MAFO - 02/2023

ISSN 1614-1598 66527 Volume 19

OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY We help you to stay in contact

2/2023 ▶ Special topic: Future Lab MAFO – The Conference 2023

STEP MAINTENANCE

Paperless production Challenges and opportunities for labs

▶ Technology The correction of near vision astigmatism De-fogging with heat

▶ Market Survey Industrial edging

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01_Titel.indd 1

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01.03.23 09:54

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15/02/2023 17:12 21.02.23 13:19

LETTER

Employee, please stay!

A

highly valued employee, young,

In this issue, we also look back with a certain

well trained, highly motivated,

pride at this year's MAFO – The Conference.

popular and earning a good salary

After several years of absence, the industry

quits her job. From one day to the

was finally able to get together again, as usual

next. She does not have a new job to go to.

one day before Mido. Speakers and panelists

Such cases leave employers perplexed.

alike captivated the audience with fascinating contributions about new technologies and a

On top of this, if the team leader then moves to

roundtable discussion.

a competitor and maybe another colleague goes on parental leave, then suddenly an enormous

This issue also looks at some very interesting

gap opens up that can quickly become a real

topics for the future, such as a new type of

nightmare for the employer.

anti-fog coating that converts sunlight into heat thanks to a gold coating.

Hanna Diewald Chief editor Tell us your opinion, ideas and suggestions: hanna.diewald@mafo-optics.com

Why a particular employee decides to leave is not always apparent, nor can it be avoided in

In an interview, we shine a spotlight on paper-

every case. However, in times where skilled

less workflow in the lab and the opportunities

workers are in short supply, it is obvious that

and hurdles this involves.

good employees are worth their weight in gold.

We also look at how labs can make themselves How to retain them, or attract new ones, is one

fit for the future, and “The correction of near

of the greatest challenges of our time, along

vision astigmatism – compared to the cylindri-

with the shortage of materials and rising energy

cal correction for distance vision”.

costs in the EU. Thus employers need to court talented staff.

Please enjoy reading this issue and don´t forget your colleagues and employees. This

In his article, “How companies keep their em-

magazine as printed version but also a link

ployees”, expert Christian Bernhardt sets out to

to the digital edition can be easily shared

answer the question, what strategies are most

with all team members.

likely to succeed.

READ FOR FREE app.mafo-optics.com

MAFO 2-23

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OptoTech Optikmaschinen GmbH Sandusweg 2-4 35435 Wettenberg / Germany Phone: +49 641-98203-0 Email: info.de@optotech.net Web: www.optotech.net

15.02.23 12:35

MARCH / APRIL 2023

Content Topics in this edition MAFO issue

March / April 2023 Page 26

Page 30

Page 10

At a glance

Technology

Spotlight

6

23

34

All about you

De-fogging with heat

Fit for the future

News from the international ophthalmic industry

Interview with Iwan Hächler

Interview with Florian Gisch

7

26

All about markets

Paperless production

Business

Data in graphics

Interview with Christopher Diez

36

8

30

All about products

The correction of near vision astigmatism

Innovations and products for your lab

44 Suppliers Guide

48

Special Topic

Special Topic

How companies keep their employees

By Christian Bernhardt

By Mo Jalie

Surveys Spotlight

Closing Words

10

Daniel Crespo –

MAFO – The Conference 2023

A physicist and entrepreneur

By Frank Sonnenberg

Special Topic

49

18

Outlook

Mido 2023: The world of optics meets in Milan

40 Industrial edging

By Frank Sonnenberg

MAFO 2-23

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

All about you News from the international ophthalmic industry

Photo: GHM

Successful edition of opti in 2023

As a result of the sharp rise in the cost of living and the significant

With an increase in visitors

downturn in consumer spending, sales in 2022 were slightly below

of 19.2% compared to the

expectations. In particular, the second half of 2022 was weak. Spectaris

previous year, opti is in an

presented the economic figures at the start of opti in Munich.

upbeat spirit together with the try. This year, around 15,500 visitors from 67 countries gathered in Munich to take advantage of the diverse range of innovative

Carolina Gago named Chief Operating Officer at IOT Photo: IOT

entire optics & design indus-

IOT, a global leader in lens technologies, has appointed Carolina Gago as chief operating officer. The company

formats for knowledge, sales, and exchange in a positive atmosphere.

says t hat t his appoint ment w i l l

A total of 307 exhibitors from 28 countries exhibited at opti 2023. “opti

strengthen the presence and coordina-

is back and on course for success! Three inspiring trade show days with

tion of IOT globally, ensuring that

visitors and exhibitors from all over the world have come to an end. I

customers everywhere have the best

would like to explicitly thank everyone who believed in opti with us

access to all the company’s teams and

and made the success possible! Seeing the industry united again in

resources. Carolina has spent almost two decades in the optical industry.

such a great atmosphere was my highlight,” says Klaus Plaschka,

In the last four years, she has served as general manager of IOT being

Managing Director of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH.

part of the executive team. Her main mission has been designing and

Thomas Truckenbrod's (President of the Central Association of Opticians

implementing strategic direction and overseeing day-to-day operations

and Optometrists) personal conclusion: “The trade show is alive. And

within the company internationally in more than 60 countries.

how! For me, opti was a successful relaunch of an essential trade show

“I have full trust in Carolina to continue pushing the success of our

for the optical industry in Munich. The compact number of halls,

customers,” Daniel Crespo, IOT president, said. “Her leadership,

which I felt were well attended, contributed to a pleasant trade show

supported by an incredible team, has helped IOT to better serve our

feeling. Despite all the circumstances, the consistently positive mood

customers on a whole new level. Her responsibilities have now been

gives us hope for a commercially successful year.”

extended to all markets, including North America.”

“After working at IOT for more than 12 years,” Carolina said, “I still

Spectaris presented first industry figures for 2022

feel the energy and the same passion I had the day I started. I look

According to preliminary calculations by the Spectaris industry as-

forward to my new role as COO. And I take this responsibility with a

sociation, German manufacturers of ophthalmic optics and consumer

strong commitment to deliver to our partners the products, tools, and

optics were able to increase their sales by 2.5 percent to 4.87 billion

services they need to succeed and grow.”

euros in 2022, despite the difficult underlying conditions. Domestic business remained at the previous year's level with a value of 2.42

ECHA has published PFAS restriction proposal

billion euros. The number of employees also remained unchanged at

The European Chemicals Agency ECHA has published the PFAS restric-

20,600. International business, on the other hand, increased by around

tion proposal. The details of the proposed restriction of around 10,000

five percent, with foreign sales climbing to 2.45 billion euros. Export

per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are available on ECHA’s

statistics for the first three quarters of 2022 show a seven percent

website. ECHA’s scientific committees will now start evaluating the

increase in exports to countries in the European Union, which account

proposal in terms of the risks to people and the environment, and the

for around 62 percent of exports. Exports to North America and Asia

impacts on society. A six-month consultation is planned to start on

also increased significantly. By contrast, exports to the rest of Europe

22 March 2023. More information and a timeline for the next steps can

were weak, partly due to a drop in business with Russia.

be found on the ECHA website. http://www.echa.europa.eu/

You have news for the ophthalmic industry? Submit your press releases to: hanna.diewald@mafo-optics.com or constanze.classen@mafo-optics.com

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MAFO 2-23

06.03.23 15:26

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

All about markets Graphical data

Global growth is projected to fall from an estimated 3.4 % in 2022 to 2.9 % in 2023, then rise to 3.1 % in 2024. The forecast for 2023 is 0.2 percentage point higher than predicted in the October 2022 World Economic Outlook (WEO) but below the historical (2000–19) average of 3.8 %.

Global inflation is expected to fall from 8.8 % in 2022 to 6.6 % in 2023 and 4.3 % in 2024, still above pre-pandemic (2017–19) levels of about 3.5 %.

Based on objective assessments of visual function with habitual correction in the 2021 nationally representative National Health and Aging Trends Study, 27.8% of US adults 71 years and older had vision impairment (VI). Distance and near visual acuity and contrast sensitivity impairment were present in 10.3%, 22.3%, and 10.0%, respectively; a higher prevalence of VI was associated with older age, less education and income, non-White race, and Hispanic ethnicity.

Source: Killeen OJ, De Lott LB, Zhou Y, et al. Population Prevalence of Vision Impairment in US Adults 71 Years and Older: The National Health and Aging Trends Study. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2023;141(2):197–204. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.5840

Source: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/ Issues/2023/01/31/ world-economic-outlook-update-january-2023

The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) announced that North America’s pet insurance sector exceeded

$2.83 billion USD at year end 2021, and industry growth more than doubled over the past four years (2018 – 2021).

Source: NAPHIA

Source: https://www.statista.com/chart/28744/world-populationgrowth-timeline-and-forecast/

MAFO 2-23

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS Advertisement

All about products Innovations and working materials for your lab

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Horizons Optical offers educational sales tools for ECP’s Data obtained by Horizons Optical confirms that there are misconceptions inherent to the progressive lenses that keeps a large group of presbyopes reluctant to start using this type of lens. All of this highlights the need on the part of ECPs to have educational sales tools that help them introduce presbyopes to the world of progressives lenses and thus improve the visual quality and life of these patients. In this sense, Horizons Optical has presented during Mido the mimesys® Coach, a virtual simulator that allows the patient to experience the use of progressive lenses and appreciate the advantages of this type of lens, thus becoming a key element in the purchasing decision. Watch the mimesys® Coach video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg9x5yWCLzw

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MAFO 2-23

06.03.23 15:26

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15.02.2022 12:39:54 15.02.23 15:03

SPOTLIGHT

rg & Silke

onnenbe

rank S Photos: F

Sage

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital efficiency into the future MAFO – The Conference 2023 After a two-year break, MAFO – The Conference once again was the central meeting point for the international optical industry in February 2023 as part of Mido, Europe's largest eyewear show. The motto of the first event since the Corona break out was “Lab Visions – Imagining the future of the ophthalmic industry”. As usual, industry representatives from all over the world met for one day before the start of the Mido in Milan to learn about the latest trends and technologies for the production and processing of

A

ophthalmic lenses. By Frank Sonnenberg

journey of transformation. The use of AI, digitalization

Virtual reality set to revolutionize the customer journey in optical stores

in process control and new manufacturing techniques

Pau Artús (Horizons Optical) then took the conference participants

are currently shifting the ophthalmic industry.

into the world of virtual reality.

s with many industries, the world of optics is also on a

This can transform the customer experience into something new. In recent

All you wanted to know about ultrasonic cleaning of lenses

years, virtual reality headsets have made a leap forward in terms of usability

François Breton (Schneider) kicked off the conference with a view from

intrinsically have the high precision electronics needed to measure user

the practice. His motto: “Chemistry is key to success!”

head motion. Because of this, some companies are starting to turn to this

What’s it all about? Anything related to ophthalmics must be clean;

technology and take advantage of it, i.e. exciting experience and precision

but not only clean to the human eyes, also clean at a molecular level

measurements, to offer opticians the possibility to perform some tests

for certain coating processes. Breton reviewed the most popular ul-

using this attractive tool, or even explore new applications.

trasonic cleaning machine designs and explained what should be the

According to Artús, VR can provide precise screenings and measure-

ideal profile for maximizing cleaning quality and minimizing process

ments, can be a treatment tool, train customers, can act as a selling

cycle times.

tool to keep customers attention and provide exciting experiences.

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and cost. They offer exciting user experiences but, more interestingly, they

MAFO 2-23

03.03.23 16:28

SPOTLIGHT

Hanna Diewald, chief editor of MAFO, welcomes the participants of the conference.

François Breton (Schneider) - All you wanted to know about ultrasonic cleaning of lenses.

Pau Artús (Horizons Optical) Virtual reality to revolutionize the customer journey in optical stores.

How digitalization and the Internet of Things (IoT) will shape the labs of the future

that artificial intelligence will create benefits for the users and for the

The topic of digitization and the future also featured in the presentation

Xavier Bultez explained the hypothesis that digitalization can drive

of Xavier Bultez and Michael Kreis (both from Satisloh). By combining

sustainability. “We took the example of the job ticket, which is a very

machines and AI devices into smart networks throughout the value

old technology that can be replaced today with smart Internet-of-Things

chain, manufacturers are creating new benefits and business models

(IoT) products that enhance the use of this data. The second example

for their customers.

focused on smart parts and the ordering of consumables that can actually

“Digitalization and the Internet of Things will shape the labs of the

bring a lot of flexibility and simplification for the labs in the future. As

future,” said Michael Kreis. “We talked about four hypotheses. One

a result, we think that all of this technology will drastically simplify

was that the overall IT architecture in the lab needs to adapt to enable

the life of the lab in the future; we also think that they need to be im-

the digitalization and new business models. Another hypothesis was

plemented in order to ensure future success.”

