Formed from solid glass, prisms are ground into different shapes and polished to a clear finish. Each prism is geometrically and optically configured to produce specific effects or achieve certain functions, though they are generally rod-shaped to fit into specialized metal housings. The applications of prisms change based on the number of surfaces they have, the position of each face relative to other faces, and their angles.

Prisms are often used to facilitate ray deviation and orientation adjustments across a variety of industries. They are commonly used within surveying equipment, telescopes, refractometers, and spectrographs, among many other applications.

Swift Glass is a premier provider of optical glass solutions. We produce precise, high-quality prisms for use in complex industrial and research applications.

How are Prism Rods Produced?

Prism rods are formed from glass blanks. The glass used to fabricate prisms is produced in a wide variety of grades and types that offer different degrees of clarity and transparency. Once the proper blank for a project has been selected, the blank is carefully ground to alter the shape in accordance with design specifications.

The initial grinding process provides a rough grind to get the part to the final size. As such, the next stage of the production process involves smoothening the workpiece. The surface is then further refined through polishing. By this point, each face of the prism meets the project’s specifications. The prism is polished one last time with a finer polishing tool and a slurry compound to create the smoothest possible surface.

At Swift Glass, we inspect our in-progress prisms during each stage of production. This manual process guarantees a high level of quality so the finished product meets the performance demands, clarity level, and tolerances of each customer’s order. Each of our expert technicians is committed to inspecting the workpieces thoroughly throughout the fabrication process.

Applications of Prism Rods

The primary function of any prism rod is to redirect light. It changes the angle at which light travels through the glass and to its end destination. That function can be fine-tuned to accomplish a wide range of optical tasks. Some of the most common applications for industrial-grade prisms include the following:

• Liquid level indicators
• Bore sighting
• Display systems
• Endoscopy
• Interferometry
• Laser alignment
• Laser tracking
• Measurement
• Medical instrumentation
• Microscopes
• Microscopy
• Multi-spectral laser system tuning
• Precision alignment
• Projection
• Range finding
• Spectroscopy
• Telecommunications
• Telescope eyepieces
• Visual targeting
• Wavelength separation

At Swift Glass, we serve numerous industries with high-quality, precision prisms. Some of the industries we commonly work with include:

• Fluidics industry
• Aerospace
• Industrial
• Medical
• Military
• Optical
• Petrochemical
• Photonics

Prism Rods From Swift Glass

Swift Glass produces prism rods for commercial and industrial applications around the world. Our in-house team of experts is available to help you with the fabrication process, from the initial consultation through final production. We offer all standard glass prism rods, or we can customize prisms to fit your project parameters. Each prism undergoes a thorough inspection and must pass stringent quality assurance to ensure it provides an excellent degree of performance. All materials and products can be certified upon request.

To see how our prism fabrication capabilities can support your project or operation, please contact us.