ISSN 1614-1598 66527 Volume 20
OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY Connect, discover, stay up-to-date
THE NATURAL WAY OF DEBOXING
1/2024 ▶ Special topic: Future Lab Digitalization and the Internet of Things Additive manufactured optical coatings ▶ Technology Prismatic lenses for visually impaired people ▶ Live on site Smart Glasses: a visit to the open house at Bühler ▶ Interview Mido 2024: “We feel responsible to make culture!” ▶ Spotlight Ray-Ban Meta glasses: What can they do, and what not? ▶ Market Survey Cleaning machinery
Unboxing any kind of box
Environmentally friendly
DBX m dulo With DBX Modulo ONE, SCHNEIDER debuts a powerful and fully automated new lens deboxer for high throughput, 24/7. The innovative technology unpacks all common kinds of boxes and materials – cardboard, blisters, even sleeves – damage-free with a clean process. It requires a minimum of energy and effort. After swiftly identifying the type of box, DBX Modulo ONE opens it “naturally”: It unfolds, takes out and unwraps, entirely without touching the lens surface. SCHNEIDER‘s eco-friendly process avoids cutting or burning the material using sharp blades or high energy lasers – no cutting particles or dust and no fumes. All waste material is separated and collected individually to simplify recycling and further increase sustainability. DBX Modulo ONE follows SCHNEIDER‘s vision to provide the full solution for ophthalmic labs, from warehousing all the way to inline coating and beyond. Ophthalmic lens production fully-automated and entirely hands-free. SEE IT LIVE AT MIDO // 03. – 05. February 2024 // Hall 6 // Booth L15 L21 N16 N22
Eyepress Fachmedien GmbH Saarner Str. 151 45479 Muelheim a. d. Ruhr 66527 Germany
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www.schneider-om.com
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GAME CHANGER
The Block-less Freeform Lens Production System
VISIT US AT
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JANUARY 12TH TO 14TH, 2024 MUNICH, GERMANY
FEBRUARY 3RD TO 5TH, 2024 MILAN, ITALY
BOOTH C4 421
HALL 6, BOOTH L35 L39
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LETTER
New year, new opportunity
T
he year 2024 is upon us and I
We have also repeatedly come into contact with
personally prefer to look to the
smart glasses for our special topic and have
new year with optimism ‒ even
noticed that the new technology is becoming
if, from a global political per-
increasingly relevant for the ophthalmic
spective, there was often no reason for opti-
industry.
mism last year.
On page 24, for example, you will find a report
In comparison, I have a very positive view of
on the open house at Bühler in Alzenau
our industry, where not everything is always
(Germany) with a focus on smart glasses.
running smoothly, but where I personally
And my colleague has tested the new Ray-Ban
recognize a positive spirit of optimism. In this
Meta for you and reports on her experiences.
issue I would like to share some of this spirit with you.
And as you browse through this issue of MAFO, you will of course also come across articles
Hanna Diewald Chief editor Tell us your opinion, ideas and suggestions: hanna.diewald@mafo-optics.com
In 2024, for example, we can expect a disruptive
that are absolutely worth reading and maybe
technology that has never been seen before in
more relevant to everyday life. For example,
ophthalmic optics. In future, ophthalmic lens
“How visually impaired people benefit from
coatings can be applied with a printer using
prismatic lenses” and much more.
an additive process. The system is intended for labs and currently works for hard coatings and
With this in mind, I hope you enjoy reading
photochromic coatings, for example. Read
this issue and wish you a healthy, successful
more about this in the interview on page 14.
and happy New Year 2024!
In line with the special topic of this issue Future Lab you will also find an article on how digitalization and the Internet of Things will change processes, the work in the lab in the future and how it can make many things easier, once the technology is established.
GET YOUR TICKET NOW!
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JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2024
Content
Topics in this edition MAFO issue
January / February 2024
Page 22
Page 26
Page 10
At a glance
Technology
Interview
6
22
30
All about you
How can visually impaired people benefit from prismatic lenses?
Mido 2024: “We feel responsible to make culture!”
By Gaetano Volpe and Pasquale Fanelli
An Interview with Giovanni Vitaloni
Infographics
Spotlight
Live on site
8
10
34
All about products
MAFO – The Conference: Next Generation spectacle lenses and processing
A visit to the open house at Bühler in Alzenau (Germany)
News from the international ophthalmic industry
7 All about markets
Innovations and products for your lab
54
By Hanna Diewald
By Hanna Diewald
Suppliers Guide
26
Business
Closing Words
Ray-Ban Meta glasses: What can they do, and what not?
36
Highlights
By Silke Sage
Sales success 2024
58
By Oliver Schumacher
60
Interview
Outlook
14
Technology
18
Special Topic
How digitalization and the Internet of Things will shape the lab of the future
Surveys Special Topic
Additive manufactured optical coatings – a realm of new possibilities
40 Survey cleaning machinery
An Interview with Jonathan Jaglom
By Michael Kreis and Xavier Bultez
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
All about you News from the international ophthalmic industry Zeiss Meditec plans to acquire Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center
opti 2024: new start-up area for innovative optics newcomers
Zeiss Meditec AG announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center (International) B.V. (D.O.R.C.) from the investment firm Eurazeo SE, Paris, France. The acquisition will enhance and complement Zeiss Medical Technology’s broad ophthalmic portfolio and range of digitally connected workflow solutions for addressing a wide variety of eye conditions, including retinal disorders, cataracts, glaucoma and refractive errors. D.O.R.C., a leading player in the retinal surgical devices market, will be a key contributor to Zeiss Medical Technology’s long-term strategy. With the acquisition, Zeiss will expand its position in the vitreo-retinal (VR) surgery segment, further strengthening its position as the fastest growing manufacturer of ophthalmic medical
The offer for newcomers to make their presence felt at opti 2024 is
devices globally.
expanded once more: the new Optics Start-up area in Hall C3 is dedicated to young start-ups of optical products and services, this making
ANFAO: Lorraine Berton elected new president
it the second start-up area in addition to the popular opti boxes for
Lorraine Berton has been elected to
new frame designs.
lead ANFAO, the National Association
“We are more than happy to provide an ideal space for young companies
of Optical Goods Manufacturers. The
from the ophthalmic optics sector to present themselves creatively and
new President, the first woman in this
at the same time to connect with the international community for optics
position who will be leading the As-
and design,” says opti Exhibition Director Cathleen Kabashi
sociation for the next four years, succeeds Giovanni Vitaloni, President
Correction ‒
from 2017. The appointment was made
Unfortunately, there was an error in the last MAFO issue 06/2023
at the end-of-year Meeting, in the
on page 17. Vision Expo East will move to Orlando (Florida) from
splendid setting of the Scuola Grande
2025 onwards, NOT Vision Expo West as it was incorrectly stated
della Misericordia in Venice.
in an article. We apologize for the mistake.