MAFO 2-23

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labs if used in the appropriate way.”

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03.03.23 16:28

SPOTLIGHT

Their vision of the future: Everything is interlinked, all data can be

his role as speaker, also stood in as Chairman, in the absence of

accessed via the screen. At any time. At any stage in the production

Peter Baumbach who was indisposed. Some manufacturers offer

chain. Imagine an MES control center in your pocket that can virtually

progressive lenses with the possibility of optimizing the near

take you to any machine in the lab at any time and from anywhere by

portion of the lens. Why is this necessary? What is this optimization

becoming one with the machine HMI. The downside of these new

based on?

technologies: Besides offering great opportunities, such technologies

Jalie pointed out that the cylinder cannot correct the same eye in

also raise issues of cyber security and data privacy.

the near vision range in general. The near vision cylinder needs to be increased by a small percentage. He gave a formula which could

Cylindrical power for near vision

be useful to lens manufacturers if they want to use freeform technol-

Optimization – albeit in spectacle lenses – was also the topic of

ogy to produce a lens that has different cylinder powers in the upper

the lecture by Mo Jalie (University of Ulster) who, in addition to

half and the lower part of the lens (see also page 30 - 32).

Michael Kreis and Xavier Bultez (Satisloh) - How digitalization and the Internet of Things will shape the lab of the future.

Mo Jalie (University Ulster) - Cylindrical power for near vision.

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MAFO 2-23

03.03.23 16:28

WE ARE

energetic We love outdoing ourselves. Breaking through the barriers that science and knowledge impose on us. We constantly set goals and we work tirelessly with you to achieve them. The result: pioneering innovations in vision care.

Do you want to know more about us?

Visit us at VEE, Stand F3025 (16-19 March) Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York Make an appointment with our team!

www.iotlenses.com IOT offers advanced ophthalmic technology solutions from the initial design and development to the industrial manufacturing process. Their products create added value and offer a boost of innovation for any company or laboratory, regardless of size.

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SPOTLIGHT

Sandra Stry (Schneider) - Ultimate, all-in automation: The power-lab of the next decade.

Gaetano Volpe (ProCrea Tech) - From nominal power to the metaverse.

A journey through 20 years of freeform surfaces.

Christopher Diez (LensWare) - Paperless production – challenging lab and LMS.

Ultimate, all-in automation: The power-lab of the next decade

Thinking in terms of “systems” as opposed to “machines” incorporates

For Sandra Stry (Schneider) the time has come to think in terms of

that “little extra” that labs have been looking for: higher throughput

systems. “You don’t have to think about individual machines, you

and lower cost per lens. For this reason, a growing number of labs are

have to think about systems.” This systems approach goes hand in

now relying on fully-automated and -monitored intelligent production

hand with extensive process digitization and affects not only

systems. Also using artificial intelligence.

intelligence that goes beyond the previous level and ultimately offers

manufacturing but all departments in the company. Warehousing, working together as one. Adopting these new technologies, labs

From nominal power to the metaverse. A journey through 20 years of freeform surfaces

will be empowered with new options for differentiation towards a

Of course, the metaverse can't be ignored if you have set your sight on

successful future.

the future. Metaverse was one of the buzzwords in 2022 and it will

surfacing, cleaning, coating and edging – fully integrated and

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MAFO 2-23

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SPOTLIGHT

Tech) is right, it will become increasingly significant for the production

A game changer in lens quality control thanks to objective and automated visual inspection

of spectacle lenses with freeform surfaces in the coming years and lead

Daniel Crespo (IOT) and Thomas Zangerlé (A&R) presented a new

to a further improvement in the quality of these lenses. There has never

system for automatic cosmetic inspection of ophthalmic lenses which

been more customization.

provides consistent and reliable results. Cosmetic inspection has

New manufacturing techniques are taking account of ever more objective

traditionally been a very difficult operation to automate, because it

measurement data from the spectacle wearer concerned. Thus the analysis

includes a certain subjective component requiring highly trained staff,

of head and eye rotation combined with a metaverse-based experience

which has been hard to replicate in automatic systems. The solution

is arising as a new effective tool to collect more data about patient’s vision

presented can be used for cosmetic inspection of semi-finished lenses.

behavior and further improve optimization algorithms. The result will

This was the first time that the two companies publicly presented their

be an even more customized lens than was previously available.

jointly developed system.

Paperless production – challenging labs and LMS

Panel discussion

Christopher Diez (LensWare) took up the topic of purely digital

The panel discussion with four experts from the industry, chaired by

workflows in his presentation.

Mo Jalie (University Ulster), marked the end of this year's conference.

The topic of paperless production is spreading and increasing in im-

Together with Mark Mackenzie (Strategy with Vision), Georg Mayer

portance due to government funded projects in addition to the awareness

(Rodenstock) and Devon Abblitt (Quantum Innovations) they focused

of the positive effects on climate and the environment by the labs.

on a longer view of the future. What will the industry look like in 2033?

However, “It is easier to set up a paperless production in theory, than

For Mark Mackenzie, one of the most important topics in the future

to change a running production in practice,” he said. However this,

will be higher-priced, single vision lenses. “It's about the so-called

too, is possible. The challenge is to create a completely new workflow.

digital single-vision lens for young presbyopia, to help with accom-

Labs have to train their staff to start working with PCs, who previously

modation,” he said. “When you're looking at a digital device, you've

only had to track orders by status booking, where this was not done

got a lot of energy being booked up into myopia control lenses, but

automatically by scanners from conveyor solutions. The psychological

that probably won't be enough. I think smart eyewear, as it's called,

effect here is not to be underestimated.

has now reaching a price range where it is becoming affordable.”

Of course, this is the first challenge for the LMS, too. The Graphical User

He predicts moves by the larger ophthalmic-lens manufacturers to

Interface (GUI) for new workflows has to be intuitive, clear and user-friendly

invigorate the single-vision segment through the use of smart

with minimum need for navigation. Furthermore, the pre-sorting based

eyewear. “Thus I believe it will be an important segment, even

on job tickets to plan prescriptions – not forgetting rare prescriptions –

though it has failed to do so in the past. This may also be a threat

will now become part of the system. Digitalizing an area of the lab, where

to traditional manufacturers if they do not become part of it.” 3D

most devices do not yet communicate fully with the LMS, will be the next

printing is also seen as a major trend. Smart glasses will also become

revolution in the ophthalmic industry (see also page 26 - 28).

a market driver here.

continue to gain in importance in 2023. If Gaetano Volpe (ProCrea

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21.02.23 15:21 13:36 06.03.23

SPOTLIGHT

Thomas Zangerlé (A&R) and Daniel Crespo (IOT) - A game changer in lens quality control thanks to objective and automated visual inspection.

A video recording of the full-length panel discussion is available on the MAFO website.

F.l.t.r.: Mark Mackenzie (Strategy with Vision), Mo Jalie (University Ulster), Georg Mayer ­(Rodenstock), Devon Abblitt (Quantum Innovations) - Imagining the future of the ophthalmic optics industry.

Peter Baumbach gives a video greeting to the audience.

remember many years ago how difficult it was to obtain information

How will purchases be made in the future? Online? Even though

from other people in the profession who didn't want to share their

online retailing currently has only a small share of the market, this

secrets in case they were supplanted in their posts. But now I think

is set to change in the future. It will shift a lot with the generation's

people recognize that so many different skills are required that it

changing attitude to online business. In Canada and North America,

is becoming necessary to share information. And this certainly has

in particular, 20% of sales are expected to be made online in future.

been achieved here.”

“But I agree that the situation will differ a lot from one market to

In any case, the months ahead in 2023 are sure to be exciting.

another,” added Georg Mayer.

However, there are also some open questions: How strong will the

But you don't have to look so far into the future. MAFO – The

inf luence of AI be? How will the lab landscape develop? Which of

Conference demonstrated that the industry is already undergoing

today's visions will become standard practice tomorrow?

major changes. This makes such a conference with its up-to-date

MAFO – The Conference 2024 may provide some of the answers

topics all the more important. Chairman Mo Jalie said: “I can

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– one year from now in Milan. ◆

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22.02.23 11:57

SPOTLIGHT Photos: Frank Sonnenberg & Silke Sage

The world of optics meets in Milan Mido 2023 puts on a great show In its 51st edition, Mido 2023 sent out a strong signal, reinforcing its claim to be one of the most important international fairs in the optics world with very good figures. This is not only demonstrated in the number of visitors, but also by innovations in the industry set to change the sector in the years to come. B y Frank Sonnenberg

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06.03.23 15:23

SPOTLIGHT

A

ccording to the organizers, around 35,000 visitors attended

The spectrum ranged from well-established technologies for lens

Mido 2023, 80% from Europe and 20% from the rest of

production and coating – the smaller footprint of the latest machines,

the world. This represents a 60% increase over 2022,

more sustainable and resource-saving production – to innovations in

despite being well short of the record mark of 59,500

the digitalized process chain with networked machines.

visitors in 2019. Nonetheless, things are clearly looking up.

Not only did the visitors come from all over the world but the exhibitors

Satisloh

too. Of the more than 1,000 exhibitors representing the entire supply chain

Already at the previous Mido, Satisloh exhibited a completely new

– from machinery to lenses, along with frame manufacturers, the industry’s

coating technology, so-called “Film Lamination”. This is a process

top brands to young independent designers – 72% were international, 28%

where the entire coating – i.e. the AR coating and the hard coating – is

of them from Italy. Taken together, of the international exhibitors 51%

laminated to the blank as a film using the Satisloh Film-Pod machine

were from Europe, 42% from Asia and 7% from the rest of the world.

and the Tech-Film AR. The whole process takes about 15 minutes,

President Vitaloni also expressed his satisfaction with the participation

completely replacing conventional vapor coating in a box coater. The

at the fair: “We have a responsibility to be among Italy’s most international

target group for this new technique is primarily smaller labs. The

events and without a doubt the industry leader at a global level. This

advantages are that investment costs for machines are lower and lenses

means organizing a show that meets the needs of professionals who,

can be coated individually instead of having to do an entire batch.

every year, arrive from around the world to conduct business at Mido.”

Something else completely new can be expected at the so-called Slugfest

In addition to fashion glamour with appearances by many VIPs and

in mid-June in Wetzlar.

personalities from the world of entertainment, the trade fair demonstrated its role and positioning as an important showcase for technical

MEI

innovation in this sector.

A special highlight awaited the participiants at the MEI booth. The

A foretaste of the main focus in the industry in 2023 was already given

company presented their first all-in-one, block-free digital lens genera-

the day before the Mido opened at MAFO – The Conference. During

tor, called CoreTBA, which combines seven manufacturing operations

the trade fair itself, however, visitor interest continued at an equally

together, rendering alloy blocks completely obsolete. Compared to

high level.

the space required for conventional manufacturing solutions, the

Michael Kreis (left), Vice President of Global R&D, and Andy Huthoefer (right), Vice President of Product Management and Marketing, at the Satisloh booth.

MEI booth

MAFO 2-23

18_MIDO.indd 19

19

06.03.23 15:23

SPOTLIGHT

Eyoto booth

Karsten Küchler (left), Senior Sales Manager, and Armin Keller (right), General Manager, at the Evochem booth.

Coburn booth

F.l.t.r.: Jörg Bauer, Managing Director, Leica Eyecare GmbH; Luis Gómez Gálvez, R&D scientist, IOT; Manuel Weber, Sales ­Account Engineer, A&R; Sandra Fonticoli, Sales Director, A&R, at the booth of Automation & Robotics.

Schneider booth

Stefan Seifried, Managing Director, at the OptoTech booth.

footprint here has also been significantly reduced. This solution should

OptoTech

appeal particularly to smaller labs that often have to contend with a

OptoTech’s focus at the Mido was on mineral lenses. They presented a

lack of space. Evidently an important topic in the industry this year.

new automated surfacing line for mineral lenses which includes milling,

Another current trend in the optical industry is that more and more

grinding and polishing machines. If it were up to the company, it would

manufacturers are bringing their lens production back to Europe,

likely usher in a new era of sustainable lens production. Another innova-

including the production of plano lenses in the sunglasses sector.

tion was a patent-pending innovative feature for OptoTech’s De-Taper,

With this in mind, MEI exhibited a new grinding center with high

leading to savings in processing time and thus energy consumption.

throughput capacity.

