Abstract: The micro-molding equipment contains a preform molding equipment 10 taking a single-cavity of a preform material 3 corresponding to a small precision optical component to be molded with a runnerless mold, and a precision compression molding equipment 40 for after molding the preform material 3 by primary compression molding in a vacuum state, cooling the preform material to a temperature near a glass transition point, and then re-softening a surface layer of the preform material and molding the same by secondary compression molding to transfer the small precision optical component thereto.

Abstract: A vacuum pump (100) comprises a first set (106) of turbo-molecular stages, a molecular drag stage (112), a first inlet (120) through which fluid can pass through the first set (106) of stages and the molecular drag stage (112) towards a pump outlet (116), second and third sets (108, 110) of turbo-molecular stages located between the first set (106) and the molecular drag stage (112), a second inlet (122), the second and third sets (108, 110) being arranged such that fluid entering the pump through the second inlet (122) is separated into two streams each flowing through a respective one of the second and third sets (108, 110), and conduit means (126) for conveying fluid passing through the first set (106) and one of the second and third sets (108, 110) towards the outlet (116).

Abstract: In a free form machining tool 10 for machining a surface to be machined while bringing the lower end into contact with the surface to be machined by a rotation around an axis z, the tool comprises a spherical tool 12 having a spherical surface machining section 13 on the lower portion, and a bearing 14 for supporting the spherical tool by an axis a of rotation which passes through the center .largecircle. of the spherical surface and is different from the axis. The tool also includes rotating means 16 (for example, a turbine) for rotating the spherical tool around the axis of rotation. Thus, even if the spherical surface machining section comes into contact with the surface to be machined on the axis (radius: 0) of the tool, the spherical surface machining section is rotated around the axis a of rotation which is different from the axis z. Therefore, a peripheral speed of the axis is not zero (0).