Injection overmolding with hot / cold cycles for making optical lenses using 3D printed functional wafers
By increasing the injection molding cavity temperature and causing functional wafer materials to undergo viscoelastic deformation in FDM 3D printing, the problem that FDM 3D printing cannot produce optical quality parts is solved, and the production of optically smooth convex surfaces is realized.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202080048194.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2019-07-02
- Filing Date
- 2020-07-01
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-15
- Estimated Expiration
- 2040-07-01
AI Technical Summary
FDM 3D printing cannot produce optically quality parts, and during the constant temperature injection overmolding process, the convex surface of the wafer does not supply enough heat, causing light to scatter the convex surface.
By increasing the injection mold cavity temperature to at least 10°C below the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer, and preferably 5°C above the temperature to achieve viscoelastic deformation of the wafer material, the concave surface texture of the mold cavity is templated to the convex surface of the functional wafer.
This method can produce ophthalmic lenses with optically smooth convex surfaces, reducing the surface roughness of the functional wafers, making them suitable for the manufacturing of optical products.
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Figure CN114080318B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the fields of ophthalmic lenses and additive manufacturing. Background Art
[0002] Wafer technology is a major contribution to the production of thermoplastic lenses with various optical functions, such as selective light transmittance, reflectivity or absorbance, polarization properties, color and photochromism. The use of wafers allows lenses to be provided with these different functions without changing the bulk lens resin. However, in practice, small batch experiments on new and untested research wafers are hampered by wafer manufacturing processes, which are typically set up for large-scale production.
[0003] Additive manufacturing is a cost-effective method for producing low-volume prototype parts. FDM Fused Deposition Modeling (sometimes referred to as Fused Filament Fabrication or FFF) is the most widely used additive manufacturing technology for producing thermoplastic parts. FDM can be used to produce small quantities of wafers with specific dyes and / or filters for experimentation and testing. Therefore, FDM offers a unique method for producing short-run parts without having to interrupt the high-volume manufacturing process.
[0004] A major drawback of FDM 3D printing is that it cannot produce optical quality parts. FDM involves repeatedly applying or depositing multiple voxels of polymer filament material. The end result is a manufactured part with a rough surface and an opaque appearance that significantly scatters transmitted light.
[0005] Another disadvantage associated with 3D printed wafers is that the convex surface of the wafer is not supplied with enough heat during the isothermal injection overmolding process. This results in the wafer containing its rough, light-scattering convex surface. In order for FDM to be useful for wafer manufacturing, some aspects of the lens manufacturing process chain must be improved. Summary of the invention
[0006] The inventors have developed a lens manufacturing technique that solves the optical quality issues associated with injection overmolding of FDM 3D printed functional wafers. The solution is to increase the injection molding cavity temperature to a temperature that is at least 10°C below the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic wafer.
[0007] The present disclosure provides a method for producing an optical article by overmolding an additively manufactured functional wafer onto a convex surface of a base lens to produce an ophthalmic lens. In some embodiments, the additively manufactured functional wafer is a non-optical quality wafer having a surface roughness greater than 50 nm RMS. In some aspects, the overmolding process includes attaching the functional wafer to a concave surface of an injection molding cavity, filling the injection molding cavity with molten base lens material, and lowering the injection molding cavity temperature (T cavity ) is increased from the first temperature to at least a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature (T g , wafer ) a second temperature of 10°C (Formula I).
[0008] T cavity ≥T g,wafer -10℃ (I)
[0009] In some embodiments, the first temperature ranges from room temperature to 10° C. below the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer. In some aspects, the method further comprises increasing the injection molding cavity temperature to a temperature at least 5° C. above the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer (Formula II).
[0010] T cavity ≥T g,wafer +5℃ (II)
[0011] In some aspects, the overmolding process causes the functional wafer to viscoelastically deform. In some embodiments, the viscoelastic deformation templates the concave surface texture of the mold cavity onto the convex surface of the functional wafer to provide an ophthalmic lens with an optically smooth convex surface. In some aspects, the template produces an ophthalmic lens with an optically smooth convex surface with a roughness less than 20nm RMS. In some aspects, at least some of the viscoelastic deformation involves a reduction in the surface roughness of the functional wafer. The overmolding process can use non-optical quality 3D printed wafers, in part because the heat and pressure provided by the injection molding equipment and the molten lens material causes the non-optical quality rough surface of the 3D printed wafer to viscoelastically deform into an optical quality smooth surface. In some embodiments, the functional wafer includes at least one UV cutoff, blue light cutoff, color enhancement, near infrared cutoff, time cutoff (chronocut), and / or photochromic dye or filter.
