Optical systems are traditionally used for accurate recording and measurement of the real world’s appearance. Present techniques allow us to form a computer-based virtual world, which is used in a variety of technical fields. The crucial issue for future applications of virtual reality is the fidelity of rendered images to real-world objects. This is strongly affected by the appearance of the rendered object’s surfaces. Currently, the most applied method of describing a surface’s visual appearance of spatially nonuniform surfaces is bidirectional texture function (BTF). We have designed, optimized, built, and tested a unique portable instrument based on a rotary kaleidoscope principle for BTF acquisition in situ. To the best of our knowledge, such an instrument has never been used before to measure BTF of a surface. We enhanced a common static kaleidoscope by adding rotation, which allows us to get a larger number of images of the sample for more combinations of illumination directions and viewing directions. This results in a higher directional and spatial resolution of measured BTF data. In this paper, we focus on the optomechanical design of the rotary BTF measurement instrument and issues related to its alignment to keep the desired mechanical precision.

This article demonstrates that 3D-printed parts can replace metal parts in optomechanics in the correct circumstances. Three examples are shown: a clamping fork for pedestal holders where stability is important, an adjustable mirror holder where the rigidity is the main criterion, and a stray light shield where the transmissivity is critical. By combining carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) with 3D printing, it is possible to produce components that fill the gap between standard 3D-printed plastics and metal parts in terms of strength and stability. These parts are designed to be lighter, more compact, and easier to modify, while keeping good mechanical properties such as resistance to vibration, shape accuracy, and controlled thermal expansion. The article focuses on the application of composite 3D printing on optomechanical components. It compares different methods of composite 3D printing, including fused filament fabrication (FFF) with either chopped fibers or with continuous fiber reinforcement. Three examples from the HiLASE Centre demonstrate how these parts are used in practice, confirming that it is indeed possible to 3D print components that are lighter and cheaper yet still highly functional compared to their off-the-shelf counterparts—for example, lightweight and stiff mounts, shielding against stray laser light, or flexible elements allowing fine mechanical adjustments. Simulations of the deformations are included to compare the printed and metal versions. The article ends with a summary of the benefits and limitations of using 3D-printed composites in optomechanics.