Optical components, made in the UK

Precision Optical Components, Made Start to Finish in Rye

Kingsview Optical is an optical component manufacturer in Rye, East Sussex. Since 1996 we have made precision lenses, prisms, windows, mirrors, filters and graticules to our customers' drawings, for OEMs, defence companies, instrument makers and research labs. Every component is CNC shaped, polished, coated and measured on our own site, from a single prototype to repeat production.

  • Made in Rye, East Sussex
  • Coated in-house
  • Prototype to production
  • ISO 9001:2015
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Optotech CNC lens polishing lines at Kingsview Optical, optical component manufacturer UK
Our Optotech CNC lens lines, in Rye.
6 component typesPlus complete assemblies
0.8mm+Micro-optics to large prisms
5 coating chambersIncluding magnetron sputtering
Since 1996Making optics in the UK

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What we make

Optical Components We Manufacture

Every component is made to your drawing, in the quantity you need. Each family has its own page with the full specification, materials and coating options.

Laminated optical window made by Kingsview Optical Any outline

Optical Windows

Flat, parallel windows in any outline from your STEP file, in optical glass, fused silica or sapphire. AR coated, laminated or toughened on site.

λ/4 flatness · parallelism better than 10 arcsec

Optical windows
Gold-coated optical mirrors made by Kingsview Optical Coated in-house

Optical Mirrors

Flat, concave and convex mirrors, polished on our own lines and coated in our own chambers with aluminium, silver, gold or a dielectric design.

λ/4 flats · 0.5% radius on spherical mirrors

Optical mirrors

Not Sure Which Component You Need?

Send the drawing, or tell us what the light has to do. An engineer will suggest the simplest part that does the job, and tell you what drives its cost.

Ask an Engineer
Made here, start to finish

One Route From Glass Blank to Finished Component

Every component on this page follows the same route through our site. The polishing, coating and measuring are all done here, so you deal with one team and get one set of quality records.

Kingsview Optical LtdHarbour Road, Rye
East Sussex TN31 7TE
  1. Design checkEngineers review your drawing and suggest tolerances that hold performance without adding cost.Optical design
  2. CNC shapingGlass is cut, generated and edged on CNC machines, straight from your STEP file.
  3. PolishingOptotech CNC lines for curved surfaces, twin-lap machines for flat and parallel faces.
  4. CoatingAR, mirror, filter and beamsplitter coatings in our five vacuum chambers.Optical coating
  5. MeasuringZygo, Trioptics and spectrophotometer checks before anything ships.Our services
  6. AssemblyMounted, cemented or sealed in our cleanrooms, when you need more than loose parts.Cleanroom assembly

Every photo on this page was taken at our site in Rye.

Prototype to production

From Your First Prototype to Year-on-Year Production

Much of our production work started as a handful of prototypes. The same people make both, so nothing is lost between your first batch and your repeat orders.

Stage 1 Prototype

A small batch made to your drawing, with clear feedback on any tolerance that drives cost. If the design changes, we change the part, without you finding a new supplier.

Stage 2 Pre-production

Tooling, fixtures and an inspection plan are set up for your part, and the process is recorded so every batch is made the same way.

Stage 3 Production

Repeat batches made by the same team on the same machines, scheduled around your build plan, with one set of quality records year after year.

Who we make for: defence and security, medical and life science, laser systems, machine vision, infrared and thermal imaging, and scientific research. NDA on request, and defence work welcome.

At a glance

Optical Component Capabilities Compared

Our standard tolerances for each component family. Tighter is often possible, so tell us which parameter matters and we'll say plainly whether we can hold it.