[0012] In some embodiments, the functional wafer material is selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyester, polyester alloy, polyethylene, polysiloxane, polyimide, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, polyetherarylalkanone, perfluoroalkoxy, polytrifluorochloroethylene, polyolefins such as cycloolefin polymers, polyacrylic acids such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), poly(meth)acrylate, polyethylene(meth)acrylate, polybutyl(meth)acrylate, and polyisobutyl(meth)acrylate, polythiourethane, polycarbonate (PC), alicyclic polycarbonate, polyolefins, polyvinyl chloride ... Polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene, polyarylenes, polyoxides, polysulfones, fluorinated ethylene propylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, ethylene-trifluorofluoroethylene, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, such as styrene acrylonitrile, styrene methyl methacrylate, styrene butadiene methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, methyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and styrene maleic anhydride and other styrene copolymers, polyimide, polyetherimide, polypentene, triacetyl cellulose, their copolymers, and combinations thereof. Suitable polyamides include aliphatic nylon polyamides, such as nylon 6, nylon 6-6, nylon 6-10, nylon 6-12, nylon 10, nylon 10-10, nylon 11, nylon 12, their copolymers, or derivatives or mixtures thereof.
[0013] Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to an optical article comprising an ophthalmic lens, wherein the ophthalmic lens comprises a base lens and an additively manufactured functional wafer attached to a convex surface of the base lens. In some embodiments, the ophthalmic lens is produced by injection overmolding a molten base lens material onto an additively manufactured functional wafer and heating the injection molding cavity to a molding temperature that is at least 10°C below the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer, preferably at least 5°C above the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer. In some embodiments, the ophthalmic lens has an optically smooth convex surface. In some embodiments, the functional wafer comprises at least one UV cutoff, blue light cutoff, color enhancement, near infrared cutoff, time cutoff, and / or photochromic dye or filter.
[0014] In some embodiments, the functional wafer material and the base lens material are selected to be compatible with each other. Thermoplastic materials that diffuse into each other in the molten state are said to exhibit compatibility or be compatible with each other. Examples of such wafer / lens pairs include, but are not limited to: PMMA / PC, copolyester / PC, polyester alloy / PC, and alicyclic polycarbonate / PC.
[0015] According to the present disclosure, an "ophthalmic lens" is defined as a lens adapted to be mounted in a pair of glasses, the function of which is to protect the eyes and / or correct vision. This lens may be afocal, monofocal, bifocal, trifocal or a progressive lens. The ophthalmic lens may be corrective or non-corrective. The glasses in which the ophthalmic lens is to be mounted may be a conventional frame comprising two different ophthalmic lenses (one for the right eye and one for the left eye), or a mask, visor, helmet sight or goggles, in which one ophthalmic lens faces both the right eye and the left eye. The ophthalmic lens may be produced with a conventional geometric structure that is round or may be produced to fit the intended frame.
[0016] Any embodiment of any disclosed composition and / or method may consist of or consist essentially of - rather than comprise / include / contain / have any of the described elements and / or features and / or steps. Thus, in any claim, the term "consisting of" or "consisting essentially of" may replace any open-ended linking verb described above in order to alter the scope of a given claim from what it would otherwise be using the open-ended linking verb.
[0017] The term "substantially" and its variations are defined as being largely, but not necessarily completely, as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in a non-limiting embodiment substantially refers to within 10%, within 5%, within 1%, or within 0.5%. The term "about" or "approximately" or "substantially unchanged" is defined as being close to what one of ordinary skill in the art understands, and in a non-limiting embodiment, these terms are defined as within 10%, preferably within 5%, more preferably within 1%, and most preferably within 0.5%.
[0018] When used in conjunction with the term "comprising" in the claims and / or description, the use of the words "a" or "an" may mean "one", but also conforms to the meanings of "one or more", "at least one" and "one or more than one".