MAFO wishes a prosperous New Year! The MAFO team would like to thank you – our readers and customers – for the great cooperation this year. It has been a year of many wonderful moments, some challenges, and great successes, and we are so happy that you have been part of it! Thank you for your continued support in 2023, and we look forward to working with you in 2024. We wish you and your loved one’s peace, health and happiness for the new year 2024!
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
All about markets Graphical data
75% of U.S. and European consumers say they want brands and retailers to offer sunglasses made with more sustainable materials. Source: GfK Optics Panel
The United Kingdom has the highest number of companies that rank in Europe’s
top 100 for profit per employee. Source: Study by global fintech group Plus500
Over
50% of U.S. and European consumers say they will be more loyal to brands offering recycled plastics. Source: GfK Optics Panel
How much are companies investing in AI? Total global corporate investment in Artificial Intelligence* in billion U.S. Dollars.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS Advertisement
All about products Innovations and working materials for your lab What are the next generation hard coatings from Arotek HCoating TD, SC, HD are made from a combination of Intra-Molecular Altering (IMA) technology and Nano technology, resulting in the UV curable spin hard coatings. Beside superior adhesion, the benefits of new generation coatings are stable low viscosity, constant spray height, self-defoaming and reduced rainbow effect. TD coating is focused on fast tinting. It is the most tintable and the most stable coating with extended service life in machine operation, favored by low volume users and small labs. SC coating is focused on super hardness. It is the hardest coating, designed for high volume users and big labs, within or beyond eyeglasses applications. HD coating is well balanced between hardness and tintability, favored by big labs in continuous operations. Big labs use one or more bottles of coatings per month. Small labs use one or less bottle of coatings per month. In big labs, one coater uses HD or SC coating for non-tinting, and another coater uses TD coating for tinting. The big labs with only one coater use HD or SC coating. Small labs use TD coating. Our next generation hard coatings are the spin on hard coatings for Future Lab. Visit www.hcoating.com
Global debut of Satisloh VFT-orbit-2i - first installation worldwide Unveiled at Slugfest 2023, Satisloh introduced the pioneering intelligent, digital generator, marking a significant milestone in the industry. The fully automated surfacing machine boasts outstanding throughput, quality, and reliability, elevating laboratory performance to unprecedented heights. Notably, it introduces predictive maintenance capabilities through advanced AI and Machine Learning. In December 2023, the inaugural unit rolled out of the Satisloh factory and found its home with the first customer in Germany. Visit www.satisloh.com
FISA INLINE CS, the ultimate cleaning machine The FISA INLINE CS is a fully automated ultrasonic cleaning machine, used for cleaning lenses after surfacing, polishing and deblocking. This machine implements the unsurpassed FISA ultrasonic cleaning technology complemented by two collaborative robots that allow a smooth integration in the whole production flow and the job trays traveling on conveyors. In fact, the first cobot stops the job tray at loading, reads the lenses, picks them up and places them in the basket of the machine. At the end of the cleaning process, the second cobot will then remove each lens one by one and reload them into a job tray. The computer can read RFID and/or barcode for cleaning recipe assignment and lens tracking purposes. This system is really innovative as it transforms a batch process into an inline process, reducing the amount of manpower needed as it is fully automated. Contact: optics@fisa.com – www.fisa.com
Are you ready to be amazed by MIDO 2024? In terms of participation of exhibitors’ numbers (https://www.mido.com/en/exhibitor-list https://www.mido.com/en/exhibitor-list) and exhibition space, we are approaching the 2019 levels, with more than 1.100 companies and 42.000 square meters and an additional pavilion. These are the figures on the eve of the Salone, which promises to be full of novelties! Starting from a new more accessible website which puts the user experience at the center, without discrimination and a dedicated free tool on the MIDO app for exhibitors, to maximize their attendance at the show. The MIDO events at the Otticlub will offer formation and information and, above all, culture for the eyewear sector: female empowering, “How to?", artificial intelligence and famous guests And last but not least, Mido’s most eagerly awaited events, the awards that will be granted by international juries. For all of you in the industry, MIDO is the place to be! Fieramilano Rho, 3-5 February | Milano www.mido.com
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THE CONFERENCE
#MAFO CON24
on February 2, in Milan (one day before Mido) Under the motto:
Next Generation Highlights Block-free generating Myopia management designs Smart glasses Industry 4.0 Thickness optimization and much more ... Stay tuned and follow us on LinkedIn or subscribe to our newsletter, to get all the news about MAFO – The Conference. For all questions and suggestions about the conference please write an email to: hanna.diewald@mafo-optics.com www.linkedin.com/showcase/mafo ticket.mafo-optics.com
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MAFO - The Conference 2024 The international spectacle lens industry meets in Milan The ophthalmic lens industry will meet for the 22nd time on February 2, 2024 in Milan, one day before Mido, at MAFO – The Conference. At the international industry meeting point participants can expect a top-class program. It is all about the most important topics related to ophthalmic lenses and the production of the future: block-free production, 3D printing of ophthalmic lens coatings, smart glasses, myopia management, Industry 4.0 and many other topics. And in keeping with the motto “Next Generation” students and current master craftsmen can look forward to a special offer. By Hanna Diewald
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SPOTLIGHT
M
AFO - The Conference has a long tradition and at the same time it seems to be younger than ever before in 2024. After
several unwanted years of break due to the corona pandemic, the industry meeting place has been back on track since 2023. And in 2024 again, the conference will take place on Friday, February 2, at the exhibition center
49€ ticket for students and master craftsman candidates Are you still studying and would like to secure a €49 ticket for MAFO - The Conference 2024? Then please send an email to: hanna.diewald@mafo-optics.com
in Milan, exactly one day before the official start of the ophthalmic trade fair Mido. In eleven presentations by recognized professors and industry representatives, the most relevant future technologies for the spectacle lens industry will be presented
3D printing of hard and photochromic coatings
and discussed. The program will be held entirely in English and
What sounds like a vision of the future has been turned into reality
attracts an international audience.
by a start-up now. The first lens coatings can be applied using a 3D printing process. In Milan, the developers report about their technol-
Target group: labs, industry and the next generation
ogy, which can be used to print hard coatings or photochromic
The conference is particularly attractive for all those involved in the
The technology will probably be available in a few months. In the
development and production of ophthalmic lenses of all kinds and
future, it could even be possible to apply any type of coating using
all interested parties who want to be informed about the latest
the additive process ‒ even the anti-reflective coating.
coatings.
technologies in the industry. In Milan, lens manufacturers, machine manufacturers, university
Generating without a block?
representatives and start-ups from all over the world meet. And in
For many machine and lens manufacturers, block-free production
addition to the top-class lecture program, the conference offers various
is an extremely attractive vision for the future. This is because
opportunities to exchange ideas with like-minded people in a relaxed
several process steps are eliminated and neither alloy nor adhesive
atmosphere.
is required, meaning that production could become significantly
True to the 2024 motto “Next Generation”, students get for the first time
more sustainable.
the opportunity to take part in the conference at the special price of
The first block-free generators are now on the market. At the confer-
€49, to breathe some industrial air and make contacts for their future
ence, two experts will be reporting from different perspectives on
careers. But what exactly can participants expect on site?
the advantages and disadvantages of this new type of production.
