A casting method involves providing a precursor to a mold that includes a deformable surface overlying a chamber, shaping the deformable surface according to a surface profile by adjusting a fluid pressure within the chamber and driving one or more actuators that are configured to distort the deformable surface, and solidifying the precursor while the deformable surface is shaped according to the surface profile to form an optical element.

Disclosed is a method implemented by computer for determining a lens blank intended to be used for the manufacturing of a finished optical article. The method includes: —a virtual volume data determining step, during which virtual volume data are determined based at least on finished optical article data representative of the volume of the finished optical article and over-thickness data representative of over-thickness requirements, the virtual volume data are determined so that the virtual volume defined by the virtual volume data includes the volume of the finished optical article volume of the finished optical article and the over-thickness, —a lens blank determining step, during which a lens blank is determined based on the virtual volume data so as to include the virtual volume defined by the virtual volume data.

A method of spacing an object from a mould for the formation of a multi-layered polymer. The method comprises: attaching at least one spacer to the object; attaching the at least one spacer to the mould; and adding material to the mould to form the multi-layered polymer.

A fluidic optical device comprising a housing comprising a wall defining a lumen, wherein the wall is in fluid communication with a reservoir comprising a liquid, and a control unit for forming a fluidic lens bounded by the wall, under microgravity conditions. Further, a method for fabricating the fluidic optical device of the invention, and a system comprising the fluidic optical device, are provided.

The present invention relates to a method for producing at least one optical component (1), comprising the steps of: a) Providing at least one cavity (2), wherein the at least one cavity (2) is delimited on a first side by a surface (3a) of a first membrane portion (3), wherein a shape of the first membrane portion (3) is adjustable; b) Filling a material (4) into the at least one cavity (2) for forming at least one optical component (1), such that the material (4) contacts a surface (3a) of the first membrane portion (3); c) Adjusting the shape of the first membrane portion (3); d) Curing the material (4) filled into the at least one cavity (2) so that the material (4) forms a first interface (e.g. a first optical surface) (1a) of the at least one optical component (1), which first interface (1a) comprises a shape defined by a shape of the surface (3a) of the first membrane portion (3).

A curable liquid is provided to a mold having a rigid surface disposed opposite a deformable surface. The curable liquid contacts the rigid surface and the deformable surface. The deformable surface is shaped according to a surface profile by driving actuators configured to move the deformable surface. The curable liquid is cured while the deformable surface is shaped according to the surface profile.

Disclosed is a method implemented by computer for determining a lens blank intended to be used for the manufacturing of a finished optical article. The method includes: a virtual volume data determining step, during which virtual volume data are determined based at least on finished optical article data representative of the volume of the finished optical article and over-thickness data representative of over-thickness requirements, the virtual volume data are determined so that the virtual volume defined by the virtual volume data includes the volume of the finished optical article volume of the finished optical article and the over-thickness, a lens blank determining step, during which a lens blank is determined based on the virtual volume data so as to include the virtual volume defined by the virtual volume data.

A method of forming a polymer is disclosed. The method comprises: positioning a mould in relation to a bath containing a molten material to form a mould cavity between the mould and the molten material; adding a monomer within the mould cavity; and curing the monomer to form a polymer.

A fluidic optical device comprising a housing comprising a wall defining a lumen, wherein the wall is in fluid communication with a reservoir comprising a liquid, and a control unit for forming a fluidic lens bounded by the wall, under microgravity conditions. Further, a method for fabricating the fluidic optical device of the invention, and a system comprising the fluidic optical device, are provided.

An aspect or the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a plastic lens, which comprises casting a plastic lens starting material liquid into a cavity in a forming mold and conducting a polymerization reaction of the plastic starting material liquid within the cavity to provide a molded article. The forming mold is one in which two molds are disposed opposite each other, a gasket made of an elastic resin is disposed around the two molds to form the cavity, and at least one of the two molds is made of an elastic resin, one surface of the molded article is a convex surface and the other surface of the molded article is a concave surface, and the concave surface is formed by transferring a molding surface of the mold made of elastic resin.