Automation in optical manufacturing: beveling and part handling

Mitchell Sedore

doi:10.1117/12.2684720

29 November 2023 Automation in optical manufacturing: beveling and part handling

Mitchell Sedore

Proceedings Volume 12778, Optifab 2023; 127780R (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2684720
Event: SPIE Optifab, 2023, Rochester, New York, United States

Abstract

With labor shortages and difficulty in getting experienced technicians, automation provides an opportunity to increase production and efficiency with a dwindling labor pool. Repetitive tasks such as machine tending and cleaning parts are easily automated with a robot to free up technicians to perform other more demanding tasks. These repetitive tasks can be boring, fatiguing, and menial, leading to worker burnout. Automating these tasks can improve working conditions and morale. Automation increases production rate and productivity. By communicating directly with the machines, a robot can reduce reaction time between processes, reducing down time. Automation provides consistency and the opportunity to run lights out, 3 shifts or over weekends, without breaks, increasing machine up time and throughput. It also reduces labor cost by reducing the number of employees required to hit production numbers. This labor savings results in a quicker return on investment. To help customers automate, OptiPro offers a robotic beveling solution, as well as other off the shelf and customized solutions to meet any required demands. The Revel is an automation cell that takes optical blanks and bevels both sides. OptiPro has created an easy-to-use interface so any operator can run it without knowing how to program a robot. It is set up to give flexibility in running many part geometries, tooling types, and different “recipes” based on the parts provided. OptiPro has also developed part loading for machines including cells which combine multiple machines such as a generator, polisher, cleaning stations, and even metrology to produce completed part surfaces.

Conference Presentation

(2023) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Mitchell Sedore "Automation in optical manufacturing: beveling and part handling", Proc. SPIE 12778, Optifab 2023, 127780R (29 November 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2684720

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