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SPOTLIGHT
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is its use in freeform lens design software.
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A closely related topic is Industry 4.0 and how connectivity and data are enablers for Industry 4.0 and to creating value.
Myopia management There are now many ophthalmic lenses for myopia management on
Visual performance and minimum thickness
the market, but the studies are mostly not based on European data and
And the upcoming conference will also focus on the psychophysical
in most cases labs need to purchase semi-finished blanks.
evaluation of optical lenses and how a very special test set-up can be
At the conference, participants will learn more about a new design
used to assess individual visual performance with or without optical
that has been tested in Europe and allows labs to produce lenses for
correction lenses.
myopia management independently using the freeform process.
And last but not least, participants will learn more on the minimum thickness of spectacle lenses with the aim to enable the thinnest and
Artificial Intelligence and Industry 4.0
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Future Lab BUSINESS
Additive manufactured optical coatings – a realm of new possibilities An interview about hard coatings and photochromic coatings from the 3D printer Spectacle lens coatings from the 3D printer - this scenario became reality in fall 2023. An Israeli start-up presented a printer for coating spectacle lenses at the Vision Expo West in Las Vegas. Hard coatings and photochromic coatings can now be applied in optical labs using the additive process. The fact that the developers have decided to revolutionize the ophthalmic market right now is no coincidence, explains Jonathan Jaglom, Chairman and CEO of flō: “I think the traditional ophthalmic industry is hungry for innovation!” In the following interview, the 3D printing expert talks about the possibilities of the new technology, and why additive manufacturing will not just be a flash in the pan in the ophthalmic industry. B y Hanna Diewald
3D
printing of spectacle lens coatings is a further
dip it in a tank, you take it out, you dry it, and then you may apply a
milestone in the field of additive manufactur-
further coat. As “additive people” we call such a procedure an analog
ing in ophthalmic optics. 3D-printed spectacle
process. There is no digitization.
frames are already commonplace today, but
So we asked ourselves: “Why don't we add the layers to the lens using a
until now lenses have been a different story.
digital approach, making it more efficient, cost effective and better?”
A few years ago, a company which produced its own spectacle lenses
I guess ophthalmic optics offers a great opportunity. It is a big, lucrative
using 3D printing caused a major stir, but at that time the process was
market that is, let’s say, hungry for innovation in many ways. There are
not yet suitable for mass production. The company has since been taken
two important aspects: labor and the environment. The way things are
over by Meta.
done today requires a lot of labor, but people often want to move onward
Back then, 3D-printed coatings did not yet exist. This has now changed
and upward, and do things that are more challenging.
with the start-up company flō entering the ophthalmic optics market.
Thinking about the aspect of sustainability: In today’s lab tinting world, you have these tanks and the environment is less friendly and in some
With the help of your platform, coatings for spectacle lenses
cases toxic – you can really smell that in a lab.
can be applied using additive manufacturing. How did the
And that is how the idea came about to set up this company flō. Today,
idea come about to use 3D printing?
we are an additive manufacturing technology solution provider, special-
Basically, around 80% of our team comes from the field of additive
izing in digitally coating spectacle lenses of various base materials and
manufacturing. For instance, I was part of the founding team of
various indexes.
Stratasys. Today that company is the number one player in the 3D printing industry worldwide with revenue of around $650 million a
What exactly do you mean when you call it a digital process?
year. A lot of my knowhow comes from printing, and that is also true
Can you explain the technology in a few sentences?
for many of my colleagues here at the company. One of them, actually
You must think of pixels. Even our computer screen is pixilated. Today,
the founder of flō, Dr. Claudio Rottman, is the CTO of the company.
any piece of paper that you have in front of you that is printed, is
The best way to explain how the idea came about is that it is basically
pixilated. We are basically taking the surface of the lens and pixilating
embedded in our mindset. It is a vision. You really develop this sort
it. We decide exactly what drop to place where, and how to blend those
of mindset. You look at the various ways things are being done around
drops to create a color scheme.
you, and all the time you are questioning whether additive manufactur-
With the current approach, you take the lens, you dip it, take it out and
ing could be introduced there.
it is what it is. If the tank filling is red, the lenses will be red. With digitalization, you can control the process down to the last pixel,
That means you do not have an “optical background”, so how
thus opening up a whole new realm of possibilities. The philosophy
did the idea of getting into ophthalmic optics come about?
behind it is this: the more you control something, the more opportunities
We recognized that the whole world of coatings on optical lenses – as
you have of exploiting new possibilities. The colors are the colors that
practiced today – is predominantly a wet process. You take a lens, you
you expected because it is all digitally coded, so quality is consistent.
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Future Lab BUSINESS
What we aim to do in the future is to invent things that have never been done before and have never been possible before! In our world the level of control is a pixel, which is roughly an order
stage but we will be releasing our first products in 2024 and we already
of magnitude greater than with current processes. You are sort of
meet almost all the mechanical property requirements. Tests are being
zooming in on the tiny area that we call the pixel.
carried out with the leading labs in the world as well as the COLT Test
In a nutshell: We are able to position drops accurately on a flat or curved
Center to validate this. But it is also true that we still have potential
surface – and it is very complicated to print on curves! Secondly, we
to further improve our properties.
build up multiple layers, so we can take account of different substrates
We are convinced that we can satisfy the standards that currently exist
and stack the layers to generate improved functionality. Thirdly, we can
in the industry, and of course we will not release products until we
even print structures ‒ that is cutting edge in the world of printing.
meet all standards – whether with regard to durability, mechanical properties or others.
Why should labs change to an additive process?