[0019] The phrase "and / or" means "and" or "or". For illustration, A, B, and / or C includes: A alone, B alone, C alone, a combination of A and B, a combination of A and C, a combination of B and C, or a combination of A, B, and C. In other words, "and / or" serves as an inclusive "or".
[0020] As used in this specification and in one or more claims, the words “comprising” (and any forms of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having” (and any forms of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and any forms of including, such as “includes” and “include”), or “containing” (and any forms of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.
[0021] The compositions and methods for their use may "comprise any ingredient or step disclosed throughout the specification," "consist essentially of," or "consist of." With respect to the transition phrase "consist essentially of," in one non-limiting aspect, the basic and novel features of the compositions and methods disclosed in this specification include a method for injection overmolding a 3D printed functional wafer onto a base lens, wherein the cavity temperature is raised to a temperature that is at least 10°C below the glass transition temperature of the wafer.
[0022] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and examples, although indicating specific embodiments of the present invention, are still given by way of illustration only. In addition, it is expected that changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the FDM 3D printing equipment.
[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram depicting a conventional injection overmolding process in which the cavity temperature is maintained below the glass transition temperature of the wafer.
[0025] Figure 3 is an illustration of an FDM 3D printed functional wafer. The wafer has a rough surface, which is an inherent result of the FDM 3D printing process.
[0026] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an injection overmolding process as disclosed herein. The process includes the step of increasing the cavity temperature to at least 10° C. below the glass transition temperature of the wafer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] The various features and advantageous details are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments shown in the drawings and described in detail in the following description. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments, are given by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions and / or rearrangements will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure.
[0028] In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
[0029] A wafer is defined as a structure with certain desired optical properties, such as selective transmittance, reflectivity or absorbance, polarization properties, color, photochromic, electrochromic, etc. The wafer structure is produced by an additive manufacturing process. The process involves the deposition of multiple filament voxels adhered or otherwise fixed to each other. An optically smooth surface refers to a transparent object surface with a roughness less than 20nm RMS, preferably less than 17nm RMS. Non-optical quality refers to a transparent object with a surface roughness greater than 50nm RMS.
[0030] As used herein, "interdiffusion" and derivatives thereof refer to the movement of at least one ion, molecule, part of a molecule, or part of a polymer chain from the space occupied by one voxel to the space occupied by juxtaposed physically contacting voxels. Interdiffusion can occur spontaneously or be induced by mechanical, physical or chemical treatments. For example, mechanical treatments include stirring, such as by exposure to ultrasonic energy, high frequency vibration devices, etc., which promote mixing at voxel boundaries. Macroscopic diffusion is a mechanical method in which voxels are blended or "painted" by stage vibration, especially when such vibration occurs during deposition, thereby producing close voxel-to-voxel contact. Exemplary physical treatments include heat treatments by exposure to radiation such as heat, infrared, microwaves, etc. Heat treatments raise the temperature to a glass-liquid transition point (Tg) above the high viscosity domain in the voxel and promote interdiffusion. Exemplary chemical treatments include chemical reactions between reactive species of the composition. The molecular weight of the polymer present in the voxel can be reduced, such as by two-pathway chemistries or reversible reactions, to promote interdiffusion.
[0031] As used herein, "voxel" refers to a volume element. A voxel is a distinguishable geometric structure that is part of a three-dimensional space. The diameter, width or thickness of a voxel is typically in the range of 0.1 to 500 μm. Voxels include elongated shapes, such as strands, and therefore, the length of a voxel does not necessarily include an upper limit. The voxel length may be 0.1 μm, 100 μm, 0.1 cm, 100 cm, greater than 100 cm, or any length therebetween. "Voxel" may refer to a single element that, in combination with other voxels, may define a line, layer, or other predetermined shape or pattern in a three-dimensional space. Depending on the technology and manufacturing process conditions used, the voxel formed may be of any desired shape. When arranged, a plurality of adjacent voxels or a collection of adjacent voxels may create or define a line or layer, and may constitute an optical element. A specific voxel may be identified by the x, y, and z coordinates of a selected point (such as an angle, a center) of the geometric structure of the shape or by other means known in the art. The boundary of a voxel is defined by the outer surface of the voxel. Such a boundary may be very close, with or without contact.
