Active Lens Selection for Camera MTF Focus Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera assembly processes result in high waste and cost due to inconsistent MTF performance caused by variations in lens focus ability during final assembly, despite initial checks, leading to frequent failures at the end of line tester (EOLT).
Innovation Solution
The CMAT equipment actively selects lenses by dry-fitting them with specific production components, adjusting position and orientation to ensure MTF performance criteria are met before adhesive application, and uses advanced equipment to apply rotation if necessary, thereby ensuring each final camera assembly meets EOLT standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If lenses are selected based on initial MTF checks before final assembly, then production efficiency is improved, but MTF performance consistency deteriorates due to variations during final assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary MTF testing and selection of lenses before final assembly, creating a pre-selected pool of lenses that have demonstrated acceptable performance. This preliminary action allows the system to proactively identify suitable lens-component pairings rather than reacting to failures after assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the testing parameters by performing MTF measurements under conditions that simulate final assembly variations, including testing with adhesive materials applied and accounting for component tolerances. This allows selection of lenses that will maintain performance through the assembly process.
2Reliability
If multiple lenses are tested and evaluated before assembly, then MTF performance reliability is improved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs testing on a subset of lenses and components rather than exhaustive testing of all combinations. By testing representative samples and using statistical methods, the system achieves sufficient reliability without the time cost of complete enumeration of all possible pairings.
Solution Approach 2:
Lenses and components are pre-characterized and categorized based on initial testing, creating lookup tables or databases of compatible pairings. This preliminary classification enables rapid selection during production without performing full MTF measurements on every assembly candidate.
3Ease of manufacture
If lenses are selected without considering final assembly conditions, then ease of manufacture is improved, but MTF performance satisfaction deteriorates at EOLT
Solution Approach 1:
The testing methodology is changed to include parameters that reflect final assembly conditions, such as testing with adhesive materials present, accounting for component tolerances and variations, and simulating the actual mounting process. This ensures selected lenses will meet performance requirements in the final assembled state.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary testing stage between initial lens selection and final assembly, where lenses are evaluated in conditions that better simulate final use. This intermediary step acts as a bridge, providing more accurate performance data without requiring the actual final assembly to be performed for testing purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
The techniques of this disclosure relate to actively selecting lenses for camera focus processes. Test equipment may check lenses by dry-fit aligning them to a particular set of production components. If minimum focus performance cannot be achieved, then the lenses go unused for a final camera assembly. In certain situations, the unused set of lenses is salvageable for use in another camera assembly. Advanced CMAT equipment may compute and apply a rotation for unused lenses to improve their focus performance the next time they are used in a final assembly. A maximum number of attempts to rotationally fix a set of lenses may be observed to avoid trying the same lenses again and again, possibly without ever having success. This way, because the lenses actively selected can also be rotated during production, final camera assemblies can be produced that are likely to pass the EOLT, and by minimizing waste.