A&R Schneider

Automated cosmetic inspection of spectacle lenses powered by artificial

Schneider, too, picked up on increasing interest in these manufacturing

intelligence (AI) was one of the highlights on the Automation & Robotics

centers, where several operations are combined together. One of the

stand. The automated system can replicate the quality level of human

machines on display is able to manufacture practically any kind of

inspection, whereby according to the company it is even more consistent

lenses from start to finish.

and reliable. The technology combines a physical probe – that mimics

A topic that is likely to become increasingly important in the future: automated

human vision in detecting cosmetic errors – with state-of-the-art, machine-

cosmetic inspection of spectacle lenses. One recently launched machine

learning techniques that classify defects according to their “apparent” size

attracted a lot of attention here. For the process to run smoothly, artificial

and location, to determine whether or not the lens is acceptable. The

intelligence (AI) has to learn how highly-trained humans evaluate the

technology can even distinguish between dust and actual defects. By analyz-

surface of a lens.

ing the data from the measuring system, preventive maintenance can be

Apart from this, the digitized process chain was the main focus on Schneider's

initiated at an early stage, rather than having to react later. The system

stand, taking a systems approach which affects all companies and production

was developed jointly in cooperation with the IOT company.

departments. Warehousing, surfacing, cleaning, coating and edging are

Another new product was a packaging machine with a smaller footprint.

all completely interlinked. Employees can now call up any information at

This is particularly important for small labs, because they have less

any time and see where potential problems exist in the system.

and less space available; and space means money.

20

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Q S F S

w p

MAFO 2-23

06.03.23 15:23

6

!AZ.ind

SPOTLIGHT

Daniel Crespo, President, and Carolina Gago, COO, at the IOT booth.

Horizons Optical booth

LensWare booth

Eyoto

On 4 August 2021, the EU Commission published Commission

A different way of inspecting the surface of spectacle lenses in labs was

Regulation (EU) 2021/1297 to amend entry 68 of Annex XVII to

exhibited by Eyoto. The system was first launched a year ago but this

REACH (EC) No 1907/2006, restricting perf luorocarboxylic acids

time it was exhibited in a new and improved version. It performs ad-

containing 9 to 14 carbon atoms in the chain (C9-C14 PFCAs),

vanced surface inspection with full-color power maps in just 50 seconds.

their salts and related substances.

The new device can repeatedly and objectively check every semi-finished,

Anyone wishing to sell coated lenses in Europe must now ensure that their

uncut or mounted lens.

coatings, i.e. the materials used, conform to this amended regulation.

Evochem

Future outlook

Finally, a spotlight on something that cannot be seen at a glance.

So what next? System networking will certainly be an increasingly

EU regulations are concerned among other things with the con-

important topic in the future. In addition, a variety of processes previ-

stituent substances in thin-film materials, some of which may be

ously done by skilled human beings, such as cosmetic final inspection,

banned in future. This is naturally relevant to what materials may

will be automated. Sooner or later, robot colleagues will become

ultimately be applied to a lens. Evochem, a key supplier to the

commonplace. In addition, the new EU environmental regulations

thin-film industry, exhibited two modified groups of products:

will have a direct effect on manufacturing processes, supply chains

ETC-Pro and ETC Ultra. Their product portfolio already meets

and materials used.

the upcoming EU regulations, which come into force in 2023,

We will all learn more by the time the next Mido at Fiera Milano Rho

regarding the content of C9-C14 PFCA related products.

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SPOTLIGHT

MAFO spoke with Mido president Giovanni Vitaloni on the last day of Mido.

Was it easier for you to organize this Mido ­compared to the 50th edition?

How was the show received by the machine manufacturers and the supplier industry?

No, they are all difficult to organize. The team works 365 days a

The feedback was very good. Mido is the only trade show where we

year to prepare the three days of event. There is no discount any-

have the entire industry present – from the manufacturing machines

where. If you organize an event that is so crucial to the industry,

to the raw materials components and all the brands that are presenting

everything has to be planned in detail. It is not just a matter of a

their new projects. If they have to pick one event where to present all

f loor layout but if you walk around the show, you see how many

their technologies, this is the event where they want to come. We have

areas are beautifully organized. I would say that the experience

a whole area that is dedicated to technology and machinery and I saw

the visitors are living within the show is not comparable to any

myself just a few minutes ago that they have many visitors.

other event in our industry.

What are the advantages for Mido to be held already in early February?

What is the ratio of exhibitors compared to the pre-pandemic show of 2019?

The advantage is the fact that exhibitors can present new

In 2019, we had over than 1300 exhibitors. In

collections and projects early in the month when the

2022, we had 670 and now we have a thousand.

buying process has just started and there is full

This means that we have an increase of close

motivation. It is a benefit for most of the exhibitors

to 70% compared to 2022. Basically, we have

to have an impact on their economic numbers

the same numbers as in 2019 minus a portion

within the first semester. This is a good moment

of Asian companies, which could not show

to sell and to buy, to have the numbers and the

up because they only opened the borders re-

orders being shipped out. I think the companies are

cently. ­Nevertheless, we have a good number of

happy for this reason. In the next years, Mido will

companies from all over the Asian continent,

Gio

around 400, including China, Japan, Hong Kong,

v a n n i V it a l o n

Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, India, and while there is a

i

always be positioned at the beginning of February. It is important that the markets know this well in advance, so

that they can get into the rhythm to present their new products here.

little gap compared to 2019, we are happy that a good portion of these manufacturers are back. We have also visitors coming from the Far East.

How were the topic of sustainability and the sustainability award received by the visitors?

As an association, we are very careful and focused on sustainability.

From your point of view, what role will high tech like AI play for the optical industry in the future?

That is why we are working on a sustainability label for products

There have been already several AI products introduced to the

probably will be launched within this year. This will be a voluntary

market. Some did not have great success, but I definitely think there

certification, so that companies in the industry will be able to

is a role for them and high tech will be developed more and more.

understand what lies behind each single product – where, how, and

I do not think there will be a revolution in our field that will change

when products are made. This is very important in order to transmit

our work completely. But high-tech is a very solid segment that will

the sentiment of being transparent. Based on this label, we have

be developed in the next years. I saw that we have already many

created six awards for sunglasses, frames and packaging, for products

examples of smart glasses or projects involving the metaverse at

being made in Europe and the rest of the world. I think that the

the show. I would like to see greater use of smart glasses in the

jury has done a very good job in the sense that they dig deep. We

industry. Glasses turn into displays in which the necessary informa-

have to fight greenwashing and try to give awards and underline

tion is projected into the worker's field of vision and in real time.

the processes that really have a low impact towards the environment

The worker then has his hands free and his eyes focused on the task

and a big positive impact towards the social aspect. Our role is to

at hand. Still improvements definitely need to be done on lightness

shine a light on these companies and products and I think we did

and adaptability to the face, but given the many possible applications,

that with the awards yesterday.

with a technical table and many companies being involved. It

I believe they can be an excellent work tool that our companies should consider.

22

18_MIDO.indd 22

Thank you for the interview.

MAFO 2-23

06.03.23 15:23

Future Lab TECHNOLOGY

Left lens without coating and right lens with coating.

De-fogging with heat Transparent gold nanocoating Researchers in groups led by professors Dimos Poulikakos and Thomas Schutzius at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH) in Switzerland have developed a 10 nm thin transparent coating of gold that can convert sunlight into heat.[1] It can be applied to glass or other surfaces, for example, and thus prevent them from fogging up. The coating could be used on spectacle lenses and car windows, among other things. Dr. Iwan Hächler, who played a key role in driving the development, explained the properties and structure of the coating in an interview with MAFO. By Rebekka Nurkanovic

copper wires. The problem is that converting electricity

What are the unique proper ties of the gold

directly into heat is one of the most inefficient things

nanocoating?

There are different strategies how you can prevent

you can do from an energy perspective.

fogging. The most commonly used these days are

We wanted to find an efficient solution which relies

superhydrophilic sprays where condensed water

on using heat. For this, we needed another source

is evenly distributed on the surface. Then there

of energy than electricity. Visibility usually means

are superhydrophobic coatings, which try to prevent

that there is light. Interestingly, nearly half of the

the nucleation. The problem is that they are all

solar energy consists of infrared radiation, which

exposed to environmental influences, which limit

is invisible to the human eye. The challenge was to

their durability. Our goal was to find another approach.

From a thermodynamic perspective, using heat is a very

design a coating, which stays transparent in the visible Iw an

powerful method to prevent fog. It has also been used already, for instance in the rear shield of cars, where you can see the little

MAFO 2-23

23_Inte Goldene Nanobeschichtung_Hächler.indd 23

Hä c h l e r

but absorbs the infrared spectrum. It was important that

the coating was thin, so that it could be integrated beneath antireflection, anti-scratch coatings or any other hydrophobic coating

23

28.02.23 11:10

Future Lab TECHNOLOGY

The ultra-thin coating can be put on flexible substrates and is not affected by bending.

The coating is built like a sandwich with the gold layer in the middle encapsulated by electrically insulating titanium oxide layers.

for cleanliness. It also needed to be scalable, cost effective and efficient.

takes place. We decided that it needed to be a very thin coating so that

Based on these boundary conditions, we came to the result we have

all the energy is absorbed over as little thickness as possible so that all

now, which absorbs strongly in the near infrared. This energy is

the heat can be rapidly used for the defogging. In order to create such a

dissipated into heat that can be used for fog prevention or removal.

surface there are different approaches. We deposited the absorbing

We compared it to a control, a pure glass that has the same wetting

material, which in our case is gold, through evaporation. When the gold

properties on the surface. The comparison showed a three to fourfold

settles on the surface, it forms little nano islands. Then you deposit more

improvement of the fog resistance performance with our coating. It

until it becomes a continuous film. There is a point, where we have an

also proved to defog about two to three times faster.

optical nonlinearity and we have a very interesting optical phenomenon

The variation of the solar intensity was one of the key aspects we wanted

that happens at exactly this deposition thickness, which leads to our

to consider. The idea was to develop a product that is not just working

desired properties. We call this the sweet spot of the absorbing layer of

in the lab under perfect conditions. We tested the gold coating under

our material. The absorbing gold layer is then encapsulated between two

one sun irradiance, which is the standard condition in research and

dielectrics or non-conductive materials in order to protect it. As you can

showed a temperature increase of more than eight degrees Celsius.

imagine, a very thin layer of gold is not very robust. Therefore, we put

Next, we tested it at lower solar intensities down to 200 watts per square

the dielectric on top so that it is guarded and the total thickness is still

meter, which is a fifth of the intensity and which can be compared to

about a thousand times thinner than a human hair and the structure

a typical late afternoon sun in winter. Under these conditions, it still

absorbs nearly 30% of the sunlight. It is so thin that you can even put it

proved to efficiently prevent fog formation and rapidly defog glass.

on flexible substrates, bend it and it is not affected.

Lastly, we tested how much energy or how much radiation the coating

The most important advantage for spectacle lenses is that it is integrated.

absorbs if light does not come straight from the top, but from an angle.

You do not have to think about taking it with you and it is more sustainable

We showed that it does not matter from which angle it comes up to 30

than buying and producing more plastic and throwing it away after use.

degrees. Our coating still has the same absorptive beahvior, which means that the coating works even with clouds, as long as you have

What kind of machines and materials do you use for the

some level of luminosity.

dispersion?

When I look back at this project, it was very interesting because we

We use two of the most heavily used industrialized machines in the lens

explored so many options how we might solve this. Initially, we had

industry, thermal evaporation and sputtering. The whole coating was

the idea of developing a coating that is transparent, sunlight-selective

made on weekends because these are the two most heavily used tools in

and infrared absorbing. We explored many ways how to solve this and

the cleanroom of IBM where we fabricated it. We did not want to annoy

ran into several dead-ends. I remember the day we took a pair of

people by blocking the tools when we did the parametric deposition.

eyewear outside on a terrace here at ETH, to test it under natural condi-

The coating is easy to scale up and produce over larger areas.

tions. It is one thing to know that everything works fine in the lab but

We use materials from the clean room and high quality gold but this

testing your product outside and seeing that it really worked there was

does not mean that it is expensive. We did the math once for a pair of

pretty mind blowing.

glasses and the material costs for gold are about 20 cents because the coating is so thin. We also compared it to the amount of gold in a

How does the coating work?

smartphone and you need approximately one hundred coated lenses

The goal is essentially to have as much heat localized as possible. You

to get to the equivalent of one smartphone. We filed a patent for the

want to heat up only the surface, because that is where the evaporation

technology and the patent is for several materials and materials

24

23_Inte Goldene Nanobeschichtung_Hächler.indd 24

MAFO 2-23

28.02.23 11:10

Advertisement

combinations. We are also gathering data on other material combinations, which have slightly different optical properties and which we want to use for other applications.

