ISO 10110-5:2015

Overview

ISO 10110-5:2015 - "Optics and photonics - Preparation of drawings for optical elements and systems - Part 5: Surface form tolerances" defines how to present surface form tolerances on technical drawings for optical elements and systems. It standardizes the indication of allowable deviations in surface shape (surface form deviation) used for manufacturing and inspection. The edition emphasizes nanometres (nm) as the preferred unit for surface form tolerances while still permitting fringe spacings if the base wavelength is given.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope of surfaces: Applies to plano, spherical, aspheric, circular and non-circular cylindric, toric, and general non-spherical surfaces. Excludes diffractive, Fresnel, and micro-optical surfaces.
• Units: Nanometres (preferred) or micrometres; fringe spacings allowed only if the wavelength is explicitly stated. Slope deviations use mrad (preferred), μrad, arcmin, or arcsec.
• Tolerance types:
  • Power deviation
  • Irregularity (including rotationally/translationally invariant irregularity)
  • RMS measures: rms total, rms irregularity, rms rotationally/translationally varying irregularity
  • Slope deviation: max and rms slope deviations
  • Sagitta deviation: deviations defined along the z-axis
• Indication formats:
  • Code-number based notation for drawing callouts
  • Tabular form (including specification of Zernike coefficients)
  • Sagitta tables for z-direction deviations
• Measurement and interpretation: Aligns with interferometric practice (wavefront deformation from reflection) and accommodates non‑interferometric digital analysis. ISO 14999-4 is referenced for methods to determine quantities like power deviation and irregularity.
• Sampling and sections: Tolerances may vary by section and orientation (x, y) or polar (ρ, φ); sampling length and spatial sampling interval can be specified.

Applications and users

ISO 10110-5:2015 is primarily used by:

• Optical designers and systems engineers specifying functional requirements on drawings
• Precision optics manufacturers and CNC/replication shops preparing production documentation
• Metrology and QA engineers performing interferometric and non‑interferometric inspections
• Procurement and contract engineers who need unambiguous tolerance callouts for acceptance criteria

Typical applications include tolerance specification for lenses, mirrors, aspheres, cylindrical optics, and complex freeform surfaces where surface figure directly impacts imaging or beam quality.

Related standards

• ISO 10110 series (Parts 1, 10, 12, 14, 19, etc.) - drawing preparation for optics and photonics
• ISO 14999-4 - interferometric measurement and interpretation related to ISO 10110 tolerances

Keywords: ISO 10110-5:2015, surface form tolerances, optics and photonics, nanometres, fringe spacings, interferometry, aspheric surfaces, Zernike coefficients, slope deviation, optical drawing standards.