And Las Vegas also showed that we are in a very good position. We
It opens up a lot of possibilities. For instance, in color tint you can do
already have three customers that
any gradient you want, any color you want, basically anything you
have opted to acquire our
want. You can include graphics, you can have your logo on the side.
technology and want to be
You want a gradient of five different colors? No problem! So a new
first adopters, all of them
world of opportunities – personalization, customization, infinite colors
are in the US but we
– now all become achievable.
would love to have one
A good example is photochromic: the way this is currently done is
in Europe, too.
very limited. By contrast, we can position the photochromic dyes at the optimal distances one from the other: on the XY plane in 2D, but also on the Z plane. We have multiple layers, and we can position the dyes as we wish to create optimal performance outcomes. You presented your technology for the first time at Vision Expo West in Las Vegas in September 2023. Especially the photochromic coating caught attention … Yes, Vision Expo West was amazing because we exhibited a machine which was actually printing. People could see the outcomes. We literally put in a blank lens, and three minutes later the lens we took out was fully coated. In Las Vegas, we showcased a comparison of the industry standard photochromic compared with our own. Ours takes about a third of the time compared to the traditional one, to transition from dark to 80% transparent. It takes around 80 seconds. We can do that because we are fully in control, down to the pixel level. It is also important on what substrate and material the special dyes are applied. The process also reduces costs, as currently labs need to hold inventory because photochromic lens coatings are not done at the lab level. The blanks still get shipped but we offer the solution at the lab level. How good is the durability? The mechanical properties have to be in line with industry standards. Otherwise, we would have no justificationS to exist. We are still at the development
MAFO 2-22
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Future Lab BUSINESS
Examples of printed coatings. Picture: flō
Example of a photochromic print. Picture: flō
You talked about photochromic coatings, and hard coating is
the technology also be used, for example, by opticians?
also possible, but what other coatings can be applied ‒- AR
Our target audience are optical labs with industrial machines. They have
for example?
a certain throughput and are part of an integrated cycle. We know the
Our vision is to have one holistic platform for all coatings. The way we
various elements of this process and we will tune in our platform, because
see it: the labs will operate these platforms and they will be able to do
we do not want to create a bottleneck with these machines. We will offer
all the various coatings required, but this could still take time.
a throughput of 80 lenses per hour. Smaller labs or mini labs could also
We think, we are coming to market already with some very important
be the target audience, but not opticians.
coatings and, as time goes by, we will develop more and more of these coatings. Of course, AR is also on the radar as an additional coating, but
At the beginning of 2023, Meta acquired the 3D printing
that is more for the longer term.
company Luxexcel, which produces spectacle lenses using a 3D printing process. Would it be conceivable or useful to
What are your current challenges?
combine such additive manufacturing processes – printing
The main challenge that I foresee is introducing a new technology to
the spectacle lens itself and then the coating?
the market. Change management is complicated. I was in 3D printing
I personally know Luxexcel and their CEO very well. I think it is especially
for almost 15 years and, when we came to customers, there was always
interesting, that an additive company in ophthalmic optics was sold to
this resistance to change, even though it ultimately brings further added-
Meta. This is further evidence that there is a need out there for additive
value. But the main challenge is the very conventional market, because
manufacturing in ophthalmic optics.
the ophthalmic industry is a traditional industry.
But is there room to potentially do everything? What we are doing now is imitating existing coating solutions: photochromic tinting and hard
Is the platform’s target group only ophthalmic labs, or could
coating. But what we aim to do in the future is to invent things that have never been done before and have never been possible before. So, I will leave that open for your audience to judge. But coming back to Luxexcel, there are also certain things which need to be worked on in terms of speed and so on. It still takes too long to print a lens. What is your vision for the next ten years? In my opinion, it is really important for the audience to understand who we are. At the 3D printing company Stratasys, it took almost 20 years of investment and commitment to build a company with significant impact to be able to disrupt a given industry. But we wanted to bring added-value to customers; and we want to do that again here with flō. We have a very committed and farsighted team. Today we have over 35 members of staff. We are still a small team but continue to grow. We aim to bring our first products to market in 2024.
The company is still in the development stage but the first products will be launched in 2024. Picture: flō
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Thank you for the interview ◆
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Future Lab TECHNOLOGY
How digitalization and the Internet of Things will shape the lab of the future The fusion of digitalization and the Internet of Things (IoT) is poised to usher in a new era for industrial producer across various industries, specifically within the ophthalmic industry with it´s one piece flow mass production. In order, to create the lab of the future through technology, it is imperative to understand these technological advancements and how labs need to adapt. B y Dr. Michael Kreis and Xavier Bultez
I
f we had computers that knew everything there was to know
user, giving the user insight into how the device works. IoT promotes
about things, using data they gathered without any help from
data-driven production, with real-time data being easily shared.
us, we would be able to track and count everything and greatly reduce waste, loss, and cost. We would know when things
IoT and Industry 4.0
needed replacing, repairing, or recalling and whether they were fresh,
In the context of shaping the labs of the future, the Internet of Things
or past their best.” Kevin Ashton, who coined the term Internet of
plays a pivotal role in realizing the vision of Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0,
Things in 1999. (via Dataversity).
often referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, represents a paradigm shift where digital technologies and automation are seamlessly integrated
The Internet of Things
into industrial processes, giving rise to the concept of smart factories.
IoT describes an interconnected digital landscape, where devices are
At its core, Industry 4.0 harnesses the power of Artificial Intelligence
interlinked and share data with one another. While the term was first
(AI), big data, and IoT to drive efficiency and enable manufacturing
mentioned in 1999, and the actual use of the Internet of Things can be
that is both flexible and highly responsive.
traced back to as early as 1980, IoT as we know it today can be tied to
Within the industrial landscape, IoT sensors and devices serve as
the rise of smart technology. Before smart technology, the internet was
indispensable tools for collecting real-time data from machines and
secluded to tablets, smartphones, computers and laptops.
equipment.
However, digitalization has allowed for the rise of smart machines,
This data forms the foundation for informed decision-making, predictive
which can be connected to one another in order to share data with the
maintenance scheduling, process optimization, and the enhancement
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of overall operational efficiency. In essence, IoT not only provides the necessary data but also the connectivity essential for Industry 4.0's ambition to revolutionize traditional manufacturing, fostering a more interconnected, automated, and efficient ecosystem. Currently, AI adoption is on the rise, with a study by revealing that one in three IT professionals are already leveraging AI to automate various machine processes. The same study states that globally, 34% of enterprises have embraced AI, highlighting its growing significance in modern industries, the study also reports. Data-driven production, empowered by IoT, is ready to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of manufacturing. It entails the generation and vertical sharing of real-time data, facilitating close collaboration between data scientists and production experts to enable AI applications. To propel laboratories into this data-driven future, there are four critical considerations.
