Precision machining of integral field units

Diamond machining and ductile grinding suggest themselves as congenial methods for manufacturing of image slicers and mirror arrays, which constitute the key components of integral field units. They, at once, yield low roughness, high contour accuracy and excellent relative geometry of mirror facets cut into metal or ground into glass substrates with almost any desired shape. However, in order to exploit the benefits of precision machining, designers must cooperate with manufacturers avoiding complicated fixturing, difficult-to-access geometries, and unnecessarily long machining times.