APOMA Committees

Apprenticeship

The goal of the APOMA Apprenticeship Committee is to see the Precision Optics Manufacturing Technician apprenticeship recognized at the national level. The New York State certified Precision Optics Manufacturing Technician was initially established with an intermediary program funded by the Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA).  Leading this effort is Dr. Alexis Vogt (Monroe Community College) and Jim VanKouwenberg (Optimax Systems).

Dr. Vogt also has an Office of Naval Research (ONR) grant through September 2023 to assist manufacturers in establishing their own apprenticeship program.  For additional information on this effort, please contact Ross Micali at rmicali@monroecc.edu and click below to view the program brochure.

Optics Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship Brochure 2021

ISO 10110

Preparation of drawings for optical elements and systems

The APOMA ISO 10110 Committee is tasked with coordinating the adoption of ISO 10110 by APOMA members. The committee works closely with SPIE to provide courses on ISO 10110 at various industry conferences.

Trade Controls & Government Contracting

The American optics industry has historically worked closely with the United States Government. Government contracting has always been quite onerous. In recent years, there have been several new regulatory obligations that require our membership’s compliance. These regulations come from multiple government agencies and can be challenging for small independent manufacturers to stay educated and compliant.  This section of the website will provide the latest information on how to stay compliant with trade controls and government contracting:

Current Issues:

May 8, 2019: United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) releases a notification modifying the implementation of tariffs on Section 301 List 3 imports from China.

February 5, 2019: Photonics West APOMA General Meeting on trade controls and Government contracting