Chalcogenides are fast becoming the material of choice, thanks to advances in system modeling tools and metrology techniques, combined with the efficiencies of precision glass molding. When it comes to designing IR imaging systems, manufacturers have traditionally worked with crystalline materials such as germanium. To make compact, lightweight systems, fabricators are driven to use aspheric surfaces, which has meant diamond turning. Chalcogenide glasses have emerged as another material option for IR optical elements. Not only do they boast excellent performance, but, even more importantly, they can be fabricated using scalable precision glass molding methods.