IT system architecture needs to adapt
Fig. 1: A smart consumables supply chain makes ordering easier. Picture: Satisloh
To fully leverage the opportunities presented by data-driven production, it is essential to begin by adapting the IT architecture. While many production lines are currently connected to the internet for tasks like uploading customer data, their connectivity is often constrained by the protocols in use. So, how can IT systems evolve to address this challenge? One potential solution involves transitioning the IT system infrastructure towards a standardized architecture rooted in web technologies that can accommodate all devices, thus unlocking maximum productivity. To make this transition successful, it is crucial to establish the right protocols. These should facilitate robust connections, enabling seamless data transmission and processing capabilities, both vertically from machines to the cloud and horizontally between machines. This level of connectivity empowers operators to gain real-time insights into their production line. For example, they can access a snapshot of a distant machine's status, diagnose errors, and make informed deci-
Fig. 2: The e-ticket in a tray going into Hydra Brush 4. Picture: Satisloh
sions – all at the click of a screen. Unfortunately, achieving this level of connectivity remains unattainable without adapting the infrastructure. The realization of the laboratory of the future hinges on the
and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to seamlessly
adaptability of IT systems architecture.
display critical information on screens, resulting in an e-ticket (Fig. 2). This innovation based on simple technology can truly replace the paper
Digitalization drives sustainability
like never before, especially in all manual process steps such as batching
In recent years, the relentless march of innovation and technological
lenses, providing operators with clear guidance on which lens belongs
advancement has rendered many technologies from over two decades
where – something that was previously inconceivable without visual
ago obsolete. However, there is one notable exception to this trend – the
aids. The advantages of paperless technology extend beyond efficiency
printer. Some labs have made an effort to transition to paperless opera-
and feasibility; they also contribute to the conservation of precious
tions, these endeavors often faltered due to their lack of ergonomic
natural resources. By reducing the need for toner and paper, paperless
design, inability to seamlessly integrate manual processes, and subpar
solutions play a pivotal role in safeguarding our environment.
user interaction.
This is just one example of the environmental benefit of employing
Yet, with the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), the dream of paperless
digitalization and IoT. According to Forbes, IoT machines are able to
labs has become not only more feasible but also significantly more
perform more functions and thus yield less energy, making them more
efficient and user-friendly. Satisloh's paperless technology leverages a
environmentally friendly. IoT devices also use less energy through
combination of Eletronic Ink, WiFi, NFC (Near Field Communication)
optimization, and use low-power or alternate energy sources.
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Fig. 3: A smart consumables supply cycle. Picture: Satisloh
Artificial Intelligence will create benefits if used appropriately
For instance, AI can monitor the amount of current used by the spindle
Currently, there is a megatrend of using AI within technology, with
Additionally, AI's image recognition capabilities enable machines to
many use cases existing already. This transformative wave has yielded
perform quality control tasks autonomously, detecting defects or
numerous practical applications, such as the utilization of AI in the
variations in the final product's appearance.
IT industry for tasks like anti-virus software development and
In essence, AI has the potential to revolutionize lens manufacturing
deployment.
by not only streamlining operations but also by enhancing the overall
With today's technological advancements, AI algorithms have attained a
quality and consistency of ophthalmic products.
during the lens-cutting process, ensuring precision and consistency.
level of versatility that allows them to master a wide array of tasks. Within with exceptional precision, empowering them to identify imperfections
Smart supply: intuitive software for last-mile management
like scratches or optical aberrations with remarkable accuracy.
Today, many industries still adhere to a traditional, reactive approach
Furthermore, by implementing AI-driven predictive maintenance
when it comes to ordering and managing parts and consumables. This
and anomaly detection systems, machines can reduce downtime and
approach often involves labor-intensive, manual steps, such as identifying
enhance operational efficiency. They can anticipate when maintenance
when new parts are needed, creating invoices, and coordinating with
is needed or when components are likely to fail, thus preventing
customers to understand their requirements. While this method still
unexpected production interruptions.
functions, its efficiency leaves much to be desired. Lab owners must
AI's pattern recognition capabilities play a crucial role in improving
find a productive approach.
product quality. It can analyze intricate patterns in machine condi-
However, there is a transformative solution at our fingertips: harnessing
tions and manufacturing processes, correlating these with the final
cloud-based computing and systems to automate the entire process
product's quality.
can lead to remarkable improvements in efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
the ophthalmic industry, this translates into the capability to train machines
Instead of relying on one-way orders and shipments, the future lies in machines directly generating demands for the parts and consumables they require. These are then delivered precisely where they are needed, right next to the machine. This approach eliminates manual steps and ensures that the necessary components are readily available. The introduction of tablets further streamlines the process, making supply management as simple as a single tap. If, for instance, an additional machine is added to the production line to boost output, there is no need for intensive staff training or manual adjustments. Everything is handled automatically, leading to significant Fig. 4: Satisloh e-ticket.
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Moreover, by leveraging cutting-edge IoT technology, we can further enhance this automated system by improving the recognition of when to order new parts. This not only amplifies efficiency gains but also ensures that the integration of new machines into the workflow is a seamless process, without the need for procurement of additional parts. The result is a more agile, cost-effective, and efficient production process that is primed for the future of manufacturing. Dr. Michael Kreis
Embracing the lab of the future The rapid evolution of digitalization and the Internet of Things (IoT) is poised to revolutionize labs, particularly those within the ophthalmic industry. This transformative journey is driven by a pursuit of greater efficiency, substantial cost savings, and a fundamental shift in how we approach quality control and production processes.
Dr. Michael Kreis joined Satisloh and the optical industry in 2016. He is VP Global R&D for Satisloh, a leading manufacturer of surfacing, coating and finishing equipment. Kreis holds a Dr.-Ing. degree in Production Engineering from the Technical University Darmstadt, Germany. Besides his research activities on machine tool vibration behavior, his previous experience includes R&D management for high
Efficiency is at the core of this transformation. The integration of IoT,
speed milling machines at Datron (Mühltal, Germany) and for steel
digitalization, and automation streamlines operations, by reducing
beam processing installations at Kaltenbach in Lörrach, Germany.
manual steps and optimizing resource allocation. As a result, the manufacturing of lenses becomes significantly more efficient, allowing labs to meet growing demands with greater ease. Moreover, substantial cost savings are a key outcome of embracing these technologies. Predictive maintenance, automation of supply management, and precision in production all contribute to reduced operational costs. This allows labs to allocate resources more effectively, invest in further innovations, and remain competitive in the ophthalmic industry. In the context of the ophthalmic industry, these advancements will
Xavier Bultez
have a profound impact on labs that rely on machines for lens production. They will be better equipped to meet the increasing demand for customized lenses, reduce production costs, and ensure that the quality of eyewear meets the highest standards. As labs adapt and embrace these technologies, they are poised to thrive in an era where the lab of the future is not just a vision but a tangible reality, offering better eyewear and improved user experiences. ◆
Xavier Bultez has been working in the optical industry for more than 15 years, currently he is Head of the Integrated Solutions Business Unit for Satisloh, a leading manufacturer of surfacing, coating and finishing equipment for the optical industry. Bultez’s previous experience includes Production Engineering at the Nikon Optical Rx labs in UK and Canada and Technology Manager at Essilor´s Engineering in France. He holds a mechanical degree from the ENSMM French Engineering School.
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TECHNOLOGY
Picture: ProCrea Tech.
How can visually impaired people benefit from prismatic lenses? According to the International Classification of Diseases 11 (ICD-11, 2019) vision impairment occurs when an eye condition affects the visual system and one or more of its vision functions. People with visual impairment often have partial or complete loss of visual perception, which manifests as a decline in visual acuity and/or visual field. That is why the term “low vision” is often used. By Gaetano Volpe and Pasquale Fanelli
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Fig. 1: Forecast of number of people affected by mild vision impairment (A), moderate and severe vision impairment (B) all ages by sex, 1990–2050. (From «Trends in prevalence of blindness and distance and near vision impairment over 30 years: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study», The Lancet Global Health, vol. 9, fasc. 2, pp. e130–e143, feb. 2021)
C
ounterintuitively, the health care improvement that we
Some diseases, such as glaucoma, lead to a progressive loss of peripheral
have witnessed in recent decades and the resulting increase
vision, eventually generating “tube” vision in more advanced stages.
in life expectancy have raised the number of visually
In contrast, other diseases (i.e., AMD) generate a scotoma in the center
impaired people. This happens because most eye diseases
of the visual field, affecting the point of best visual acuity in the retina
that cause vision loss are age-related, so their prevalence increases as
(the macula and more specifically the fovea).
more people enter the older population group.
In the latter case, visual acuity may be significantly reduced depending
In fact, it is estimated that between 2020 and 2050, the world's population
on the disease severity, and the person may have difficulty in object and
older than 65 will double, growing from approximately 1 billion to
face recognition, in reading and in many other daily activities.
2 billion. This trend will have profound implications for age-related
Therefore, when the central scotoma is absolute and occurs in both
ocular diseases as can be observed in the projections in Figure 1.
eyes, the visual system chooses another spot on the retina to perform
When considering the entire world population, the most frequent
the central vision tasks with the purpose to “replace” the completely
causes of mild and moderate visual impairment are uncorrected
compromised fovea. This point is called the Preferred Retinal Locus
refractive errors (especially presbyopia), cataracts, age-related macular
(PRL) and the visual system reorganizes to use the visual information
degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.
from the PRL cells for the fixation eye movement.
Refractive errors are easily addressed with modern ophthalmic lenses
In most cases, the visual system independently develops a PRL in about
and surgical techniques for cataracts are increasingly effective in restor-
6 months after the onset of binocular absolute scotoma. If this process
ing good vision quality. However, it would be desirable that these
does not occur, visual rehabilitation techniques can be used to establish
technologies will become widespread in all countries. In contrast,
a PRL to improve residual visual acuity. When the person fully learns
other eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration
to fixate objects with the PRL, one can speak about “eccentric fixation”,
and diabetic retinopathy can easily cause permanent loss of visual
as the eye fixation point is different from the retinal center.
function. How the visual system establishes PRL is a complex brain mechanism,
Scotoma and Preferred Retinal Locations (PRL)
and it is still a research topic. In addition, sometimes visually impaired
Degenerative eye diseases can completely or partially compromise
people independently develop more than one PRL and they use one or
portions of the ocular sensory tissue (the retina, located on the fundus
the other depending on the activity they are doing. In this case, we speak
of the eye-bulb). As a result, the person loses visual information from
of task-specific PRLs.
the involved retinal cells, either totally or partially. The corresponding
However, it can generally be said that PRL is established as close to the
compromised area of the visual field is called “scotoma”, and it is defined
scotoma as possible to maximize visual acuity in the best eye and, in the
as “absolute” when visual information is permanently lost, otherwise
worse eye, it is usually established in the corresponding retinal point of
it is called “relative scotoma” (Figure 2).
the other eye, to maximize binocular cooperation.
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TECHNOLOGY
However, while using eccentric fixation, you need to align the PRL with the observed object by performing an eye movement. Maintaining this fixation position can be bothersome and tiring, especially if the eye deviation is high or if you have to stare at something for a long time. This is why in the 1980s it was proposed to use prismatic lenses to align the PRL with the observed object, to compensate for the ocular deviation required for eccentric fixation (Figure 3). Even from the early studies on the subject, there has been good acceptance of prisms in this use case; so, this practice has slowly become more and more common in low vision clinics. These prismatic spectacles are often called Eccentric Viewing Spectacles (EVS) and more recent studies have found improved object search times, improved visual acuity compared to the compromised central vision, and higher scores on quality-of-life questionnaires. In this use case, prisms must have equal power, axis and direction in both eyes, so they are called yoked prisms. This is important to avoid binocular vision dissociation and, even if binocular vision is fragile or compromised, an attempt is made to Fig. 2: A simulation of the altered vision of a central relative scotoma (A) and a central absolute scotoma (B).
preserve it as much as possible. In most cases EVS are used for distance vision and the best distance refraction is prescribed along with the prism. They are not widely used for near vision, probably because magnifying aids are more effective in improving reading (e.g., hypercorrective prism glasses). The most common prism values are 4 - 6 - 8 prism dioptres, although higher values can be found when diseases reach more advanced states, resulting in a bigger scotoma and higher ocular deviation. The prism axis is highly variable and depends on the size and type of scotoma and the consequent position of the PRL. As already mentioned, usually, it is a good practice to prefer the PRL of the better eye when choosing the prism axis (the eye with better visual acuity). Furthermore, eccentric viewing spectacles also positively impact the visually impaired social life. In fact, the person who uses eccentric fixation may not feel comfortable showing the eye deviation (as for many cross-eyed people) or may be subject to social discrimination. Instead, wearing the EVS, which compensate for the eye deviation, the person can return to looking directly at the interlocutor during a conversation, using the primary gaze position again. Despite the many benefits, in the past, many people often stopped
Fig. 3: (A) the eye fixes the object using the PRL in the eccentric fixation position; (B) the prism realigns the PRL with the observed object and the eye returns to the primary gaze position.
using these devices because of the excessive weight and thickness of the lenses, which made the spectacles unesthetic and uncomfortable. Thanks to modern freeform optical surface calculation technologies, as the multi-aspherical automatic lenticularization algorithms developed by ProCrea Tech, it is now possible to drastically reduce the
Prism lens in eccentric fixation
thickness and consequently the weight of these devices, aiming to
Eccentric fixation is therefore used in the presence of a central absolute
reduce the drop-out probability and improve the quality of life of
scotoma in both eyes, and the PRL let the person benefit from a greater
visually impaired people.
visual acuity compared to the compromised central vision. Thus, the person
In addition, newer eccentric fixation lenses, developed in recent years,
can overcome some barriers caused by the disease such as recognizing the
include a real image magnification of up to 7%, providing further
faces of loved ones or distinguishing cutlery and food on the table.
visual acuity enhancement.