[0032] As used herein, "additive manufacturing" refers to a manufacturing technique as defined in the international standard ASTM 2792-12, which describes the process of connecting materials to make 3D solid objects from a 3D digital model. The process is called "3D printing" or "material printing" because successive layers are laid on top of each other. Printing materials include liquids, powders, filaments, and sheet materials, and a series of cross-sectional layers are constructed from these liquids, powders, filaments, and sheet materials. These layers corresponding to the virtual cross-sections from the CAD (computer-aided design) model are connected or automatically melted to create a solid 3D object. Additive manufacturing includes, but is not limited to, the following manufacturing methods: such as stereolithography, mask stereolithography, mask projection stereolithography, polymer jetting, scanning laser sintering (SLS), scanning laser melting (SLM), and fused deposition modeling (FDM). Additive manufacturing technology includes a number of processes that create 3D solid objects by juxtaposing multiple volume elements or particles according to a predetermined arrangement typically defined in a CAD file. "Juxtaposition" is understood to be a sequential operation, including building a material layer on top of a previously built material layer and / or positioning a material volume element next to a previously deposited material volume element. The term "part" refers to any part built using layer-based additive manufacturing technology, and includes 3D parts and support structures built using layer-based additive manufacturing technology. The exemplary part disclosed herein is a functional wafer.
[0033] The term "polymer" refers to a polymer material having one or more monomer species, including homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers, etc. As used herein, "thermoplastic" is understood to be a polymer resin that can melt when exposed to heat, and is preferably optically clear and optical grade.
[0034] Fused Deposition Modeling is the most widely used 3D printing technology for producing thermoplastic parts. Figure 1 ) The part is built by extruding a thermoplastic filament from a heated nozzle. Generally, the filament 12 is fed to an extruder 14, which includes a heater block 16 and a heated nozzle 18. The molten filament is delivered to a print bed 20 through the heated nozzle 18. The molten filament is applied to the XY plane to produce the first layer. Once the first layer is completed, the platform is lowered in the Z-axis direction and the second layer is printed. The above steps are repeated until the part is manufactured. The hot strands are welded to each other to form a solid part.
[0035] FDM is one of the most cost-effective methods for producing custom thermoplastic parts and prototypes. A major drawback of FDM 3D printing is that it cannot deposit filaments at a high enough resolution to achieve optical quality. FDM's layering method results in rough edges on the surface of 3D printed parts that scatter light and result in an opaque appearance.
[0036] Because 3D printing is more cost-effective for small volumes and rapid prototyping tasks, FDM can be used to produce functional wafers from thermoplastic filaments with specific dyes and / or filters. Examples include UV cutoff, blue light cutoff, NIR cutoff, color enhancement, time cutoff, and photochromic filters. The resulting functional wafer can then be integrated onto the front surface of an ophthalmic lens via an injection overmolding process (or a membrane insert molding process).
[0037] Conventional injection overmolding processes were examined, however, despite the high heat and pressure provided by the injection molding equipment, these processes were still unable to produce optical quality lenses. In conventional injection overmolding processes, the entire injection overmolding cycle is performed at a constant cavity temperature (T cavity ), the cavity temperature is significantly lower than the glass transition temperature (T g,wafer ). The glass transition temperature characterizes the secondary transition of an amorphous polymer from a brittle, glassy solid to a viscous or rubbery substance. cavity Must be less than T g,wafer , so that the functional wafer maintains its shape when inserted into the cavity. Further, T cavity must be less than the glass transition temperature (T g,lens ), so the resulting lens is in a solid form that is rigid enough to be ejected without deformation. The most common, T cavity ≤T g,lens -20°C. The wafer and the lens are typically made of the same material to provide compatibility between the wafer and the lens for a good bond. In this case, T g,wafer =T g,lens.
[0038] Figure 2 The figure in Figure 1 shows a conventional injection overmolding process. The injection molding apparatus consists of two mold halves and two opposing inserts. A concave insert and a convex insert are each located in a mold half, thereby forming a cavity. In a conventional injection molding process, the cavity temperature T cavity Maintained at a certain constant temperature. In step I, the mold is opened to access the insert surface. In step II, the functional wafer is inserted. The wafer is attached to the concave insert surface. In step III, the two mold halves are connected to close the mold and form an injection molding cavity. The cavity space is a template of the shape of the lens to be molded. In step IV, molten lens material is injected into the mold cavity and the molten lens material becomes fused to the wafer. In step V, the mold halves are separated and the lens is ejected.