Is gold the preferred material for spectacles?

This depends on the targeted market, the required transparency and the expected sunlight intensity. With gold, there is a slight tint to the glasses. For sunglasses, you can accept more tints and we have other materials, which are tinted slightly more, but still have this broadband and strong absorption in the infrared. We can play a little bit around. Our coating right now has about 70% transparency but we have some options to bring it higher by about 5-10%. For comparison, normal glass has about 90% transparency.

Sustainable & Completely Automated Post-Polishing System

When do you expect it to be market-ready for spectacle lenses?

We are applying for some incubator programs and hope to get accepted in one of them. The idea is to get a product on the market in the next two or three years. While we have a technology that we can fabricate, the next important and crucial step is the integration of our method into the existing fabrication procedures. We will invest some R&D into the integration with other coatings,

Automated, Clean, Efficient Technology

individual application.

Completely Waterless Autodeblocking and Alloy Recovery Systems

You are in the process of further developing the coating

Safe, Uniform Alloy Collection

perform further durability tests and tailor our coating for each

for different applications. What are your goals for ophthalmic lenses?

Based on the application, you can have different optical properties

Clean, Coated Lenses and Systematic Block and Alloy Collection

that you desire. As our patent application covers a whole variety of materials, we are now acquiring more data with parametric studies in order to have a stack of information where we know what type of material we can use for what application. Further, we are exploring

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some ideas we have how to increase the transparency even more.

Thank you for the interview. ◆

Reference: [1] Hächler I, Ferru N, Schnöring G, Mitridis E, Schutzius TM, Poulikakos D: Transparent sunlight-​activated antifogging metamaterials. Nature Nanotechnology 2022, doi: externe Seite10.1038/s41565-​022-01267-1call_made.

Dr. Iwan Hächler recently defended his PhD on the topic of how to tailor water condensation with sunlight-selective metamaterials.

After termination of his contract as PhD student in spring, he will further explore the possibilities of the new coating at ETH.

Learn more at coburntechnologies.com/reimagine

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MAFO 2-23

!AZ.inddGoldene 10 23_Inte Nanobeschichtung_Hächler.indd 25

21.02.23 11:10 13:47 28.02.23

Future Lab TECHNOLOGY

Paperless production – Challenging lab and LMS Paperless production offers many benefits for labs, but the road to get there is not without challenges.

Christopher Diez, authorized officer at LensWare International, has been project manager for complex LMS projects in conceptualization and rollout processes since 2019. His presentation at MAFO – The Conference 2023 highlighted various aspects to consider when implementing paperless production. Diez spoke with MAFO about his insights and experience in the development and handling of corresponding software. By Rebekka Nurkanovic

Does paperless lab mean completely free of paper, or are

by law. There is also an exceptional case in lens production where paper

there still areas where paper will continue to play a role in

still exists. This is the typical one-sided breakage, where the good lens

the future?

is protected on one side by a white paper bag, even during intermediate

In a paperless lab, paper disappears completely from the lens manu-

storage and when traveling through the lab. However, in a standard

facturing process. It is still needed in the shipping process to protect

cycle with no breakage, the lab can be entirely paperless – from the

the lenses and for printing delivery notes, some of which are required

receipt of the order to dispatch in the shipping department.

26

26_Inte_Paperless production_Diez.indd 26

MAFO 2-23

03.03.23 16:26

Future Lab TECHNOLOGY

What are the main benefits of a paperless lab?

processing the same job. In larger labs, where a number of employees

The ability to monitor progress is significantly improved, especially

go through the warehouse and prepare orders, the system has to be

in the coating department, as digital monitoring in these areas

digitally protected so that people can't take each other's orders

is made possible for the first time. Up to now, one only

with some being picked multiple times while others are

knew that orders had entered the department but not

ignored undone.

where they were. Digitization improves the flow of

In surface production, the changeover to paperless

information and furthermore there are also clear

production is not a major challenge, because from

advantages with regard to the Medical Devices

blocking onwards in many cases material flow

Regulation. Since we now no longer require

control and switches are used.

paper in the coating departments, this should

In coating, we are introducing the PC for the and carried out a proof-of-concept with two

to

ge

is

r

deposited on the lenses. However, it remains to be

)

first time. We have already developed a solution

improvement in quality, thanks to less dust being

Ch

lead to a reduction in paper dust and thus an

seen whether this effect is actually observed in practice.

ph

er D

In the surface production itself, the production is already

iez (P ho

fully automated in the larger labs and thus virtually paperless. For

il to: S

ke

Sa

major labs. What still remains is to carry out field tests, to gain experience on production and quality.

This is a very exciting time and we hope to be able to come up with answers in the next few weeks. The first live introduction

the machines themselves, it makes no difference whether they scan a

in a lab is planned for April.

barcode from a paper or job tray or read an RFID chip.

Quality control for Rx on its own is also not a big challenge, as much can now be done using corresponding machines or manual lens meters.

You have also considered the changeover to a paperless lab

This procedure is well known and the visualization of expected

from a psychological perspective. What particular aspects

measured value data has been around for years. Displaying the coating

have you considered here?

recipe is also not a big challenge because the staff know the recipe

That is actually the biggest challenge. Of course, there are also technical

code. It is only necessary to display which production is to be expected

challenges but, in my opinion, the psychological aspect is the key issue

at this workplace. However, this is not so in the case of edging inspec-

during changeover. Particularly in coating, where PCs have not played

tion, where we used to have a one-to-one scale printout on the job

any significant role to date, this represents a major change in the

ticket, so one could put the lens on the paper after edging to check

workflow. Everyone knows that people are creatures of habit. Thus any

the thickness and the thickness parameters. However, this can also

changeover is bound to be difficult and will always present a psychological

be done on the screen, preferably on a horizontal display or a screen

challenge. So it is important that management not only makes decisions

embedded into the table. Still, I see checking the shape as the biggest

but also that the employees are involved. Only with the support of the

challenge in quality control, because the reflection on the screen is

employees can the introduction of the software be successful. This is

different from that on paper. And here again, this is also something

my great hope and request to the labs: close cooperation between the

employees have to get used to.

current users of the system in the departments and us as software developers is absolutely essential. This is the only way to develop software that truly meets all requirements and is easy and intuitive to use.

In your presentation, you divided the technological aspects into the areas work preparation, surfacing/treatment and quality control/edging/shipping. Which aspects play a key role in each of these areas?

In work preparation, we have the major challenge that without paper,

The software development must take place under close coordination between the actual users and the developers.

there is no indication that new orders exist. In many smaller labs, it is only when paper starts coming out of the printer that employees know

What features does the software need in order to meet the

that there is something afoot. If there is no paper, we need to find another

technical requirements as well as to be user-friendly?

way to clearly indicate the arrival of a new order on the screen.

The software development must take place under close coordination

For larger labs, setting priorities was previously done using print

between the actual users and the developers. We have the great advantage

channels or different colored paper, so this now has to be incorporated

that some of our developers have many years of experience in production

in the software. The major challenge is to create clear workflows in

which they can incorporate. Nevertheless, it is important for us to

this area. Paper has the advantage that only one person can hold it in

enter into a close dialog with lab employees. A balance has to be struck

their hand at any one time, so there is no risk of different employees

between user-friendliness and technical requirements. On the one

MAFO 2-23

26_Inte_Paperless production_Diez.indd 27

27

03.03.23 16:26

Future Lab TECHNOLOGY

hand, the employee must receive sufficient guidance and confirm each step so that the software can then check that the appropriate operations are being carried out. At the same time, the number of mouse clicks required need to be minimized, so that the system is acceptable to the users. Particularly in departments where PCs have not previously been

The best advice is to try not to collect sensitive data in the first place.

used, one should ensure that as few buttons as possible need to be pressed. We are naturally treading a fine line here and an ideal solution

difficult matter because we ourselves are not interested in the data

can only be found in close dialog.

itself and it is not relevant to the processing of the order. Here lens suppliers and opticians must reach agreement on who transmits and

Is it a good idea to divide the path to a paperless lab into

stores what data and for how long. The system must only ensure that

different stages?

end-user-related data can be deleted. However, backups present us

In a new lab, you can certainly do everything all at once. In the case of

with a situation where it is technically not easy to delete data there, or

existing labs wanting to change, it makes sense to split up the procedure

it may even be partly contrary to our responsibility. Data protection

into several steps. First, operations like surface production which are

and IT security requirements are thus at odds with each other here.

well under control must become completely paperless or “unmanned”.

The best advice is to try not to collect sensitive data in the first place.

The first operation to go should be removing the process of carrying

The warranty card does not have to be personalized, and as soon as

orders to the machines by hand, or entering and correcting values at the

you leave out the end-user-related information, such as name, email

control panels.

address and date of birth, data protection is no longer an issue, because

After fully automating surface production, the next operation for me

ultimately the only information you save is the order number.

is in the direction of coating. While paper may still be available, because this is available as an option, employees should avoid making use of

When do you expect to launch your software for the paperless

it as far as possible. Only after this should attention be turned to work

lab in the marketplace?

preparation. There is also the option of doing the steps vice versa, this

The product development is now 90-95% complete. Until the practical

would have a psychological effect, since order processing ideally is

trials in April, we are continuing to work on the fine points, for example

fully automated anyway, coming from the B2B solution. We don't need

on the brush washing system, where the job tray will need to be changed

to concern ourselves with dispatch & shipping, because for the time

automatically by a machine. I expect we will have completed the final

being paperwork remains essential in this area. As long as fully digital-

touches by the fall.

ized delivery documents are not accepted, delivery notes will need to

I am looking forward to seeing how much this topic will be accepted

be printed in the shipping department for the foreseeable future.

in the global market. On the one hand we have to consider return on investment and, on the other, the development of the legal position.

How can data security and data protection be assured?

Thus I don't really expect a big bang but rather a gradual change. But,

In principle, data security is the responsibility of the labs. They must

however you see it, it is certainly an enormous step for our industry.

ensure that appropriate backups are created so that the system can be rebooted in the event of a fault. The protection of end-user data is a

28

26_Inte_Paperless production_Diez.indd 28

Thank you for the interview. ◆

MAFO 2-23

03.03.23 16:26

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!AZ.indd 4

15.02.23 12:34

TECHNOLOGY

The correction of near vision astigmatism – compared to the cylindrical correction for distance vision Some manufacturers offer progressive lenses with the possibility of optimizing the near portion of the lens.

Why is this necessary? What is the background to the optimization? This paper discusses the difference between the cylindrical correction prescribed for distance vision and the modification necessary to fully correct the eye’s astigmatism when the wearer uses the lenses for near vision. B y Mo Jalie

M

ost optometry textbooks explain why the cylinder

F180. The vergence in the refracted pencil arriving at the eye in the

which corrects an eye for distance vision cannot

vertical meridian is K90 and in the horizontal meridian, K180.

correct the eye for near vision except in two specific cases, the first being that the eye has no accommoda-

where K 90 = F90 / (1 – dF90) and K180 = F180 / (1 – dF180).

tive power and the second (and most unlikely situation) that the eye

The ocular astigmatism, i.e., the actual astigmatism inherent in the

is able to accommodate by two different amounts along its principal

eye is K180 – K90.

meridians. In all other cases, the cylinder required for distance vision

A numerical example might be easier to follow. Suppose that a subject

must be increased by a small percentage in order to fully correct the

wears the prescription +5.00/+3.00 x 90 for distance vision, then

eye’s astigmatism.

F90 = +5.00 and F180 = +8.00. The vergence arriving at the eye, assuming

The reason for this can be deduced from figure 1. Figure 1(a) shows

its first principal point lies 14 mm behind the lens, is

an eye corrected for distance vision by an astigmatic lens whose power in the vertical meridian is F90 and in the horizontal meridian,

30

30_Cylindrical power for near vision_Mo Jalie.indd 30

K90 = 5 / (1 – 0.014 x 5) = +5.38 and K180 = 8 / (1 – 0.014 x 8) = +9.01.

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TECHNOLOGY

The actual ocular astigmatism possessed by the eye is +9.01 - +5.38 = +3.63 DC x 90. Suppose now that the wearer views a near object at one-third meter from the lens. The vergence (L) arriving at the lens is -3.00 D and (ignoring the lens thickness) the vergence leaving the lens is (-3.00 + F90) = +2.00 D and the vergence leaving the lens in the horizontal meridian is (-3.00 + F180) = +5.00 D. The vergences arriving at the eye, B90 and B180 are B90 = 2 / (1 – 0.014 x 2) = +2.06 and B180 = 5 / (1 – 0.014 x 5) = +5.38.