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Conclusion The number of visually impaired people is increasing and will continue to grow in the coming decades due to the age-related eye diseases such as AMD. It is possible to improve the visually impaired quality with the use of prismatic lenses when there is a central absolute scotoma in both eyes. As the fovea is totally compromised, these people use a peripheral retinal point for central vision (called PRL) in an eccentric fixation
Gaetano Volpe
position. Using glasses with yoked prisms, often referred as eccentric viewing spectacles (EVS), it is possible to compensate for the ocular deviation required for the eccentric fixation, improving visual comfort and quality of life of visually impaired people. Modern technologies for freeform optical surfaces calculation, developed by ProCrea Tech, can significantly reduce the thickness and weight of
Gaetano Volpe is a Computer and Automation Engineer. He’s a co-founder and Head of Research & Development at ProCrea Tech, freeform lens design company based in Italy. He’s pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical and Information Engineering with the Polytechnic University of Bari. He has a long-time experience in optimization algorithms and lens design.
these aids, improving EVS comfort and aesthetics. This could reduce dropouts, so more people will enjoy the benefits of EVS both on the visual function and on the psychological-social level. ◆
References: • R. Bourne et al., «Trends in prevalence of blindness and distance and near vision impairment over 30 years: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study», The Lancet Global Health, vol. 9, fasc. 2, pp. e130–e143, feb. 2021, doi: 10.1016/ S2214-109X(20)30425-3. • J. D. Steinmetz et al., «Causes of blindness and vision impairment in 2020 and trends over 30 years, and prevalence of avoidable blindness in relation to VISION 2020: the Right to Sight: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study», The Lancet Globa l Hea lt h, vol. 9, fa sc. 2 , pp. e14 4 – e160, feb. 2021, doi: 10.1016/ S2214-109X(20)30489-7. • World report on vision, WHO 2019.
Pasquale Fanelli Pasquale Fanelli is an optometrist from University of Salento. He works as product specialist for DAI Optical Industries, Italian ophthalmic lens manufacturer. He also practices as an optometrist in a private clinic and his fields of interest are freeform ophthalmic lenses and advanced contact lenses.
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SPOTLIGHT
Pictures. Silke Sage
One for all Ray-Ban Meta glasses: what can they do, and what not? There have already been a few smart glasses on offer. However, as yet they have not revolutionized the eyewear market. On the contrary, they were either so way-out that nobody wanted to wear them (Google Glass 2012) or they were overloaded, far too bulky and heavy. On top of this, data protection rules made it virtually impossible to offer them on all markets. Till now, there has been no breakthrough on a broad scale. But this could change: The Ray-Ban Meta glasses have what it takes to find their way into the mainstream, and not only because of their impressive features. Above all, their appearance, the choice of lenses and the competitive price play a major role here. A personal test by Silke Sage (MAFO editor and FOCUS editor-in-chief)
The look and fit
People who wear these glasses are not at risk of being called a gadget
The glasses available to the editorial team for testing was a panto-shaped
nerd. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses encapsulate what smart glasses should
Headliner model in denim blue. What was really good about them was
look like: as similar as possible to normal sunglasses. All microphones
that at first sight they looked like normal sunglasses: pleasant to touch,
and speakers are completely inconspicuous and subtly integrated into
slim and unobtrusive.
the frame. Only on closer inspection you notice the technology – and
The material is just translucent enough to reveal the electronic inner
of course the camera and its identical-looking LED counterpart are
workings in the temples and middle section on closer inspection. This
located where decorative rivets would normally be.
makes them much more than just a gimmick for technophiles; rather a harmonious blend of color and electronics.
What makes these glasses smart?
And no, dear optician colleagues, these glasses cannot be adjusted! Nor
These sunglasses can take pictures, record videos, livestream, and be
should you try, because neither a ventilette nor a determined optician's
operated by voice control. You can also play content from Spotify, for
thumb will do the temples – packed full of technology – any good. And
example, or make hands-free phone calls.
you do not need to, because they are designed to fit a wide range of
The camera takes surprisingly good images, both photos and videos. If you
head types.
want to take pictures manually, you can touch an elongated button near the
There is also another model (Wayfarer) that comes in two sizes and
hinge on the top right-hand of the side arm: a short click for a photo, or press
therefore also in different fits. Overall, the two models are currently
down longer for a video clip of up to a minute.
available in seven colors and combinations, each as sunglasses, clear or
Five microphones ensure good video sound and make your own voice
with transition lenses. I will come back to this at the end of the report.
sound extremely natural to other people. The microphones are built into
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both sides of the frame and the nose pad. The speakers are designed as “open-ear headphones”. This has the advantage, for example, that the sound is full and of high quality, while the ears remain free, e.g. in traffic or to listen to your children. A touchpad on the right-hand side arm can be used to adjust the volume or select audio content.
The equipment The glasses come with a case that at first glance looks like the classic Ray-Ban case. However, when you pick it up, you notice that it is a little heavier and where you would expect the snap fastener there is a magnetic fastener surrounded by a ring LED light which serves to indicate the charge level of the battery. It lights up when opened. If the charge status is full, it lights up green; if it lights up red, the device needs to be recharged; a yellow light indicates a medium battery charge. A rechargeable battery is integrated in the lower part of the case, which is able to recharge the glasses up to eight times. There is also a holder that securely locates the bridge of the frame, thereby ensuring precise contact between the glasses and the case. An inconspicuous USB-C port for charging the battery is located on the lower outer side, while a button for connecting via Bluetooth is located on the back.
Initial setup Before you can get started, you first have to lay your cards on the table in terms of data. If you want to make full use of the Ray-Ban Meta and really get your money's worth, you need to download the Meta app. The menu which guides you through this process is easy to follow. It also initializes the microphone for voice commands. If you also want to use the sunglasses as a headset for making phone calls, you need to share your contact details. You also need a valid Meta account. So, if you do not already have a Facebook or Instagram account, now is the time to set one up. It is worth taking a closer look at the options how your own data will be used, and how much you want to disclose.
History, data and data protection This second generation of smart glasses has been available in retail stores in authorized regions worldwide since October 18, 2023. The first generation, Ray-Ban Stories, was never released in some countries, for instance Germany, because the hurdles posed by German data-
WATCH VIDEO
protection regulations were too high. Since, the concept has been redesigned, in particular with regard to protecting the privacy of others. To this end, the new version has been equipped with distinctive LED lights to signal clearly to others they are being recorded. When taking a photo, a short white flash is emitted on the opposite side to the camera; when recording a video, the white light remains on for as long as recording continues. Similarly, the wearer of the glasses also sees a small light on the inner right edge of the glasses. This can be very helpful when using voice control, to make sure that a signal has been sent, or that the recording is currently running or has stopped.