[0039] One reason why conventional injection overmolding processes cannot produce optical quality lenses using 3D printed functional wafers is because the convex surface temperature of the wafer is maintained at a temperature well below its Tg. The convex surface remains solid throughout the injection overmolding process and retains the surface ridges created by the voxel deposition ( Figure 3 The cavity temperature can be raised to at least below the thermoplastic Tg (T cavity ≥T g,wafer -10°C) to a temperature of 10°C, preferably raised to at least a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature (T cavity ≥T g,wafer +5°C) to overcome this problem. At these cavity temperature ranges, the wafer material is able to undergo viscoelastic deformation. The convex surface of the wafer material undergoes viscoelastic deformation at high temperature and high injection pressure to replicate the surface of the concave insert. The lens manufactured according to the criteria set forth above has an optically smooth front surface with reduced roughness of the original surface of the wafer.
[0040] The injection overmolding process disclosed herein uses a variable cavity temperature ( Figure 4 ). The process involves raising the cavity temperature to a temperature at least 10°C below the wafer thermoplastic Tg, and preferably at least 5°C above the wafer thermoplastic Tg. At this temperature, the wafer material is sufficiently soft to undergo viscoelastic deformation under high injection pressure to replicate the surface of the concave insert. This results in the production of a wafer-overmolded lens with an optically smooth front surface.
[0041] In the injection overmolding process disclosed herein, the process starts at time 0 with step I “opening the mold”, at which the cavity temperature T cavity The temperature of (0) is significantly lower than T g,wafer and T g,lens (T cavity (0)<Tg,wafer And T cavity (0)<T g,lens ). In some embodiments, T cavity The range of (0) is from room temperature to 10°C below the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer. The cavity, which includes the two half-molds and the insert, is heated. In step II, the functional wafer is inserted into the cavity adjacent to the concave insert. The cavity temperature T at this time cavity (t) is still significantly smaller than T g,wafer In step III, the cavity is heated further and the two mold halves are closed to form the final cavity. In step IV, when the cavity is heated to a temperature (T ) 10°C below the glass transition temperature of the wafer material, the cavity is heated to a temperature (T cavity (t)≥T g,wafer -10°C), the injection of the molten lens material begins. After the cavity is completely filled and full under pressure, the heating is stopped and the temperature begins to fall back to T cavity (0). In step V, the mold is opened to eject the cured lens and the injection overmolding cycle is completed. At this point, the cavity temperature is maintained at T cavity (0). In embodiments using different wafer and lens materials, T cavity (0) Less than T g,lens and T g,wafer Both to prevent the resulting lens from deforming.
[0042] Example
[0043] Example 1
[0044] Base lens material 1 - UV-stable polycarbonate (Sabic OQ3820) as the base lens material. This PC resin has a glass transition temperature of 150°C and a UV cutoff of about 380 nm, as measured through a 2 mm thick lens.
[0045] Functional Wafer 1 - The same polycarbonate used in Base Lens Material 1 was mixed with 1.0% UV absorber ( 326) compounded and extruded into 1.75 mm filament. A 4-base flat wafer with a diameter of 76 mm and a thickness of 1.0 mm was FDM 3D printed using the filament. 3D printed functional wafer 1 is opaque and has a rough surface.
[0046] The functional wafer 1 is applied to the base lens material 1 using the key parameters listed in Table 1 below.
[0047] Table 1
[0048]
[0049]
[0050] The resulting semi-finished (SF) lens with a thickness of 10 mm was optically clear, had a smooth front surface, and exhibited a UV cutoff of 402 nm after surface treatment to 2 mm flat. In addition, the blue light cutoff performance BVC B' was determined to be about 30%.
[0051] Example 2
[0052] Base lens material 2-PMMA resin (Evonik hw55) as the base lens material 2.
[0053] Functional Wafer 2 - Same as the 3D printed functional wafer used above in Example 1. Functional Wafer 2 was applied to Base Lens Material 2 using the key parameters listed in Table 2 below.
[0054] Table 2
[0055]
[0056] The resulting 10 mm thick SF lens was optically clear, had a smooth front surface, and exhibited a UV cutoff of about 402 nm after surface treatment to 2 mm flat. The blue light cutoff performance, BVC B', was measured to be about 30%.