The difference between these two vergences is +3.32 D which is +0.31 D less than the physical astigmatism possessed by the eye.

In order to fully correct the ocular astigmatism for near vision the vergence arriving at the eye in the horizontal meridian must be increased by the actual astigmatism of the eye to +5.69 D, (+2.06 D + 3.63 D), so the vergence leaving the lens in the horizontal meridian

Fig. 1: Reason for change in cylinder power for near vision.

must be +5.27 D. The power of the lens in the horizontal meridian must become +8.27 D, i.e., the cylindrical power for near vision should be increased to +3.27 D. Now, consider the prescription, +1.00 / +4.00 x 90 with a prescribed addition of +1.00 for near. The expected prescription for near vision is +2.00 / +4.00 x 90, however, as we have seen, this cylindrical correction does not fully correct the astigmatism for near vision. To find the correct near vision prescription, the spherical component of the near vision prescription is obtained by adding the prescribed near addition to the sphere of the prescription which in this example gives +2.00 D, but the cylindrical component must be increased by a small amount

Fig. 2: Increase in cylinder power for near vision.

Fig. 3: Percentage increase in cylinder power for near vision.

since the cylinder which corrects the eye for near vision is slightly greater than the cylinder which corrects the eye’s astigmatism in distance vision. The axis direction is more difficult to determine by

where d is the distance from the eye’s first principal point to the lens,

theoretical analysis and is best determined by measurement during

in millimetres, L is the reading distance expressed in dioptres and

the refraction procedure.

A is any prescribed addition for near. Note that L will carry a minus sign in this expression, (Fig. 2).

Optometrists are taught in University [1] that the cylinder which

For a reading distance of one-third metre, L = -3.00 D and choosing

corrects an eye for distance vision does not fully correct the astig-

a distance of 15 mm for d (note that the eye’s first principal point

matism of the eye in near vision unless the eye has no accommodation

lies about one and two-thirds mm behind the cornea), the only variable

such as in cases of aphakia, or the very unlikely situation where the

is the near addition, A. The near cylinder should be increased by the

eye is able to accommodate by different amounts along its principal

percentage amounts shown in the table in figure 3. Note that the

meridians. This second situation must be extremely rare since it

smaller the near addition, the more the near vision cylinder should

implies, for example, that the crystalline lens is toroidal and the toricity

be increased. In particular, even wearers of single vision lenses who

changes by just the right amount to correct the near vision astigmatism,

need them only for distance vision but who are highly astigmatic

or, perhaps the crystalline lens is tilted and that upon accommodation,

might benefit from a different cylinder power and axis for continuous

the tilt changes by just the right amount to correct the astigmatism.

near vision and this compensation might be provided in some of the

It is improbable that this latter case would ever happen!

freeform single vision lenses.

Increasing the cylinder for near

It can be seen that these percentage increases are quite small and, in

It can be shown that in all other cases, the cylinder for near should

practice, only astigmats with high cylinder powers are normally

be increased by the small percentage, δC, where δC is given by

affected. For a young person who does not need an addition for close

[2]

work, the distance cylinder power is under-corrected by 9%, which δC = -2 d (L + A) / 10%, (1)

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for a 2.00 D cylinder is 0.18 D and for a 4.00 D cylinder, 0.36 D.

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TECHNOLOGY

literature includes the statement “[…] different cylinder strengths and axis positions for distance and close up can be implemented in one progressive lens.” Carl Zeiss Vision also state that they can personalize the near vision zone of their progressive lenses.

You might ask, “Why are so few prescriptions ordered with different cylinder powers for near vision”? I can think of several answers but a) primary position of gaze

b) Subject fitted with a pair of contact lenses with the 90 meridian marked

Fig. 4: Location of axis direction.

perhaps the chief one is that, in practice, most cylinder powers are quite small, rarely exceeding 1.00 D and even more rare, greater that 2.00 D. However, research, such as that from Rosenfield et al[3], has shown that the correction of small astigmatic refractive errors may be important in optimizing patient comfort when working with a computer, so that reducing aberrational astigmatism in the near portion of a single vision lens designed for distance will benefit the wearer.

I hope that this brief paper has been informative and of interest and has described some of the clever technology which is now incorporated

position of gaze in near vision

R

Near Vision Rx +2.00 / +4.25 x 95

L +2.00 / +4.25 x 85

Fig. 5: Possible axis directions in near vision with extorsion of eyes.

in the latest generation of personalized progressive power lenses. ◆

References: [1] Rabbetts R.B. (2007) Clinical Visual Optics (4th ed.), Elsevier, Oxford.

[2] Jalie M. (2021), Principles of Ophthalmic Lenses (6th ed.), ABDO, Godmersham.

[3] Rosenfield M, Hue JE, Huang RR & Bababekova Y. (2011) “The effects of induced oblique astigmatism on symptoms and reading performance while viewing a computer screen”. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt.;32(2):142-8.

In the opening example, where no addition was prescribed, using equation (1), the near vision cylinder should be increased by 8.4% which is an extra cylinder power of 0.25 D and the near vision prescription should be +2.00 / +4.25, axis as yet, unknown. Although equation (1) is a binomial approximation it provides a result very close to the one obtained by paraxial ray-tracing.

Changes in axis direction of the cylinders I now come to the question “What is the axis direction?”.

Consider the subject shown in figure 4(a), whose head is in the primary position of gaze, the subject looking straight ahead in distance vision.

In figure 4(b) the subject has been fitted with a pair of contact lenses on which the vertical meridian has been indicated.

When the eyes converge and depress for near vision, the actions of the

Mo Jalie

external ocular muscles, notably the medial, the inferior and the superior oblique muscles typically cause extorsion of the globe, it has been assumed in this figure by some 5°. Obviously, the extorsion will vary from person to person, but as can be seen from the meridians shown by the contact lenses, not only will there be a change in cylinder power, but the axis direction of the cylinders will change due to the cyclorotation. The right eye axis will change to 95° and the left eye axis to 85° (Fig. 5). In practice, the axis direction should be determined by the eyecare practitioner during the sight test routine, especially for those subjects who have very precise near vision requirements.

Several lens design systems allow these changes in cylinder power and/or axis direction, for example, Rodenstock, whose marketing

32

30_Cylindrical power for near vision_Mo Jalie.indd 32

Professor Mo Jalie DSc, SMSA, FBDO (Hons), Hon FCGI, Hon FCOptom, MCMI, is Visiting Professor in Optometry to the optometry course at Ulster University in the UK and to the educational facility Essilor Academy Europe. He also works as a consultant to the ophthalmic industry. He was the Head of Department of Applied Optics at City & Islington College from 1986 to 1995 where he had taught optics, ophthalmic lenses and dispensing from 1964. He is recognised as an international authority on the design of spectacle lenses and has written several books. Furthermore he is the author of some 200 papers on ophthalmic lenses, contact lenses, intra-ocular lenses and dispensing and a consultant editor to the Optician magazine. He holds patents for aspheric spectacle lenses and intra-ocular lenses. He has also produced several educational CDs and runs a web-based course in Spectacle Lens Design leading to the qualification FBDO (Hons) SLD.

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23.02.23 09:58

Future Lab SPOTLIGHT

Fit for the future Reflections on challenges and opportunities for labs Global crises and technological developments relentlessly force us to readjust and it may seem more difficult than ever to anticipate challenges and opportunities. Still, it is worthwhile to try and plan for success. Florian Gisch, Managing Director of the independent lab Wetzlich Optik-Präzision GmbH is in the process of making his company fit for the future. MAFO has asked him to share his thoughts about factors that drive change and how to prepare as best as possible for what might lie ahead. By Rebekka Nurkanovic

Based on your experience

barriers and regulation of medical product imports, which finally both

and observations, which

aim at market protection and decreasing dependency by increasing

factors will drive

local production, we are currently in a time of unpredictability.

change in the next 10

F l o ri

a n G is ch

years?

Energy

We have probably never

Especially energy costs have been quite a driving force in 2022 and

seen as many challenges in

will remain such in the upcoming years. It is quite conflicting to enforce

our lifetime as in the 20’s. So

a trend to go local with production on the one hand and to raise energy

I will try to at least assort them

costs at the same time to a level, which prevents international com-

into categories:

petitiveness. Especially since this is not organized equally EU-wide, the different energy price limitations etc. will also have an influence

Political

on the location of optical industry in Europe, since it is a relatively

The COVID crisis has finally lead to a strong trend for a nationalization

energy intensive business. In our case, energy costs have been a major

of tasks and governments are setting the rules for economy much more

factor for relocating the company to a new building to guarantee a

than we have been used to in the past. Especially in regards to trade

future of a "Made in Germany" production.

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Future Lab SPOTLIGHT

Sustainability

lenses are just a few examples for such. Verticalization is finally the trend

Energy efficiency is just one part of a sustainability strategy. Also, here

among a few players to enter B2C business.

there is a strong political influence on the future of labs in Europe. Will a local sustainable, clean and energy saving production get protected in

What will the role of smart glasses be? Do you see them as

any way from international markets where these targets have minor

threat or opportunity for lab owners?

priority? We probably see a tendency to do so, but lawmaking processes

I actually do not think that this is an issue that only affects smaller labs

are slow and in business life I do not yet see the acceptance of higher

but also the big international players. We are living in times in which

prices for such production in a decent way.

one disruptive technology can also change the market overnight for them.

We have not seen “the smart glasses solution” with the perfect look and

Chain creation

a killer application yet, which consumers would consider to have that

Besides the traditional major players, we have many growing smaller

superior advantage compared to traditional glasses. But that can be released

chains throughout Europe. I currently have the impression that there is

anytime. We will obviously not be the one releasing it – chance is high

quite a need among these smaller players to differentiate from the major

that it will be big tech releasing such. To be realistic, they will be the ones

players, and that is surely a chance for smaller labs.

deciding what will be the part of the traditional optical industry and also of the retailers. Anyway, also here I think it is much easier for a lab to

Technical limits and disruptive technologies

adapt to such changes than for a worldwide player.

During the past decades we became quite used to the fact that there is always a new material, a new production technique, a new design or a new coating,

You are in the process of setting up your lab for the future.

which pushed the market forward and allowed for a classical product lifecycle

What aspects play a role in your planning and how do you

planning. The product “ophthalmic lens” has become quite mature during

approach them?

this time and will only allow for smaller adjustments, which will probably

As mentioned previously, we have just moved with the lab to a new loca-

not be the “new big thing” – in many ways technical limits are reached. In

tion, and it is simply all about a sustainable production, a maximum of

such a mature market, it is all about efficiency of production, creating volume

automation and a better software integration of retailers in regards to

to achieve a perfect capacity usage, and it is a lot about economies of scale,

order systems and failure prevention.

which is why we see quite a tendency to build up mass production setups

Sustainability is mainly driven by the production setup and the building

instead of smaller labs. On the other hand, smaller labs have the flexibility to

itself, which are mostly responsible for usage of energy and other resources

specialize and to react more quickly to disruptive technologies. Not only for

as for example water. Waste prevention and disposal have a long tradition

labs, but also for the big players, the biggest challenge in a long term is obviously

in Germany – so I guess we are well prepared for that.

to be expected from disruptive technologies in the field of smart glasses. When

Automation is an issue that mid-sized labs – including us – did not focus

big tech enters the market with such – and it is not a question of if, but only

enough on in the past, mostly driven by a suboptimal building, in which

when – we can probably expect similar scenarios like in the watch industry.

further automation would have led to disproportionately high costs.

Meanwhile, a new factor to take into consideration when it comes to automa-

Inflation, supply chain shortages, shortage of skilled workers,

tion is obviously energy costs. In the past, it could be ignored that every

consolidation: Which of these factors do you expect to have

assembly belt and every robotic solution has quite some energy consumption.

the biggest impact on labs in the years ahead?

Cost calculations for such obviously had to be revised in 2022.

I personally expect consolidation to have the biggest impact. As a mid-sized lab, we simply have to face the fact that it is not our business anymore to

What factors should independent labs in particular keep in

supply a major player in retail business with 1.50 HMC stock lenses and

mind in order to be still successful in ten years?

surely also not spherical SV RX lenses. All previously mentioned develop-

That besides all technical aspects, automation, order interfaces, etc., the

ments strongly speak against a future and competitiveness in such fields.

business is about having satisfied customers.

