Abstract

Immediately after being set up in April 1980, ISO TC172 on Optics and Optical Instruments decided to begin work on an international standard for drawings of optical elements and systems. The first need was to recognize the fact that existing general standards for mechanical components are not always adequate to express the tolerance information necessary for the production of optical elements (example: for optical workshops, surface form error tolerance must be stated in "fringe spacings", in accordance with the usual interferometric test methods). In 1980, Working Group 2 (WG2) of Subcommittee 1 (SC1) was given the task of drafting the new standard (SC1 deals with General Standards, WG2 is responsible for Indications in Optical Drawings). It has sixteen members, drawn from France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA.

© 1988 Optical Society of America