ISO 10110-5:2026

Overview

ISO 10110-5:2026 is an international standard published by ISO, focusing on the preparation of drawings for optical elements and systems with specific attention to surface form tolerances. Part of the broader ISO 10110 series for optics and photonics, this document defines standardized rules for indicating surface form deviations in manufacturing drawings and technical documentation. The standard addresses the full range of optical surfaces, including plano, spherical, aspheric, cylindric, toric, and more complex non-spherical surfaces, as well as substrates of diffractive surfaces.

Crucially, ISO 10110-5:2026 shifts the preferred unit for expressing surface form deviations from “fringe spacings” (legacy interferometric terminology) to nanometres (nm), reflecting current best practices and supporting a wider range of measurement techniques, both interferometric and non-interferometric.

Key Topics

• Surface Form Deviation Terminology: Defines precise terms such as surface form deviation, sagitta deviation, and irregularity, aligning closely with ISO 14999-4.
• Indication Rules: Details the standard methods for specifying surface form tolerances on drawings using code numbers, supporting both concise and comprehensive indication formats.
• Unit of Measurement: Establishes nanometres as the standard unit for surface form deviations, while still permitting the use of fringe spacings or waves provided the test wavelength is clearly indicated.
• Multiple Surface Types: Applies consistent tolerance indication across diverse surface forms-plano, spherical, aspheric, cylindric, toric, and generalized surfaces.
• Complex Specifications: Enables the use of Zernike polynomials and residuals for advanced surface characterization, as well as slope and curvature tolerances where relevant.
• Drawing Structure and Examples: Provides guidance on documenting tolerances via both code-based and tabular formats, offering clarity and preventing misinterpretation.

Applications

ISO 10110-5:2026 is essential for:

• Optical Design and Manufacturing: Ensures precise communication of surface tolerance requirements between optical designers and manufacturers, crucial for achieving intended optical performance in lenses, mirrors, windows, and diffractive substrates.
• Quality Assurance: Standardized tolerance notation facilitates consistent inspection and quality control processes, whether using interferometric or non-interferometric metrology equipment.
• Modern Metrology: Supports both traditional interferometric measurements (using fringe spacings) and modern non-interferometric techniques by standardizing tolerance units and indication methods.
• Complex Surface Analysis: The inclusion of Zernike polynomial-based specifications assists in describing and controlling higher order or non-rotationally symmetric surface errors, important for advanced imaging and laser systems.
• Documentation Consistency: Adoption of ISO 10110-5:2026 across organizations promotes compatibility, supports regulatory compliance, and improves collaboration in multi-vendor or distributed manufacturing environments.

Related Standards

• ISO 10110-1: General requirements for the preparation of drawings for optical elements and systems.
• ISO 10110-14: Specifies transmitted and reflected wavefront tolerances.
• ISO 10110-16: Covers related wavefront specifications.
• ISO 14999-4: Details interferometric measurement and evaluation of tolerances specified in ISO 10110.
• ISO 7944: Defines the reference wavelengths for optical testing.

ISO 10110-5:2026 provides a current, harmonized approach to describing and tolerancing optical surface forms, ensuring clarity, reducing errors, and supporting high-precision optical engineering in research, industrial, and commercial settings. For organizations seeking to optimize communication and quality in optics and photonics, adopting this standard is a practical and strategic choice.