What opportunities do you see for labs in the foreseeable

Thank you for the interview. ◆

future?

There are quite different strategies to cope with the challenges and changes. To make it short, all answers are to be found in differentiation, specialization or verticalization. Differentiation can e.g. be also created by a local production to benefit from the “go local” trend. Specialization is probably the most difficult one, since there is a strong tendency among all market players to copy any kind of specialization and to just have

Florian Gisch, Managing Director of Wetzlich Optik-Präzision GmbH, Germany, has been at the company for more than ten years and has worked in positions to do with product development, marketing and international sales.

one more page in the catalogue. Sports, edge filters and high prescription

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BUSINESS

How companies keep their employees 10 commandments to counter the great resignation More and more employees are leaving their companies. This creates a vicious circle, because the departures are increasingly difficult to compensate for and thus place a burden on the remaining workforce. Fatally, managers react in these situations in an intuitively understandable but operationally counterproductive way. By Christian Bernhardt

W

hether the replacement will succeed at all depends

blocks and want to turn their backs on their company in the next 12

on the recruiting competence of the companies.

months. Over 40% are planning to leave in the next three years. I

Professional processes, serious employee retention

experienced that these are more than just statistics when an acquaintance

that addresses the culture of the company and the

quit her well-paid and secure job. She is capable, hardworking and

managers' view of people, as well as consistent personnel development

conscientious; she has completed her master's degree with top marks

will determine success or failure.

and is in her early 30s – bursting with energy.

The current employment fit perfectly with her degree. The colleagues

Thank you for the fish!

and manager were nice and the working atmosphere was good. After

When the "Great Resignation" began in the USA in 2021, it was only

five years of professional experience, it seemed to be time for the next

a matter of time before the wave of employee resignations would also

step in her career. Nevertheless, she quit. Was it the employer's fault?

reach Europe and the D-A-CH countries. As various surveys by Gallup

In my opinion, no. The employer did many things right, although

and other institutes show, the situation also worsened in Germany in

certainly not everything, and had an otherwise low turnover rate.

the spring of 2022. Around a quarter of employees are in the starting

Particularly precarious: She quit her job without (!) knowing she had

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36_Great Resignation_Bernhardt.indd 36

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BUSINESS

a follow-up job up her sleeve. She is not alone in this. Around one in

team and try to find a solution to best distribute the to-dos. It's a delicate

eight employees who leave the old company, do so with no new port

task: If something goes wrong in the process, there's a risk of a downward

in sight. Whereas older employees are still more concerned with security,

spiral, at the end of which the next employee will leave the company.

representatives of the younger generation are more resolute in this

A reduced workforce leads to a higher workload, which leads to more

respect. First, create free space and then see how it will be filled.

mistakes, dissatisfied customers and more pressure. As a result, internal unrest rises, followed by absenteeism and, finally, the turnover rate - and

What to do in case of staff shortage?

the vicious circle enters a new round.

Imagine you have a team of 15. One position has been vacant for a long time and you just cannot find anyone suitable for it. Last week, an employee Termination

called in sick for an extended period. As is so often the case, no one is allowed to say it, but everyone knows that burnout is behind it. This can take a long time. That is not all: Yesterday, an employee told you, beaming, that she was pregnant. You have looked at her vacation and overtime

Increased absenteeism

Overload

accounts and it is clear that she still has about 8-10 weeks buffer until the new situation affects the team. Another employee announced in the last staff meeting that they would like to take a sabbatical and take six months off. At the time, you did not think it was a bad idea. This has nurtured

More mistakes

Worse mood

hopes for a timely realization, which you rather do not want to disappoint.

And at this point, an employee of my acquaintance's ilk comes along and gives three months' notice. Now the hut is on fire and there is no relief

Higher pressure

in sight for the time being. According to the IAB, the Institute for Employment Research of the German Federal Employment Agency, it currently

Unsatisfied customers

takes around 4-5 months to fill a vacancy. Depending on the position, the industry, the location, the reputation of the company and the com-

None of it helps. You think about who could take on what and what

petence of the recruiters, the "time to fill" can take much longer.

the individual employees contribute to the success of the company.

Whether you are aware of it or not – in order to gain clarity, you are

Increased demand compared to pre-Corona time

guided by two parameters: willingness and ability. This results in four constellations, each with different implications for leadership.

93 %

▶ Our favorites who can and are willing. ▶ The hopeless cases. An employer once called them "rotten teeth":

54 %

48 %

They don't want to and can't.

▶ The problem children: They actually can, but don't want to. The question is, why?

▶ Those employees for whom hope dies last. They may be only moderately competent, but their attitude and motivation are right.

Recruiter

Engineers

IT-specialists

Just how precarious the situation is in many places was shown by a survey

He who laughs still has reserves!

Are you serious?

conducted by the Hays recruitment agency in February 2022. Not the

With this pattern in mind, many managers fall into a trap in the event

otherwise much sought-after engineers or IT specialists are at the top of

of staff shortages which, although intuitively understandable, regularly

the list of the most sought-after job profiles, but the good old recruiter.

has counterproductive effects in operational terms. The crucial question:

The demand increased by 93% compared to pre-Corona times, which is

Where do you go when you need someone? Preferably to your best

almost as much as engineers (48%) and IT specialists (+54%) combined.

people. They do a good job and you know that you can rely on them.

It is actually logical: When everyone's elbows are out in the battle for the

The problem with this is that it goes well once, twice, and maybe three

best talent, the chances look even worse without professional recruiting.

or four times. But at some point, the good employees realize that the reward for their good work essentially consists of being loaded with

The vicious circle of fluctuation

one backpack after another. At the same time, the colleagues who do

Back to you and your decimated team. The problem with all the layoffs

duty by the book, who drive projects to the wall, or who have taken

and absences is that the work still has to get done somehow. And it's

their leave completely are spared. If the pressure increases and empathy

the manager's job to make sure that just that happens. You look at your

as well as appreciation are lost among the leadership, you are threatened

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28.02.23 11:24

BUSINESS

blossom in a different environment. The favorites should be left to their own devices and given room to grow: If they are not stretched to the

Capability

limit, they regularly use their free mental reserves to develop constructive and innovative solutions that advance the company as a whole.

After you have taken care of the favorites and the most harmful em-

Problem children

Favorites

ployees, it is now a matter of raising the potential of the problem children and "hopefuls". For the latter, activities are recommended in

Unwillingness

Willingness

which their strengths, which always exist somewhere, are put to use.

If necessary, this can also be done across departmental boundaries.

Rotten teeth

Hope carrier

To follow the approach consistently, the employee's strengths can first be surveyed at Gallup and then evaluated as to how they can best be used. Critical weaknesses must be eliminated, of course. Tandem partners are helpful here for those areas in which the hopefuls need

Inability

support. In addition, it should be determined where the journey is heading overall and which future skills are relevant in the respective area. Once clarity has been gained here, employees can be strategically

with exactly that which you don't need at all: Your best people feel like

developed in the right direction in good time. If there is a need in the

pack mules instead of favorites. If this persists and is not adequately

situation described, a practicable solution is also not simply to redis-

compensated, both on the monetary and on the interpersonal level,

tribute the workload, but to differentiate the tasks into more demanding

they lose motivation. Feeling unfairly treated and exploited, they start

and simpler roles in order to utilize the potential of the stronger em-

looking for something new.

ployees, but not to overload them quantitatively. At the same time, this also allows the skills of weaker colleagues to be better utilized.

The four types of employees and the ideal/best way to lead them

The most delicate, but also most promising group are the problem

Since the framework does not change, the question is what can be done

but at some point, they lost their motivation. With employees who are

instead, what should be done, what must be done! Jack Welch had a

no longer willing, there are parallels to disappointed customers. Sales

solution for the "rotten teeth". When he took over ailing General

has long known that it is many times easier to win back former customers

Electric, he identified those employees who were doing the company

than to convince a new one. It is the same with employees. The reasons

more harm than good and laid off over 100,000 employees. After that,

for their withdrawal usually lie in squandered trust, unproven apprecia-

things started to look up. Parting with employees who are neither

tion and disappointed expectations. If the leader is serious, winning

willing nor able is not as inhumane as it first sounds. First, each of

back employees is actually easy: Open conversations, really listening

them can initially be given another chance, or you look to see if there

to employees and taking them seriously, a clean clarification of expecta-

is another position in the company for which they are a better fit.

tions, honest apologies, opening up opportunities for creativity and

Secondly, it is not uncommon for dismissed employees to suddenly

development, and leadership that values employee competence and

children. The delicate thing about them is that they used to be willing,

commitment are all viable second steps to bringing employees back to their favorite quadrant. Why second steps? Because the first step is to

The war for talent is over. The talents have won. Employers who still want to recruit staff successfully tomorrow must consider this and consistently take the step toward becoming a servant leader who sees leadership as a service and not a privilege.

change the attitude of the manager. If the manager is not prepared to update his or her employee image and leadership paradigms and adapt them to the new framework conditions, the result will be half-hearted attempts that are quickly exposed as window dressing.

Practical tip: Recognize power relations and act accordingly

U D

R

The labor markets have tilted and good employees can choose from attractive alternatives. This development has only just begun and will continue to intensify. As a result, the balance of power has also changed.

The war for talent is over. The talents have won. Employers who still want to recruit staff successfully tomorrow must consider this and consistently take the step toward becoming a servant leader who sees leadership as a service and not a privilege.

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BUSINESS

10 commandments to survive in the competition for the best employees ▶ Do not lump your employees together, but manage them individually, depending on their level of maturity.

▶ Allow employees who are able and willing to do so, and give them the freedom to develop and come up with innovative ideas.

▶ Pull out the rotten teeth in the team dentition. Those who are neither able nor willing not only poison the mood, but also block the develop-

Sales has long known that it is many times easier to win back former customers than to convince a new one. It is the same with employees.

ment of the team.

▶ Consistently train those employees who still lack competence.

▶ Professionalize your recruiting to close personnel bottlenecks quickly

Form strength/weakness tandems and trust your employees to do

and make yourself aware that there are several dozen recruiting

something.

methods beyond post & pray, the good old job ad. Make recruiting

▶ Make a serious and sustained effort to win back those employees

a top priority and streamline your recruiting process. If you wait

who no longer want to work. Appreciation is the key to success here.

for weeks before making a shortlist, do not be surprised if the best

▶ Be aware that the structure of your organization shapes the balance

applicants have already gone to the competition. ◆

of power, communication and togetherness. On a global scale, a network structure has evolved where disruptive innovations transform entire industries overnight. Our brains function according to a network structure. Companies that implement just such structures have significantly less difficulty finding good employees and meeting the challenges of the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity und Ambiguity) world more successfully. Traditional organizations that still stick to pyramidal top-down structures are experiencing more and more problems and losing more and more employees. Find the mistake.

▶ Do not assign jobs according to the jack-of-all-trades principle, but according to the hire for attitude & train for skills principle.

▶ Conduct retention interviews. ▶ Create a buffer in the budget to be able to hire good employees directly when they show up. If you have to wait to hire in September, you will not have filled the position next April if the high potential hires somewhere else and no one else shows up.

Christian Bernhardt Christian Bernhardt is a university lecturer for nonverbal communication, communication psychology and communication in the digital space.

The author of specialist books gives lectures and hybrid trainings on the topics of recruiting and appreciative communication culture and advises companies in Germany and Switzerland on these topics. https://www.bernhardt-trainings.com. (Photo by: Dejan Jovanovic)

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kydiamond.ca 36_Great 39 !AZ.indd Resignation_Bernhardt.indd 4

28.02.23 10.10.22 11:24 23:17

MARKET SURVEYS Coburn Technology

Luneau

www.coburntechnologies.com

www.luneautech.com

Application

Industrial edging

PERFEC TO

Weco E.7 / CT.7

WECO E.6 S.line / C.6 / T.6

Application field

Small and medium-sized labs

Small and medium-sized labs

Small and medium-sized labs

Lens materials

CR39, Polycarbonate, Trivex, ­Tribrid, High Index

Lens diameter minimum [mm]

18,5

18

18

Lens diameter maximum [mm]

90

85

85

12

12

26

up to 32

up to 32

603 x 570 x 340

Tabletop

Tabletop

47 / 104

69 / 152

78 / 172

Process

Technical data

Maximum base curve [dpt] Productivity [Ø lenses per hour] Dimensions [w x d x h] (mm / inch) (Machine without conveyor) Weight [kg / lbs] Grinding

x

x

x

Milling

/

/

/

Dry edging

/

x

x

Automatic lens loading/unloading

/

/

/

Fully automated

/

/

/

On-the-block

x

x

Blockless

/

/

integrated Tools-Tray Virtual 3D-Lens Simulation

Tllting Screen / Large Interface / Barcode Reader integrated

Special features - machine

Drilling

o

x

x

Grooving

x

x

x

Polishing

x

x

x

Bevelling according to a specific curve. Partial bevelling / grooving / shelving

Mini bevel, step bevelling, high curve bevelling (partial), smart design feature, safety bevelling

Mini bevel, high curve bevelling (partial), safety bevelling

120°

120°

Bevelling options

Features

V-Bevel angle

Info

Mineral, CR39, Polycarbonat, Trivex, Tribrid, High Index Plastic

Hybrid finishing (e.g. groove on bevel)

x

x

x

Design finishing

x

/

Engraving

/

/

Lens inspection (E.g. shapes detection, power, axis ….)

