Profession photonics engineering technician

Photonics engineering technicians collaborate with engineers in the development of photonic systems or components, usually in the form of optical equipment, such as lasers, lenses, and fibre optic equipment. Photonics engineering technicians build, test, install and calibrate optical equipment. They read blueprint and other technical drawings to develop testing and calibrating procedures.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative
• Investigative / Realistic
• Realistic / Conventional
• Enterprising / Realistic

Knowledge

• Optical manufacturing process

  The process and different stages of manufacturing an optical product, from design and prototyping to the preparation of optical components and lenses, the assembly of optical equipment, and the intermediate and final testing of the optical products and its components.

• Lasers

  Devices that are able to produce light through the optical amplification of the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation, such as gas lasers, solid-state lasers, fiber lasers, photonic lasers and semiconductor lasers. The spatial and temporal coherence of lasers allows for the concentration of light in one place, such as laser pointers, as well as the concentration of light in time, so that light can be produced in a much shorter time than other light and can also emit as single colour of light.

• Refractive power

  Refractive power or optical power is the degree to which an optical system, such as a lens, converges or diverges light. Diverging lenses possess negative refractive power, while converging lenses possess positive refractive power.

• Optical components

  The components and materials necessary for building optical instruments, such as lenses and frames.

• Optical glass characteristics

  The characteristics of optical glass such as refractive index, dispersion, and chemical properties.

• Optical equipment standards

  The national and international quality and safety standards and regulations with regards to the use and manufacture of optical equipment, including optical materials, optical components, optical systems, ophthalmic equipment, optomechanical equipment, optical measuring equipment, photographic equipment, and optoelectronic equipment.

• Photonics

  The science and technology of generating, controlling and detecting particles of light. It explores phenomena and applications in which light is used to transfer or process information, or to physically alter materials.

• Optics

  The science that studies the elements and reaction of light.

• Types of optical instruments

  Possess information on the types of optical instruments and lenses, such as microscopes and telescopes, as well as on their mechanics, components, and characteristics.

• Optical engineering

  Subdiscipline of engineering that deals with the development of optical instruments and applications, such as telescopes, microscopes, lenses, lasers, fibre optic communication, and imaging systems.

• Design drawings

  Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.

• Optoelectronics

  Branch of electronics and optics dedicated to the study and use of electronic devices that detect and control light.

Skills

• Record test data

  Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.

• Align components

  Align and lay out components in order to put them together correctly according to blueprints and technical plans.

• Test optical components

  Test optical systems, products, and components with appropriate optical testing methods, such as axial ray testing and oblique ray testing.

• Mount optical components on frames

  Mount optical components, such as lenses, and precision mechanical components, such as frames, into assemblies and adjust. Lenses are mechanically set into place using threaded retaining rings and the use of adhesive cement on the outer cylindrical edge to hold individual lenses in place.

• Clean optical components

  Clean optical components after every cycle in the manufacturing process.

• Adjust engineering designs

  Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

• Apply optical coating

  Apply coating to optical lenses, such as reflective coating to mirrors, anti-reflective coatings to camera lenses, or tinted coatings to sunglasses.

• Fasten components

  Fasten components together according to blueprints and technical plans in order to create subassemblies or finished products.

• Operate optical assembly equipment

  Set up and operate optical processing or assembly equipment, such as optical spectrum analysers, power saws, lasers, die bonders, soldering irons, and wire bonders.

• Assemble optoelectronics

  Prepare, construct, and assemble optoelectronic components and systems, such as lasers and imaging systems, using soldering, micro-fabrication, and polishing techniques.

• Inspect quality of products

  Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.

• Assist scientific research

  Assist engineers or scientists with conducting experiments, performing analysis, developing new products or processes, constructing theory, and quality control.

• Liaise with engineers

  Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.

• Perform test run

  Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.

• Read engineering drawings

  Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.

• Prepare production prototypes

  Prepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB