Lasers, Optics & Photonics Manufacturing worked example

Optical Defect Rate at 2.16% defect rate target: a worked example

This worked example runs the optical defect rate numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 2.16% defect rate target instead of the typical 3%. Calculate optical component defect rate by comparing rejected units (scratch-dig failures, coating defects, dimensional non-conformances) to total units inspected, then measure the gap to your quality target.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Rejected optical components: 7 pieces (held at the documented default)
  • Total components inspected: 200 pieces (held at the documented default)
  • Defect rate target (maximum acceptable): 2.16 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 3)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Optical defect rate = rejected components / total inspected x 100.
  • Optical defect rate works out to 3.5 % at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Gap to defect target works out to -1.34 points at these inputs.
  • Rejected components works out to 7 count at these inputs.
  • Total inspected works out to 200 count at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where defect rate target sits at 3% and the headline result is 3.5 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 3.5 %.
  • Use it at final inspection of any optics lot, after a coating or polishing run, or during process qualification to confirm a step holds spec. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Optical defect rate: 3.5 % (headline result)
  • Gap to defect target: -1.34 points
  • Rejected components: 7 count
  • Total inspected: 200 count

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Optical Defect Rate calculator, set defect rate target to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.