
As specialists in precision components, we understand the need for fast, yet uncompromising production cycles for optical elements and systems. Developments such as the LensCheck Cobot are clear indicators of our automation and scaling efforts, where we're taking our processes and optimizing them through advanced software and technology applications.
Kevin Sweeney, Principal Optical Systems Engineer, Optikos
Precision at Scale through a New Life Science Partnership
Complementing the automation demonstration, Optikos will also showcase the results of a strategic partnership with technology leader Novanta for an advanced dual-channel fluorescence microscopy imaging system built to deliver both exceptional performance and rapid scalability in life sciences using Novanta's configurable light engine platform. Our collaboration with Novanta underscores both companies' dedication to an integrated engineering approach - uniting diverse disciplines to deliver versatile, high-performance imaging solutions. This novel fluorescence imaging system embodies that shared vision, driving advancements in life sciences manufacturing through precision and innovation. The development process began with a fabrication-for-fit analysis to determine optimal element spacing tolerances, followed by precision alignment turning to control critical imaging parameters like decenter and wedge. Extensive Monte Carlo tolerance analyses validated manufacturing consistency across high-volume production, ensuring reliable, repeatable results at scale. Additionally, custom mechanical solutions, including a specialized tube lens block for multi-color imaging and an integrated filter block for component consolidation, simplified assembly workflows while maintaining optical performance. Throughout the development stage, Optikos implemented low-stress mounting strategies, verified performance using Shack-Hartmann metrology, and developed custom alignment pucks to reduce assembly time.
The result is a fluorescence imaging system that scales from prototype to volume manufacturing while delivering research-grade image quality with production system efficiency.
"Our joint aim with the Novanta and Optikos partnership is to prove that precision, speed, and affordability are not competing priorities," comments Byron Seabolt, Business Development Manager at Optikos. "The bedrock of this tight collaboration lies in the performance mindset of both groups of professionals. We know how much is at stake for fluorescence applications and what kinds of breakthroughs they unlock. That is why we are committed through our new imaging system to supporting any business that develops products with an impact on critical life science research."
"Together with Optikos, we're removing integration hurdles and shortening design timelines - combining world-class optics with Novanta's advanced illumination and sample positioning systems to help instrument teams bring solutions to market faster," said Andy Carson, Senior Director, Engineered Systems at Novanta. Elements belonging to the new microscopy imaging system will be available both at the Optikos and the Novanta booths during SPIE Photonics West 2026.
Discover the Full Engineering Package
Rounding out the exhibit, Optikos will showcase additional solutions that exemplify its end-to-end optical engineering capabilities across multiple industries through:
- The Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) System
- The Optikos Reflective Telescope
- The Refractive Alignment-Turned Aerial System
- The Meridian® LWIR Static Target Projector
- The Meridian® Starfield Platform
- The ColliMeter™ for Riflescopes
We invite you to experience the future of optical manufacturing firsthand. Visit Optikos at Booth #441 during Photonics West 2026 to see intelligent automation in action, explore cutting-edge life sciences imaging solutions, and discover how integrated engineering transforms precision optics from prototype to production. Whether you're scaling to high-volume manufacturing or developing advanced imaging-powered systems, the Optikos team is ready to discuss how our capabilities can advance your next project.