ALPA realizes customized lens shades for high-end cameras with 3D printing. A parametrized CAD model allows the lens shade to adapt to each individual camera.
ALPA, a high-end camera manufacturer in Switzerland, allows its customers can combine different digital or analog backs with various objectives, thus creating highly customized cameras. As the number of mega-pixels is constantly increasing, these objectives require even more complex layouts with larger numbers of lenses. This makes the cameras prone for stray light, creating the need for lens shades.
However, each back and objective combination requires a different shape of the lens shade. So far, owners of such cameras needed to use adjustable lens shades models, which were difficult and time consuming to adapt to the respective camera. ALPA is addressing this issue with 3D printing, in order to create customized lens shade fitting the individual camera of each customer. Hereby, Additively supported ALPA in creating a parametrized CAD model of the lens shade, which can be adapted to the back and objective combination of individual customers. Once the model is adapted, the lens shades are produced directly from digital files with Laser Sintering in the material TPU. This flexible, rubber like material meets the requirements perfectly: Easy to mount to the camera through the flexibility, light and shock resistant. Further, the slightly rough surface of Laser Sintering parts further prevents any kind of light reflection within the shade.
Through 3D printing, ALPA’s customers get an easy-to-use lens shade, that has the exactly right shape for their individual camera layout.
