The cost of having a lens AR coated $$$

[Alaskan]

I asked for a quote to have two 50mm diameter lenses AR coated and was given quote of 825.00 dollars from evapcoat.com - They can coat up to 25 pieces at a time to reduce the per piece cost. Does anyone know of anyone who can do AR coating for small lots at a much better price anywhere?

 

[Bionic-Badger]

That's actually not all that bad a price for 25-pieces. Too bad there aren't any combined bulk AR-coating sites like there are for PCBs.

You might see if your local eyeglass company could put an AR coating on your lenses. I don't know how much they'd charge for that though.

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks, that's an idea to try. They had quoted me over 1600 for a different type of coating they offered I had interest in too. I have no idea why so expensive, is their much labor involved or just the process is expensive?

 

[H2Oxide]

Thanks, that's an idea to try. They had quoted me over 1600 for a different type of coating they offered I had interest in too. I have no idea why so expensive, is their much labor involved or just the process is expensive?

If I had to guess it would be to cover the cost of the machines. They're massive, and only serve one purpose. Plus, doing single orders eats up time they could be using making standard/mass produced lenses. Then take all of the above reasons and add it to this.

That's actually not all that bad a price for 25-pieces. Too bad there aren't any combined bulk AR-coating sites like there are for PCBs.

You might see if your local eyeglass company could put an AR coating on your lenses. I don't know how much they'd charge for that though.

Probably not much, if it were an eyeglass coating. My father was an optometrist and he could send in lenses and get them AR coated for $50. Labs like that usually only have a few coatings though. Worth a shot though.

 

[Encap]

LensCrafers has onsite AR coating machines now in many locations see: Eyeglass Lenses: Prescription Lenses Made in at In-Store Lab at LensCrafters

They say: "LensCrafters is always developing ways to help you see clearer, farther, and in brighter color. The newest addition to our labs is an Anti-Reflective coating machine. It’s one more feature we can offer our customers in our One Hour service."

I would guess not too expensive and doing just 2 pieces-- is what they normally do so...

 

[Alaskan]

For visible spectrum coating that may work for me, if they will do that, I'm betting they will and will report back

For the IR spectrum I also wanted, of course, they won't be doing that kind of coating, for that lens I better just find one already coated.

 

[steve001]

I asked for a quote to have two 50mm diameter lenses AR coated and was given quote of 825.00 dollars from evapcoat.com - They can coat up to 25 pieces at a time to reduce the per piece cost. Does anyone know of anyone who can do AR coating for small lots at a much better price anywhere?

Give a call to Edmund Optics. If you aren't looking for a strange wavelength then one of their off the shelf AR coated lenses might do.