'Stamped Parts for Camera Modules and Optics'
Short answer: a camera module uses several stamping-produced metal parts — aperture shims, lens spacers and retainers, IR-filter holders, VCM yokes, EMI shield cans and flex stiffeners — most stamped from thin strip between 0.05 and 0.20 mm. What makes them hard is not the profile but the edge: burrs must stay under roughly 5-10 µm, flatness is held to a few microns, and every part must be particle-clean because a single speck on an optical surface becomes a visible defect. Stamping to ±0.05 mm on critical features is routine; doing it burr-free and clean is the real work.
Camera modules are a good test of a stamper's precision, because optics punish imperfections that other applications ignore. A shim that is 20 µm out of flat tilts a lens and softens the whole image. A burr that sheds a metal flake lands on the sensor. This guide covers which stamped parts appear in a module, the tolerances optics demand, the materials and finishes used, and the cleanliness discipline that separates a good supplier from one that scrapes by.
What Stamped Parts Go Into a Camera Module
The stamped parts in a camera module usually hide inside the lens barrel or behind the sensor. Aperture shims and aperture plates set the entrance pupil and are stamped with a precise hole rather than a drawn edge. Lens spacers set the air gap between elements and must be dead flat. Lens retainers and IR-cut filter holders position and clamp the optical stack. Voice-coil motor (VCM) yokes and spring parts support autofocus motion. EMI shield cans and frame parts sit around the module to control emissions, and thin metal stiffeners back the flexible circuit.
Almost all of these are micro-stamped: thin strip, tight tolerance, high edge quality, high volume. The economics favor progressive dies with fine edge control and, where the edge must be near-burr-free, an additional shaving or fine-blanking step. The micro stamping parts guide covers the tooling approach for these small, thin parts.
Tolerances and Flatness That Optics Demand
Optics is where flatness and edge quality matter as much as dimensional accuracy.
| Feature | Typical requirement | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Strip thickness | 0.05-0.20 mm | Sets spacer height and weight |
| Aperture hole diameter | ±0.02-0.05 mm | Directly sets light through the stop |
| Flatness of spacers | A few µm to ~0.02 mm | Tilt shifts focus and softens the image |
| Concentricity (barrel parts) | ±0.03 mm | Off-center elements cause shading |
| Burr height on optical edges | < 5-10 µm | Burrs scatter light and shed particles |
| Position of features | ±0.05 mm | Assembly stack-up tolerance |
The general rule: dimensional tolerance is measured in hundredths of a millimetre, but flatness and burr are measured in microns because they directly affect image quality. A part can be dimensionally perfect and still fail if it is warped or burred.
Materials and Plating for Optics
Material choice balances formability, spring properties and the need for a matte, non-reflective finish.
| Material | Typical thickness | Plating / finish | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless 301 (spring temper) | 0.05-0.20 mm | Black nickel or black oxide | VCM springs, yokes, shutter blades |
| Stainless 304 | 0.05-0.15 mm | Passivated, matte | Spacers, retainers, filter holders |
| Phosphor bronze | 0.05-0.20 mm | Ni + Au on contacts | Contact rings, spring contacts |
| Brass C2680 | 0.10-0.20 mm | Black nickel, matte | Stiffeners, covers |
| Aluminum 5052 | 0.15-0.30 mm | Anodized black | Lightweight covers, brackets |
Black finishes are common because a shiny metal surface inside a lens barrel can reflect stray light and cause flare. Black nickel, black oxide and matte anodizing all serve this purpose, so the plating spec is not cosmetic — it is optical.
Burr Control, Cleanliness and Handling
For optical parts, burr is a defect class of its own. A burr on the aperture edge scatters light; a burr that breaks off becomes a particle on the sensor. Suppliers control burr by maintaining die clearance precisely, by shaving or fine-blanking the critical edges, and by controlled deburring such as vibratory finishing — while making sure the deburring does not round a dimension that must stay sharp.
Cleanliness follows. Parts are typically ultrasonically cleaned to remove stamping oil and loose debris, then dried and bagged in cleanroom-compatible packaging. Loose particles are the enemy: on an optical surface even a few microns of contamination is visible. This is also why handling discipline matters — no bare-hand contact, no cardboard in the cleanroom area, no shared bins with ordinary stamped parts.
If your module also needs EMI shield parts, the same supplier can often stamp the shielding contacts and the optical spacers together, which keeps the cleanliness standard consistent across the bill of materials. The broader precision shims and spacers article covers tolerance and flatness for this family of parts.
Designing Micro-Stamped Optical Parts
Design for the edge, not just the profile. Keep aperture and optical edges simple and with generous die clearance control so burr is predictable. Avoid very long, thin webs that distort during stripping and handling. Keep the tolerance stack honest: if three parts stack in an optical axis, each one needs to hold a share of the total flatness budget so the assembly stays within focus.
Plan the tooling for wear. A progressive die stamping tens of millions of thin optical parts will wear, and the effect shows up first as rising burr height. Good suppliers monitor burr and refurbish edges before they drift out of spec, rather than inspecting the whole lot after the fact. And keep the strip flat going in, because strip camber or edge waviness transfers straight into part flatness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How thin can stamped camera-module parts be?
A: We routinely stamp optical shims and spacers from strip between 0.05 and 0.20 mm thick. Below that, handling and stripping become very delicate and the material choice narrows. The practical minimum depends on the alloy, feature size and how tight the flatness callout is.
Q: Why is burr so critical for optical stamped parts?
A: Burrs on aperture and spacer edges scatter stray light and can shed metal particles that land on the sensor as visible defects. That is why burr height on optical edges is usually held under about 5-10 µm, and why shaving or fine-blanking is often added to the die rather than accepting the standard sheared edge.
Q: Can you hold micron-level flatness on stamped spacers?
A: Flatness for optical spacers is typically held in the range of a few microns to about 0.02 mm, verified with appropriate metrology rather than by eye. Achieving it depends on incoming strip flatness, die condition and handling, so we flag it as a key characteristic on the inspection plan.
Q: Do stamped parts come clean enough for a camera module?
A: We ultrasonically clean optical parts to remove stamping oil and loose debris, then dry and package them in cleanroom-compatible bags. The target for an optical part is no loose particles, since even microns of contamination are visible on a sensor. We match cleaning and packaging to the cleanliness class your line requires.
Q: What quantities make micro-stamping of camera parts economical?
A: These are high-volume parts, so a progressive die is usually the right tooling once volume is established. For prototypes and validation, short-run tooling produces functional parts without the full die investment. Send the drawing and annual volume to sc@bquq.com and BQUQ returns an indicative quote within 12 working hours.
Related Resources
- Micro Stamping Parts: tooling and handling for very small, thin stamped components.
- Metal Stamping Service: precision micro-stamping for optical, shielding and contact parts.
- About BQUQ: an ISO9001-certified source factory in Dongguan running stamping, CNC, springs, collets and heat sinks under one roof.
- Contact us: send your drawing to sc@bquq.com for a quote within 12 working hours.
Authored by the BQUQ Engineering Team. BQUQ is an ISO9001-certified source factory in Dongguan, China, running CNC machining, metal stamping, custom springs, heat sink and collet lines under one roof. Send drawings to sc@bquq.com or WhatsApp +86 13713157787 for a quote within 12 working hours. www.bquq.com