Rx power, size, axis, prism

Rx power, size, axis, prism

Automatic laser engravings detection

/

/

Special features

Laser engraving visualization - GraviTech® demo lens tracing

Further information

Small 90 mm edging wheels / different safety edging modes / parallax free optical system

x = yes; / = no; o = option

40

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MAFO 2-23

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S

Min

M C De

L G

S di

MARKET SURVEYS Luneau

MEI System

www.luneautech.com

www.meisystem.com

.6

Briot Couture

4Racer TBA Swift

bs

Small and medium-sized labs

Medium sized labs Mass production labs

c

Mineral, CR39, Polycarbonat, Trivex, Tribrid, High Index Plastic

ace ed

ling

m

g

/

Bisphera TBA Phoenix

MEI 641 TBA

Small labs / Medium sized labs Mass production labs CR39, Hi-Index, Polycarbonate, Trivex, Tribrid

17

20

20

18

85

85

85

90

12

Standard: up to 09 – special: up to 16 (possible limitations based on real front radius, thickness, shape and decentration)

up to 32

up to 200

up to 160

up to 58

Tabletop

With automatic loading [mm] 1400 x 2555 x 2380 [inch] 55.1 x 100.6 x 93.7

With automatic loading [mm] 1900 x 2400 x 2350(h) [inch] 81 x 107 x 93(h)

With automatic loading [mm] 1665 x 1405 x 2020 [inch] 65.5 x 55.3 x 79.5

With automatic loading [kg] 1500 / [lbs] 3307

69 / 152

With automatic loading [kg] 975 / [lbs] 2150

x

/

/

/

/

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

/

x

x

x

/

x

x

x

x

/

/

/

/

x

x

x

integrated Tools-Tray Virtual 3D-Lens Simulation

Process 4 lenses at the same time, Total quality control, final inspection Total quality control, 2 independent 4QC, 4 working & 4 inspection edging stations with 2 spindle each, stations, glide meter, silver high versatility with the tool changing polishing, automatic calibration, system, automatic calibration, double double drive system drive system, Ionizers to help the scraps evacuation

Manage two jobs per time, ­quality control, automatic calibration, ­double drive system

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Mini bevel, Step bevelling, High Curve Bevelling (Partial), Smart Design Feature, Safety bevelling

Step bevelling / T-bevelling/ bevelling according to a specific curve/safety bevel

120°

115° standard (100° optional)

x

Partial beveling / double grooving / partial step back

x

x

x

x

/

/

o

o

Rx power, size, axis, prism

Power & axis inspection, polarization, gradient, blank cut-out auto correction

/

Progressives, single vision FF, edge process engravings

Laser engraving visualization GraviTech® demo lens tracing

Remote access, data supervision, productivity analysis, temperature ­stabilizer, central thickness verification

Remote access, data supervision, productivity analysis, calibration free design to save time when changing components

Remote access, data supervision, productivity analysis

Small 90 mm edging wheels / different safety edging modes / parallax free optical system

MAFO 2-23

40_SurveysEdging.indd 41

41

28.02.23 11:18

MARKET SURVEYS MEI System

Nidek

www.meisystem.com

www.nidek.com

Industrial edging

Application

EzFit TBA

Small labs / Medium sized labs Mass production labs

Small and medium-sized labs

Lens materials

CR39, Hi-Index, Polycarbonate, Trivex, Tribrid

CR39, Polycarbonat, Trivex, Tribrid, High Index Plastic, Acrylic Resin

Lens diameter minimum [mm]

20

20

18

Lens diameter maximum [mm]

90

90

100

Technical data Process

Standard: up to 09 – special: up to 16 (possible limitations based on real front radius, thickness, shape and decentration)

up to 55

CR-39, High Index Plastic: 44 Polycarbonat, Trivex, Tribrid, Acrylic Resin: 22

Dimensions [w x d x h] (mm / inch) (Machine without conveyor)

With automatic loading [mm] 987x1484x2208 [inch] 38.8x58.4x86.9

With manual loading [mm] 770 x 1000 x 1775(h) [inch] 31 x 39 x 70(h)

600 x 517 x 611

Weight [kg / lbs]

With automatic loading [kg] 650 / [lbs] 1433

With manual loading [kg] 450 / [lbs] 992

118 / 260

Grinding

/

/

x

Milling

x

x

/

Dry edging

x

x

/

Automatic lens loading/unloading

x

/

o

Fully automated

x

/

o

On-the-block

/

/

/

Blockless

x

x

/

Automatic calibration, double drive system, Immediate lens placement Manage two jobs per time, quality with the integrated lensometer, Compact automation system with control, automatic calibration, load right and left lenses at once optional robot unit double drive system and wait for the complete process, total quality control

Drilling

x

x

o

Grooving

x

x

x

x

x

x

Polishing Bevelling options

Step bevelling / T-bevelling/ bevelling according to a specific curve/safety bevel

V-Bevel angle

115° standard (100° optional)

Hybrid finishing (e.g. groove on bevel)

115° standard (100° optional)

Partial beveling / double grooving / partial step back

110° /

x

x

o

Engraving

o

o

/

Power & axis inspection, polarization, gradient, blank cutout auto correction

Power & axis inspection, shapes and holes detection,gradient, blank cut-out auto correction

o

Automatic laser engravings detection Special features

Further information

Progressives, single vision FF, edge process engravings

/

Remote access, data supervision, Remote access, data supervision, userproductivity analysis friendly interface, active carbon filter

High quality polish and polish safety beveling Faster grinding with dual spindle system. No need for large capacity air compressor + vacuum unit

x = yes; / = no; o = option

42

40_SurveysEdging.indd 42

Com

Step bevelling, safety bevelling

Design finishing

Lens inspection (E.g. shapes detection, power, axis ….)

M

10

up to 50

Productivity [Ø lenses per hour]

Special features - machine

Features

SE-9090 Supra

Application field

Maximum base curve [dpt]

Info

EasyFit Trend

MAFO 2-23

28.02.23 11:18

No n

MARKET SURVEYS Nidek

Schneider

www.nidek.com

www.schneider-om.com

SE-9090 Supra L

HSE Modulo

HSE Modulo QS

bs

Small and medium-sized labs

Medium sized labs

Medium sized labs, mass production

brid, sin

Mineral, CR39, Polycarbonat, Trivex, Tribrid, High Index Plastic, Acrylic Resin

CR39, Polycarbonat, Trivex, Tribrid, High Index, Acrylic

CR39, Polycarbonat, Trivex, Tribrid, High Index, Acrylic

44 d,

with

ing

18

24

24

100

100

100

10

up to 16

up to 16

CR-39, High Index Plastic: 44 Polycarbonat, Trivex, Tribrid, Acrylic Resin: 22 Mineral: 20

up to 120

up to 200

600 x 517 x 611

2055 x 1610 x 2110

1650 x 2950 x 2225

118 / 260

1650 / 3638

2750 / 6063

x

/

/

/

x

x

/

x

x

o

x

x

o

x

x

/

o

/

/

o

x

Compact automation system with optional robot unit

2 independent edging stations.

Highest flexibility for complex shapes

4 independent processing stations for highest throughput

o

x

x

o

x

x

x

x

x Safety bevelling 110°

100° - 120°

x

x

o

x

x

/

/

/

/

sh

Possible to grind mineral lens (Depended on wheel type)

dle acity it

Faster grinding with dual spindle system.

No need for large capacity air compressor + vacuum unit

40_SurveysEdging.indd 43

100° - 120°

/

o

MAFO 2-23

Vertical and inclined bevels (w or w/o polish), groove, rimless (w or w/o polish), safety bevel, t-bevel, step back, design cuts, combinations of bevel types

Built-in quality control - Rx power, axis, prism, polar axis, cutout check, power map (full lens inspection) x

x

Full lens inspection incl. power map; Modulo system integrable; Control Center ready

43

28.02.23 11:18

Suppliers Guide The Suppliers Guide is MAFO’s version of Yellow Pages.

In it you can find an overview of suppliers from the fields of: ▶ cleaning and hard coating equipment

▶ lenses

▶ coating equipment

▶ machinery – automation, control & packaging

▶ crystals

▶ machinery – lens edging & industrial edging

▶ laser engraving & printing

▶ software

▶ lens surfacing machinery

▶ surfacing and finishing consumables ▶ vacuum coating materials

If you are interested in an entry in the Suppliers Guide, please contact Mrs. Classen: constanze.classen@mafo-optics.com

Cleaning and hard coating equipment

Coating equipment

Bühler Alzenau GmbH

Business Area Leybold Optics

optics@fisa.com

www.fisa.com

Hard coating ad:

Pub FISA - Optical World 88x40.indd 1

Siemensstrasse 88, D-63755 Alzenau T + 49 (0) 6023 500-0, F + 49 (0) 6023 500-150 leyboldoptics@buhlergroup.com www.buhlergroup.com

14/12/2021 16:49

World leaders in Lens Hard Coating Machines and process solutions Full range available for any production volume Expert advice on your application

contact us: (+44) 1462 49 16 16 sales@optimal-technologies.com

optimal-technologies.com

Crystals

Cleaning ad:

HARD COATING CLEANING

HARD COAT LEADER

TINTING CONSUMABLES EXPERTISE

271 rue Laszlo Biro Archparc FR-74160 Archamps Phone : +33 (0) 450 820 720 Email : office1@scl-intl.com scl-intl.com

World leaders in Ultrasonic Cleaning Machines prior to lens coating Full range available for any lens volume

UV Curable Hard Coat Adhesion On All Lenses Tintable Non-Solvent Based AR Coating Compatible Sales, Distributors Wanted Shipping Worldwide www.hcoating.com sales@hcoating.com

Expert advice on your application

Contact us for our full range: +44 (0) 1462 491 616 sales@optimal-technologies.com

44

44_SG.indd 44

www.optimal-technologies.com

MAFO 2-23

28.02.23 11:16

Suppliers Guide Crystals

Lens surfacing machinery

QUALITY & SAVINGS FROM STOCK • Sensor Heads and Feedthroughs • INFICON Deposition Monitors and Controllers • Quality Crystals® • Vacuum Pump Fluids • Vacuum Measurement Gauges • Electron Beam Gun Parts • Ion Source Parts

SUPPLIERS GUIDE

www.filtech.com 617-227-1133 • 800-743-1743 paula@filtech.com Optical Machinery. Processing Technology.

OptoTech Optikmaschinen GmbH

Sandusweg 2-4 • 35435 Wettenberg/Germany Tel.: + 49 641/98203-0 eMail: info.de@optotech.net Web: www.optotech.net

Laser engraving & printing Premium-Quality Laser Engraving of Spectacle & Contact Lenses Industry approved since 2004

ing.com

www.ophthalmic-mark

X-Cube Lens Digi-speed Printer

OPTICAL MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS Satisloh AG Neuhofstrasse 12 CH - 6340 Baar / Switzerland Phone: +41 (0) 41766 16 16 Email: info@satisloh.com satisloh.com

Enjoy, • unlimited designs • digi-speed process

C h o o s e y o u r f ra m e c o l o u r

www.tecofrance.com

White

Blue

Cyan

Green

Red

Purple

SCHNEIDER GmbH & Co. KG Biegenstrasse 8–12 · 35112 Fronhausen · Germany

info@tecofrance.com

Phone: +49 (64 26) 96 96-0 · Fax: +49 (64 26) 96 96-100 www.schneider-om.com · info@schneider-om.com

Lens surfacing machinery PUB_TECO-Juillet 2016.indd 1

Lenses 25/07/16 17:59

Ophthalmic Equipment & Services for All Phases of Lens Production US ++-888-888-+8-UK +88 (8) + 68--68888 !AZ.indd 1 ASIA/INDIA +6--6 -8-8--CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC@CCCCCCTCTTCCTCTTCC.TCC ....CCCCCCTCTTCCTCTTCC.TCC

19.10.21 12:11

!AZ.indd 9

30.11.20 12:42

MAFO 2-23

44_SG.indd 45

45

28.02.23 11:16

Suppliers Guide

SUPPLIERS GUIDE

Machinery - Automation, Control & Packaging

Surfacing and finishing consumables

GENERATING POLISHING EDGING 20 avenue Reille - 75014 PARIS - FRANCE THl. : +33 (0)1 45 89 84 44 - Fax : +33 (0)1 45 89 66 54 contact@agp-abrasifs.com - www.agp-abrasifs.com

Machinery - lens edging & industrial edging

Software YOUR ULTRA PRECISION

IOT is a premier provider of disruptive and customized innovations in the optical industry.

