TECHNOLOGY TRACKER: High-Tech with an Edge
The latest and most advanced equipment to help amp up the profits in your in-house lab
By Erinn Morgan
Whether you already have an in-house lab in play in your office or are currently considering adding one to your repertoire, industry experts suggest that now is a perfect time to get a leg up on your competition. "When the economy is flat or slow, ECPs have more resources available to them to set up or expand an in-house lab," says Matt Vulich, vice president of marketing at AIT Industries. "It's an excellent way for them to improve their bottom line and be right in there when things start to pick up again with the economy."
Here, we serve up some food for thought with a roundup of some of the newest and most noteworthy edging and finishing equipment on the market today.
A VISIONARY BONUS
Earlier this year, Santinelli International premiered software for its ME-1000 edger called "Click Mode," which allows ECPs and labs to fabricate Chemistre Sunlenses. The software also recently became available for its Lex 1000 Edging System with Lex Drill at Vision Expo West. Chemistrie Sunlenses, which are designed and distributed by Eyenovate, click directly onto primary eyeglass lenses using magnets that are embedded within the periphery of the lens surface. These sunlenses can be customized specifically to the individual patients' prescription lens base curvatures.
ECPs can gain a competitive advantage and an additional revenue stream with the equipment by manufacturing the Chemistrie Sunlenses with the "Click Mode" on either edger.
CONTACT: Santinelli International, 800-644-EDGE or www.santinelli.com.
TRACING WITH EASE
Tired of struggling with tracing high-wrap frames? National Optronics' Dimension tracer offers a frame holder that automatically rotates the frame to the optimum tracing angle.
The Dimension's technology increases tracing accuracy by eliminating unnecessary calculations and estimates. It also provides right and left eye trace data and an accurate DBL measurement, plus it prevents tracing failures associated with normal gravitational tracing technology. ECPs looking for a targeted tracing/edging duo can couple the Dimension tracer with National Optronics' Helix edger.
The Helix is a five-axis industrial edging center designed to process complex lenses that can be challenging for conventional edgers.
Its technology enables variable angle processing for all edging functions, including beveling and drilling—it can match nearly every frame or lens curve. The Helix's milling and shelving capabilities also get otherwise non-Rx-able jobs done, thus creating a new finishing profit center for ECPs.
CONTACT: National Optronics, 800-247-9796 or www.nationaloptronics.com
SLEEK AND SOPHISTICATED
AIT's Proxima Patternless Edging System is more than just a pretty face. Form follows function in this new edger, debuted at International Vision Expo West.
This system allows operators the convenience of edging, grooving, safety beveling, and drilling in one machine. The edging system automatically detects drill hole locations, one of the biggest issues ECPs have when drilling in house.
The Proxima works with existing AIT tracing and blocking systems.
CONTACT: AIT Industries, 800-729-1959, or visit the website, www.AITindustries.com.
| BEFORE YOU BUY |
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| Ask these questions and have hard answers before going into purchasing mode: 1 Does the equipment we're considering compliment the practice's existing demands (Volume, sophisticated work, basic work)? 2 Will the equipment handle what we need it to, or will it fall short (Drilling, wrap lenses, superhydrophobic AR lenses)? 3 Will the equipment handle the work we plan to produce in-house in the near future (If the practice is aiming for a higher percentage of AR sales moving forward)? 4 Why do we really need this equipment (Replacing an old machine or opening a new location)? |
BIG ON VOLUME
Designed for higher-volume operations, such as large retail chains, Satisloh's ES-4 features an industrial-grade platform and components that deliver consistent quality, accuracy, and throughput. This edger offers linear drive motors that increase its processing speed.
An available high-speed, automated loading system has a dual-action loading head that is also designed to increase productivity.
Other special features built into the ES-4 include its trademarked swarf-free pin-bevel and grooving features and a reduced shaft diameter that enables it to edge B measurements as low as 18mm. It also has options like in-edger variable angle drilling, which allows the machine to automatically calculate the optimal drilling angle and suggest the most effective mounting position.
The new ES-4 edger also includes the company's noncontact measuring system that has an integrated CCD camera system to detect and evaluate the dispersed light of a laser beam while intelligent software identifies the lens edge profile for precise tool positioning.
CONTACT: Satisloh, 800-866-5640, or visit the website, www.satisloh.com
AFFORDABLE WORKHORSE
Briot's Silver Plus is multifunctional with built-in tracing, blocking, and edging functions. It also has higher-end features, such as safety beveling, grooving, bevel polishing, a color screen, and a 300-job memory.
A multi-axis tracer in the Silver Plus measures the height, length, and curve of the frame—frame thickness is also analyzed to ensure that the lens is a perfect fit. This unit's full-size screen display allows verification of the uncut lens to the frame shape and the manual blocking feature is simple and accurate.
The Silver Plus is capable of edging all types of materials, plus specific edging cycles are available for hydrophobic and fragile lenses.
Briot also recently introduced Total Ownership Protection (T.O.P.), a new, extended three-year service agreement on top of the standard two years that comes with new edgers. The T.O.P. plan covers all standard parts and labor plus one preventative maintenance visit per year at no charge.
CONTACT: Briot, 800-292-7468 or www.briotusa.com.
| THREE TOP TRENDS IN EDGING TODAY |
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| 1 IT'S A WRAP: Industry experts report a significant amount of interest in putting prescription lenses into frames that have traditionally been challenging, at best. Examples include sporty high-base-curve wraps and frames with wild shapes and unusual mechanics to hold lenses. "Some of these have weird notches, nooks, and crannies," says Andy Huthoefer, CEO of National Optronics. "It's very difficult to put a nice edge or bevel in such a high base curve with a conventional edger and when it comes to more complicated types of mechanics, it's a challenge." As such, Huthoefer says a market is developing for a new, specialized type of edger, such five-axis edgers. 2 GREEN IS IN THE HOUSE: With an eye to eco-consciousness, some of today's edgers put the onus on using less water in the edging process. Santinelli's new Lfu 220 tank-and-pump hybrid system boasts centrifugal filtration technology, which drastically reduces water consumption. Are ECPs down with the green movement? "There are always people that take to environmentally friendly products more than others, but this is a growing trend," says Barbara Wagner, marketing manager at Santinelli International. 3 LAB-WORTHY TECHNOLOGY: More impressive edging and finishing options are available today than ever for the independent's in-house lab. "Many of the edgers being sold today to the ECP have similar features to those systems being used at the wholesale lab level," says Matt Vulich, VP of marketing at AIT Industries. "In fact, some of these machines are set up to process as well as those in labs." |
ONE EDGER, THREE OPTIONS
While Topcon/Optical Distributors International's ALE5100SG is its most popular edger model, its Ultima 5100 Series has three different models, all of which feature all-material edging, Diamond Luster polishing, and a large color LCD screen following a Windows-format operating system.
ECPs can choose Topcon's entrylevel model, the SG model that features added safety beveling and grooving, or the higher-speed XP with Cosmetic Beveling for high-volume retail chains or labs.
The SG and XP deliver top-notch grooving capabilities as well as the company's exclusive Diamond-Luster™ Polished Safety Bevels. The XP also tacks on Cosmetic Beveling and "Roll & Polish" that reduces the thickness associated with higher myopic lenses. All three edger models can be upgraded to Topcon's Plus System, which adds on the DS-5000 Integrated Blocking System that automatically displays the correct block position.
CONTACT: Optical Distributors International/Topcon Medical Systems, Inc., 888-551-2020 or www.topcon.com. EB
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