Our client needed to optimise the optical system of the cytometer prototype he had developed for the industrialisation phase. Their objectives were clear: reduce the size of the equipment, improve the image quality and improve the image processing, including a customised software development (GUI).

ASE Optics was in charge of the entire process: specification review, preliminary optical design, final optomechanical and optoelectronic design, component selection, procurement, assembly, integration, validation, installation and testing at the customer’s premises.

Preliminary optical design: overcoming technical challenges to improve optical quality

There were two key issues driving the project:

• The system had to integrate as many catalogue elements as possible, to optimise costs.
• The optical system, which integrated a 1:1 filter, had to be flexible, to adapt to the different image magnification schemes that would be transmitted to the sensor.

After reviewing the specifications, we saw that it was feasible to redesign the system, also proposing a reduction in the dimensions of the equipment, which was greater than expected.

The final optical design consisted of a multi-element optical system, including a lens and a relay, guaranteeing the expected image quality. In addition, the aspheric surfaces were limited to achieve a significant cost reduction.

Design and development of the optomechanics, software development and full integration

The second phase of the project consisted of coordinated work between three teams: optical engineering, mechanical engineering and software development.

The mechanical engineering team designed the mechanical interface, and defined the final list of materials and components that were to make up the final equipment, in direct collaboration with the optical engineers and the customer. In this way, a complete system was defined, based on catalogue elements: LED light sources, filters, optomechanics, electronics…

In parallel, we designed and developed a graphical user interface (GUI) for image processing, which we integrated into the final system.

System verification, installation and training at the customer’s premises

The last phase of the project was the verification of the system at ASE Optics’ premises and the subsequent handover of the system to the customer. On this occasion, two of our engineers travelled to the client’s facilities to install the system and give a training session to their workers, so that they could get the most out of the equipment.