Diamond Tools Manufacturer

> Excellent service and quick turnaround > Compliant with any generator

kydiamond.ca sales @ kydiamond.ca

The Lab Management System Company LensWare International GmbH Robert-Bosch-Str. 32 63225 Langen - Germany !AZ.indd Phone : +49 61033/ 372 87 87 Email : info@lensware.de Web : www.lensware.de

05.10.17 17:18

Vacuum coating materials

www.cotec-gmbh.com

!AZ.indd 1

46

44_SG.indd 46

DURALON Hydrophobic Premium Coatings 14.06.22 17:16

MAFO 2-23

28.02.23 11:16

!AZ.indd 11

21.02.23 13:51

CLOSING WORDS

Daniel Crespo – a physicist and entrepreneur The president of IOT is a physicist by training. He founded IOT with two of his professors from university in 2005 and says it has been fun ever since. The 49-year-old lives in California and Spain. In his free time, he takes every opportunity to pursue his favorite sports: hiking, skiing and tennis.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would that be?

Which profession did your parents have in mind for you?

Right now, stopping the war in Ukraine.

They probably thought I was going to be a scientist.

In your opinion, which movie/book should everyone have

If you didn´t do your current job, what else would you do?

seen/read?

Any type of R&D job that involved optics, complex algorithms, or

Hopefully, we all read many and different books. It is so much more

simulations.

interesting.

What is the best thing about your job?

If your life were to be filmed, which actor should play your

My team.

role?

Javier Bardem, I hope, but I may end up getting Danny de Vito.

When was the last time you were fed up with your job?

When I see customers that don’t care about the quality of their lenses.

Which celebrity – past or present – would you most like to meet personally, and why?

What does a new customer mean to you?

Isaac Newton, the greatest scientist ever, although I hear he wasn’t so

A great happiness, and a chance at a long-term relationship full of

nice as a person.

exciting projects together.

If you had to do without one of your senses – vision or

What has annoyed you today?

hearing – which would it be?

Nothing so far, but it is still early …

Hearing. In my line of work it makes more sense.

In your opinion: which thing is completely overrated?

What is your favorite place in the world? / If you could

Expensive clothes, but I seem to be the only one in my family with that

choose one country to live in, which would it be?

opinion.

I am torn between Spain and California, my two homes.

What was the most significant innovation of the last fifty years?

What was the last event that deeply moved you?

The internet, followed very closely by our lenses.

Watching my little daughter try so hard in her last cross-country race.

What would you do differently in your next life?

What does a perfect day at work look like to you?

I would be braver, trust my instincts and believe more in my chances. ◆

A long, creative R&D meeting with Jose and Antonio, my two cofounding colleagues.

48

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MAFO 2-23

28.02.23 11:21

OUTLOOK

Did you know how fruit flies see?

A recent study at The Rockefeller University used a combination of approaches to gain a more holistic understanding of the fly’s visual system.

The researchers found out that the fly retinas tracked patterns and made purposeful, jittering side-to-side and up-and-down movements when the insects were viewing a stationary scene, similar to the microsaccades of vertebrates. The scientists think that this could mean that the spontaneous eye movements keep visual neurons from adapting or even improve the resolution of fly vision. Their observations of retinal movement also led them to suspect that flies sweep the viewpoints of their two retinas as a way of judging the distance to a gap in front of them.

Special topics in MAFO 2023

MAFO 01

MAFO 03

MAFO 05

Technology & Innovation

Ophthalmic Optics in Numbers

Sustainable Processes

Future Lab

Data Handling & Security

Go Digital!

MAFO 02

MAFO 04

MAFO 06

Preview MAFO 03/2023 The special topic of MAFO 03/2023 is Ophthalmic Optics in Numbers. Find out about market data relevant to the ­ophthalmic optics industry. The issue will also feature articles and news about other current topics and the market surveys for generators and lens inspection.

MAFO 2-23

49_Outlook.indd 49

49

01.03.23 09:57

Missed an issue?

No problem, view the latest issues online: app.mafo-optics.com ISSN 1614-1598 66527 Volume 19

ISSN 1614-1598 66527 Volume 19

OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY

OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY

We help you to stay in contact

We help you to stay in contact

1/2023

2/2023 ▶ Special topic: Future Lab MAFO – The Conference 2023

THE WORLD’S FASTEST EDGER

Paperless production

What do we mean by a “perfect lens”?

Blue light – facts and trends

▶ Special topic: Ophthalmic Optics in Numbers IT in the Lab Cyber hygiene practices

▶ Business

▶ Market Survey

High quality data

Impact of inflation

Cleaning machinery

▶ Market Survey

▶ Market Surveys Spin Hard Coating

Industrial edging ▶ Market Survey

Four processing stations

Dip Hard Coating

Lens printing systems

4

STEP: BASIC | SMART | EXCELLENCE

CHOOSE THE SERVICE LEVEL THAT FITS YOUR NEEDS

Highest throughput

No time consuming tool changes

Laser engraving systems

Integrated quality control

Meet the first and only edger on the market with four processing stations, setting a new benchmark in industrial edging.

CONTACT US TO DISCUSS WHICH SERVICE LEVEL BEST FITS YOUR LAB Eyepress Fachmedien GmbH Saarner Str. 151 45479 Muelheim a. d. Ruhr 66527 Germany

Eyepress Fachmedien GmbH Saarner Str. 151 45479 Muelheim a. d. Ruhr 66527 Germany

satisloh.com/service-support/step-maintenance

01_Titel.indd 1

www.schneider-om.com

RZ_AZ_HSE_Modulo_QS_MAFO_12-2022_160x225_4c_engl_D.indd 1

09.12.2022 10:29:02 17.12.22 18:07

The dedicated Control Center (MES) informs at a glance about the current status of the machine, production parameters, and efficiency.

Labs can now run larger scale productions even in small locations and under nonindustrial conditions. Little to no operator intervention is needed as the center works fully automated with all essential components on board.

Simply put: Blank in, surfaced lens out.

Eyepress Fachmedien GmbH Saarner Str. 151 45479 Muelheim a. d. Ruhr 66527 Germany

satisloh.com

01_Titel.indd 1

72

sq.ft.

The all-in-one surfacing center substantially saves time, running all processes simultaneously and perfectly synchronized – even milling and lathe turning. And with the chambers placed right next to one another, the smart automation transfers the lenses in virtually no time. There is no faster way to surface a lens.

MES-360 Lite pre-installed to easily track machine utilization and throughput using pre-defined KPIs. Eyepress Fachmedien GmbH Saarner Str. 151 45479 Muelheim a. d. Ruhr 66527 Germany

1

in hour

Modulo Center ONE features highly advanced process technology, based on robust and reliable components proven in hundreds of installations across the globe.

The MC-380-X-2 is the fifth generation in Satisloh coating technology. And it’s the fastest on the market, up to 82 lph, with a compact footprint. Our coating consumables and process portfolio are developed specifically for this platform.

The two sophisticated LMU optical measurement units provide fully automated quality control based on the full lens map. Working blockless is a given.

80

lenses

Imagine one single machine featuring all the technology to surface 80 lenses/hour, in just 72 sq. f t. (7m²). This is Modulo Center ONE. The compact all-in-one surfacing center is a full-fledged production line without limitations: a milling station // a lathe turning station // one or two 4-spindle polishing units // a CO₂ or excimer laser.

Increase your coating capacity with our latest generation box coater, building on our 60-year tradition of coating quality and performance.

Thanks to its unique quattro design featuring two rough cut and two finishing stations, four lenses are processed simultaneously at highest speeds for exceptional throughput. Non-productive times are reduced to a minimum through parallel processing and high speed handling systems.

Why STEP maintenance?

• Emergency response on support tickets • Your machines always up-to-date • Regular machine maintenance check-ups • Access to Satisloh Academy knowledge base • Satisloh Lab Check optimizes your production flow • and more...

4

processes

M dulo Center

MC-380-X-2

5TH GENERATION BOX COATER

HSE m dulo Q With STEP coverage we handle your machine maintenance so your staff can focus on lab production. Our team’s experience and knowledge ensure top functionality and minimal downtime.

ALL-IN-

4/2022 ▶ Technology

Class I UDI and The Vision Council response

Improvement of color perception

De-fogging with heat

EVEN FASTER AND MORE POWERFUL

Novel approach for retrieving the individual lengths of the eye

Subtitles for AR glasses

▶ Technology

The correction of near vision astigmatism

6/2022

Ray-tracing customized progressive lens calculation

Smart glasses

Challenges and opportunities for labs

We help you to stay in contact

We help you to stay in contact

▶ Special topic: Go digital!

Advancement of flat lens technology

▶ Technology MAFO – The Conference 2023

OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY

OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY

▶ Special topic: Technology & Innovation

STEP MAINTENANCE

ISSN 1614-1598 66527 Volume 18

ISSN 1614-1598 66527 Volume 18

21.10.22 16:05

www.schneider-om.com

RZ_AZ_Modulo_Center_ONE_MAFO_06-2022_160x225_4c_engl_D.indd 1

02.06.2022 14:51:27

MASTHEAD PUBLISHERS ADDRESS

Eyepress Fachmedien GmbH Saarner Str. 151, D-45479 Muelheim a. d. Ruhr Tel.: +49-208-306683-00 Fax: +49-208-306683-99 Website: www.mafo-optics.com E-mail: info@mafo-optics.com CEO Petros Sioutis E-mail: p.sioutis@eyepress.de PUBLISHER Silke Sage, Petros Sioutis, Efstathios Efthimiadis FOUNDED 2003 by Jörg Spangemacher

BANK DETAILS

Bank account: Sparkasse Aachen Bank No.: 390 500 00, Acc. No.: 1073 3925 06 IBAN: DE21 3905 0000 1073 3925 06 SWIFT: AACSDE33XXX CHIEF-EDITOR Hanna Diewald E-mail: hanna.diewald@mafo-optics.com EDITORS Rebekka Nurkanovic E-mail: rebekka.nurkanovic@mafo-optics.com Britta Laupichler E-mail: britta@mafo-optics.com TRANSLATIONS John Saniter, Bopfingen

PRODUCTION & LAYOUT Efstathios Efthimiadis, Pascal Bruns E-mail: production@eyepress.de DISTRIBUTION PressUp GmbH, Postbox 70 13 11, D-22013 Hamburg Tel.: +49-40-386666-308, Fax: +49-40-386666-299 MEDIA CONSULTANT Constanze Classen Tel.: +49-208-306683-20 E-mail: constanze.classen@mafo-optics.com ADVERTISING AGENT GREAT CHINA Beijing FOCUS Optics Culture Communication Co. Ltd. Room 319, Building 2, Nr. 1, Northbank 1292, Nr. 15 Jianguo Eastroad, Beijing 100024 (Chaoyang), P.R. China Mrs. Jian Wang Tel.: +86-10-8537-6529 Email: jennywang_focus@126.com Skype: jennywang611 焦点视光（北京）文化传播有限公司 北京市朝阳区建国东路15号院甲一号北岸1292 二号楼319室 邮编：100024 电话：+86-10-8537-6529 jennywang_focus@126.com 电邮：jennywang_focus@126.com ADVERTISEMENT RATES Price list no. 19, valid from January 01, 2023 Publication schedule 6 issues 2023: January, March, May, July, September, November

SUBSCRIPTION COSTS PER YEAR European Union € 140,00 (plus VAT for German companies) Overseas Seamail € 160,00 Overseas Airmail € 195,00 United States Seamail € 170,00 United States Airmail € 225,00 Single issue € 20,00 (plus mailing costs) The Publisher requires three months written notice on cancellation. Subscribers please note that proof of notice may be required.

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EDITORIAL BOARD Jörg Spangemacher, Peter Baumbach, Mo Jalie

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