ComponentSizeStandard tolerancesCoatings
Lenses0.8 to 100mm diameterRadius 0.5%, irregularity λ/4, centration ±2 arcmin, 60/40Broadband AR, V-coat, MgF2, custom
Prisms0.8mm to over 100mmAngles ±3 arcmin, parallelism better than 5 arcsec, λ/4, 60/40AR, metal and dielectric mirror, polarizing
WindowsMicro windows to large machine-vision windows±0.1mm, flatness λ/4, parallelism better than 10 arcsec, 60/40Broadband AR, V-coat, MgF2, custom
MirrorsSmall precision mirrors to large flats±0.1mm, flatness λ/4, radius 0.5%, 60/40Aluminium, silver, gold, dielectric
FiltersDiced to your sizeSpectral performance to your specification, measured 200 to 3000nmSputtered bandpass, notch, longpass, shortpass, dichroic
GraticulesTo your artworkPattern, edge definition and dimensions inspected under magnificationChrome, protected aluminium, protected silver, high-contrast black
Materials

Optical Materials We Work With

We work with optical glass from the leading glass makers, plus the specialist substrates below. If your design calls for something else, ask us. Most substrates can be catered for.

Optical glassSchott, Ohara and CDGM glass types for lenses, prisms and windows
UV fused silicaFor UV transmission, heat resistance and low thermal expansion
SapphireFor windows in the toughest environments
Filter glassSchott coloured glass, including KG3 and UG1

See our guide to optical glass manufacturers for help choosing a glass type.

Optical Component Manufacturing FAQs

What optical components do you manufacture?
We make optical lenses (singlets and cemented achromatic doublets and triplets), prisms (right angle, penta, roof, Dove and Risley), windows, mirrors, filters and graticules, all to your drawing. We also build them into complete optical assemblies in our cleanrooms.
Are your optical components made in the UK?
Yes. Every component is CNC shaped, polished, coated and measured at our site in Rye, East Sussex, where we have made optics since 1996. Anodising of metal housings is handled by our approved finisher, managed by us.
Do you make prototypes as well as production quantities?
Yes. We make single prototypes and small batches, then move into production at your volumes with the same team, the same machines and the same process records. Much of our production work started as a handful of prototypes.
What size optical components can you make?
Lenses from 0.8mm to 100mm in diameter, prisms from 0.8mm micro prisms to periscope prisms over 100mm, and windows from micro windows for endoscopy to large machine-vision windows. If your part is outside these ranges, ask us.
What tolerances can you hold?
Our standard tolerances include a lens radius within 0.5%, irregularity and flatness of λ/4 at 633nm, lens centration of ±2 arcmin, prism angles of ±3 arcmin, prism parallelism better than 5 arcsec and 60/40 surface quality. Tighter is often possible, so tell us which parameter matters most.
Can you coat the components you make?
Yes. We have five vacuum coating chambers on site, including magnetron sputtering, for anti-reflection, mirror, filter and beamsplitter coatings. Coatings are designed in Essential Macleod and measured on our Lambda 1050+ spectrophotometer from 200nm to 3000nm.
Can you assemble components into a finished optical system?
Yes. We machine the barrels, cells and housings on our own CNC mills and turning centre, then mount, align and seal the optics in our three cleanrooms. See our custom optics manufacturing page.
What do you need for a quote?
A drawing or STEP file, the material, critical tolerances, surface quality, coating and quantities, for both prototypes and expected production. If you only know the application, describe it and we'll suggest a specification.

Getting a Quote for Optical Components

Send us your STEP file or drawing. An engineer from the team that would make your parts, not a sales team, will review it. They'll tell you plainly what's achievable and what will drive cost.

What to send

  • STEP file and drawing (PDF or ISO 10110)
  • Material, or the wavelength range if you're not sure
  • Critical tolerances and surface quality
  • Coating requirements
  • Quantities: prototypes and expected production volumes

What happens next

  1. An engineer reviews itWithin one working day, flagging anything that will drive cost or lead time.
  2. We quote prototype and productionSo you know the cost now and at your future volumes.
  3. We make, coat, measure and deliverAll in Rye, with inspection data if you need it.
Start Your RFQ

Need Precision Optical Components?

Send your drawing for one part or a whole set. We'll tell you plainly how we'd make them, what they will cost and how long they will take.

Send Your Drawing Call 01797 226202
Made in Rye, East Sussex. NDA-friendly. Defence and security work welcome. ISO 9001:2015.