[0057] The claims should not be interpreted as including means-plus-function or step-plus-function limitations unless such limitations are explicitly recited in a given claim using one or more of the phrases "means for" or "step for," respectively.
Claims
1. A method for producing an optical article, the method comprising overmolding an additively manufactured functional wafer having a functional wafer glass transition temperature onto a convex surface of a base lens to produce an ophthalmic lens, wherein: The overmolding comprises: attaching the functional wafer to a concave surface of an injection molding cavity; filling the injection molding cavity with molten base lens material; and The temperature of the injection molding cavity is increased from a first temperature to a second temperature that is at least 10°C less than the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer and at most 5°C higher than the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer, so that T g,wafer +5℃≥T cavity ≥T g,wafer -10℃.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The overmolding causes the functional wafer to viscoelastically deform.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein: The viscoelastic deformation templates the texture of the concave surface of the injection molding cavity onto the convex surface of the functional wafer.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein: The templating produces an ophthalmic lens with an optically smooth convex surface having a roughness less than 20 nm RMS.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The additively manufactured functional wafer is a non-optical quality wafer with a surface roughness greater than 50 nm RMS.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The functional wafer includes at least one UV cut, blue light cut, color enhancement, near infrared cut, time cut, and / or photochromic dye or filter.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The functional chip material is selected from the group consisting of: polyamide, polyester, polyester alloy, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polysiloxane, polyimide, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyetheretherketone, polyetherarylalkanone, perfluoroalkoxy, polytrifluorochloroethylene, polyolefin, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylate, polythiourethane, polycarbonate (PC), alicyclic polycarbonate, polyallyl, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene, polyarylene, polyoxide, polysulfone, fluorinated ethylene propylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, ethylene-trifluorofluoroethylene, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, styrene copolymer, polyimide, polyetherimide, polypentene, triacetyl cellulose, and their copolymers, derivatives and mixtures.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein: The functional wafer material is selected from the group consisting of cycloolefin polymers, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), poly(meth)acrylate, polyethylene (meth)acrylate, polybutyl (meth)acrylate, and polyisobutyl (meth)acrylate, styrene acrylonitrile, styrene methyl methacrylate, styrene butadiene methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, methyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and styrene maleic anhydride.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising increasing the molding temperature of the injection molding cavity to at least 5°C above the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The first temperature ranges from room temperature to 10° C. below the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer.
11. An optical article comprising an ophthalmic lens comprising a base lens and an additively manufactured functional wafer attached to a convex surface of the base lens, wherein: The ophthalmic lens is formed by injection overmolding a molten base lens material onto the additively manufactured functional wafer and heating the injection molding cavity to a molding temperature that is at least 10° C. less than the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer and at most 5° C. higher than the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer such that T g,wafer +5℃≥T cavity ≥T g,wafer Produced at -10℃.
12. The optical article according to claim 11, wherein: The functional chip material is selected from the group consisting of: polyamide, polyester alloy, polyethylene, polysiloxane, polyimide, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyetheretherketone, polyetherarylalkane, perfluoroalkoxy, polytrifluorochloroethylene, polyolefin, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylate, polythiourethane, polycarbonate (PC), alicyclic polycarbonate, polyallyl, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene, polyarylene, polyoxide, polysulfone, fluorinated ethylene propylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, ethylene-trifluorofluoroethylene, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, styrene copolymer, polyimide, polyetherimide, polypentene, cellulose triacetate, and their copolymers, derivatives and mixtures.
13. The optical article according to claim 12, wherein: The functional wafer material is selected from the group consisting of cycloolefin polymers, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), poly(meth)acrylate, polyethylene (meth)acrylate, polybutyl (meth)acrylate, and polyisobutyl (meth)acrylate, styrene acrylonitrile, styrene methyl methacrylate, styrene butadiene methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, methyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and styrene maleic anhydride.
14. The optical article according to claim 11, wherein: The injection molding cavity is heated to a molding temperature that is at least 5° C. above the glass transition temperature of the functional wafer.
15. The optical article according to claim 11, wherein: The functional wafer includes at least one UV cut, blue light cut, color enhancement, near infrared cut, time cut, and / or photochromic dye or filter.
16. The optical article according to claim 11, wherein: The ophthalmic lens comprises a surface roughness of less than 20 nm RMS.
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