Field guide to molded optics Molding processes continue to innovate and push the boundaries of optical systems not only for state of the art high volume consumer products but also touching on almost every application where optics are used from automotive headlights and medical endoscopes to thermal weapon sights for the warfighter. The most common optical molding technologies are injection molding of optical plastics and precision glass molding. This Field Guide primarily focuses on these two technologies but also covers the full spectrum of optical molding. It provides a convenient and concise source of knowledge on optical molding technologies and will be a valuable addition to a publication base that is rather limited Material properties Materials Manufacturing Precision glass molding Injection molded plastic optics Optical molds Precision glass molding design guidelines Injection molded plastic optics design guidelines Drawings and post processing Prototyping molded optics Applications of molded optics