VIMFUN demonstrates precision polymer-on-glass diffuser cutting using an endless diamond wire saw. The process maintains coating integrity under 30 °C, uses only water coolant, and delivers flawless optical edges for high-value micro-optics.
1. Project Background
The customer provided a VIAVI EDC-50 Polymer-on-Glass Engineered Diffuser (50 × 50 mm).
The diffuser consists of a Schott Borofloat 33 glass substrate coated with a micro-structured polymer layer.
It is widely used in laser beam shaping, 3D sensing, and medical optics, where both heat and mechanical stress sensitivity are critical.
The customer requested the diffuser to be precisely cut into 12 mm diameter circular pieces, with the following strict process conditions:
- The coated surface must not be pressed or deformed.
- Cutting temperature must stay below 40 °C.
- Low-pressure coolant flow to prevent peeling.
- No solvent-based coolant or cleaning agents allowed.
2. Material Characteristics
Microscopic observation revealed a highly regular 3-D microlens array pattern that defines the diffuser’s beam profile and uniformity.
The polymer layer thickness is approximately 20–200 µm, with a 2 mm glass base.
Any thermal softening or compression can permanently damage the optical function.
3. Cutting Approach
The cutting was performed using a VIMFUN Endless Diamond Wire Saw.
To satisfy the “low-temperature, solvent-free” requirement, regular tap water was used as the cutting coolant after customer approval.
Main cutting parameters:
| Parameter | Wert | Beschreibung |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond wire diameter | 0.30 mm | Endless closed-loop wire |
| Drahtgeschwindigkeit | 50 m/s | Kontinuierliche eindirektionale Bewegung |
| Drahtspannung | 90 N | Stable linear path |
| Vorschubgeschwindigkeit | 10–20 mm/min | Heat-controlled cutting |
| Kühlmittel | Tap water | Non-solvent, low-impact |
4. Cutting Drawing & Precision
Cutting followed the customer’s engineering drawing
- Circular piece Ø 12 mm ± 0.10 mm
- Total thickness 2.1 mm
- General tolerance per ISO 2768-1 fh
5. Results
- Dimensional accuracy: ± 0.05 mm achieved.
- Edge quality: Smooth cut, no chipping or melting.
- Temperature: Remained below 30 °C during the process.
- Coating integrity: No peeling, bubbling, or haze observed.
These results demonstrate that the VIMFUN Endless Diamond Wire Saw can reliably cut polymer-on-glass optical materials under low-temperature conditions while maintaining optical integrity.
6. Conclusion
By optimizing wire speed, tension, and coolant control, VIMFUN successfully achieved precision cold-cutting of a polymer-coated optical diffuser.
This study confirms that:
- No solvent coolant is required.
- Regular tap water provides sufficient cooling efficiency.
- The coating remains completely undamaged.
This experiment provides a validated low-temperature cutting process for future work on similar polymer-coated optical components (such as EDC, DOE, and RPC series).