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Meta also provides information about data protection and image rights
takes place on the water, I would be worried about the glasses getting
when setting up the glasses and displays this on the product page.
wet or sinking. Nevertheless, Ray-Ban Meta glasses are equipped with
Other differences to the previous model are that instead of one there
splash protection (which we did not test) but which has apparently
are now five microphones; and instead of 4 GB of memory, there are
been put to the test by other users, with no significant damage to the
now 32 GB. This means that around 500 photos and approx. 50 one-
glasses when they fell into the water.
minute videos can be stored. The camera now has 12 MP, instead of
When we asked how best to choose the right lenses for people with defective
previously 5 MP. The software also copes very well with changing
vision, EssilorLuxottica told us that the Ray-Ban Meta glasses are also
lighting conditions and offers an amazingly good dynamic range.
available with prescription lenses with original Ray-Ban technology.
Even if at present it may seem unpleasant to some people to be exposed
The range of single vision and progressive lenses had been tailored to
to recording at any time through another person's glasses, the LED
the Meta smart glasses, including additional transitions and sun
recording signal from the Ray-Ban Meta glasses is almost impossible
blocking lenses in various colors. The permissible correction range for
to miss. By contrast, with a smartphone, it is much easier to take
glasses is between sph -6.00 dpt and +4.00 dpt . They are available when
pictures surreptitiously, without anyone noticing.
a customer orders a complete pair of glasses via the Ray-Ban.com website or through a participating retailer. “Note that the manufacturer's
Battery life
warranty only remains in effect if you re-purchase lenses from a certified
In our test, the battery lasted just under four hours. The glasses were
retailer listed in this document. Fitting lenses into Ray-Ban Meta Smart
used on a mixture of winter walks with the dog and at a wedding recep-
Glasses at a certified retailer is not currently available,” it states.
tion, and then sporadically during the following week, without the battery ever needing to be recharged. According to the manufacturer,
The downside
the capacity of the battery allows for eight charging cycles. The glasses
Anyone who blithely takes the Ray-Ban Meta with polarized lenses out
can be recharged from 0 to 100% in 75 minutes; supposedly only taking
of the case and, after downloading the app, is immediately asked to
22 minutes to reach 50%.
follow the instructions on the smartphone screen (iPhone in this case),
Recharging seemed even faster to me, but perhaps the figures are based
will initially have a shock.
on average values, whereas in our case the test glasses were brand new.
The display appears significantly darker, with the colors distorted and
The built-in battery in the case has a capacity of 36 hours of use.
irregular, than is normal with sunglasses. This is caused by the polarization of the lenses used here, and is a known problem.
What else?
What is a welcome advantage with many sunglasses during the day
As a passionate user of a GoPro, I can imagine that the action cam
when the sun is shining, appears to be a disadvantage on a rainy day
could stay at home if you have these glasses. However, as a lot of action
in late fall.
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SPOTLIGHT
As a tester, I also have the onset of presbyopia, which comes into full
At the moment, what I can ask Meta is relatively limited. Furthermore,
bloom with tinted lenses plus polarization due to the dilated pupils.
the exchange is currently only possible in English.
Thus, fitting the glasses would be extremely difficult. However, to test whether the glasses were properly connected to the software, whether
Conclusion
the acoustic signal was audible and to follow the instructions on the
Prior to this test, I had not thought I needed smart glasses. I have
smartphone, the editor-in-chief of an optician's magazine had to sit for
an iPhone, a GoPro, AirPods and a variety of spectacles and sun-
what seemed like ages at her desk wearing varifocals plus Ray-Ban Meta
glasses... so I am well equipped for most things, both professionally
glasses on her nose. Luckily nobody saw this.
and privately. However, after just one week, I found myself digging
As we were not in sunny California, or the southern hemisphere, but
the smart glasses out again and again – even after all the tests had
nonetheless wanted to test the glasses, this presented us with a few
been finished.
challenges: The time of day when the sunglasses could be used at all
From a technical point of view, the glasses offer a wide range of
was very limited. In addition, the weather was rainy, and any use of
possibilities, from photography, video recording, taking phone calls,
sunglasses was tantamount to wearing a blindfold.
voice control and – in a slimmed-down form – controlling Spotify
Once you get used to your glasses, you want to wear and use them indoors
for example.
too. With tinted sunglasses, however, you quickly come across as a
The real game changer with the Ray-Ban Meta, however, is that all of
weirdo, even without the smart functions. At the wedding* of my optician
this is combined in a pair of glasses that are light, slim and fashionable;
friend, things got pretty wild, which is probably why they let me get
and absolutely wearable in everyday life. On the manufacturer's website,
away with wearing my glasses in the evening.
the entry-level price is shown at 329 euros, which is certainly an at-
If these were my glasses, I would definitely wear them with transi-
tractive price for the product. This is likely to contribute to the glasses
tions – as varifocals. This is the only way to use the glasses fully and
becoming very popular and find their way into many households. ◆
perfectly if you have presbyopia. As pure sunglasses, they can only be worn in good weather and outdoors, which I do not think is enough.
* Many thanks to Jana and João, who allowed me to join them for a while at their
With clear lenses alone, they are of no use outdoor in sunshine.
wedding with the Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
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22.12.23 12.12.23 10:35 16:35
INTERVIEW
Mido 2024: “We feel responsible to make culture!” An interview with Mido president Giovanni Vitaloni Mido presents itself as the world's largest optical trade fair in 2024. MAFO has spoken to the President of Mido and industry expert, Giovanni Vitaloni, about current trends in ophthalmic optics, the fight against greenwashing, the timing of opti and Mido and what visitors can expect in Milano in a few weeks' time. By Hanna Diewald
Mr. Vitaloni, Mido will take place in a few weeks and prepara-
and in the industry. From my point of view, it is extremely important
tions are certainly already in full swing. What special highlights
for visitors to know: if something is happening in our industry, for
can visitors expect at Mido 2024?
sure it will happen at Mido! Because Mido is the biggest engine of
I would like to highlight that Mido in 2024 will confirm its leadership
our industry.
role in terms of being the biggest eyewear show in our industry
And Mido is not just products and projects, but it is also important
globally. This means, in 2024, we will have an even wider offer than
to encourage a new culture and to promote innovation in our industry.
what we had in 2023 and we will also have a lot of comebacks of
We have an area only for our events, called Otticlub, where we develop
exhibitors. And as you know, Mido is an event more than a trade
more and more workshops and talks about extremely important
fair. It is a show that is being prepared for 12 months and it really
subjects. We will talk in deep ways about sustainability, Artificial
gives the visitor a very clear idea on what is happening on the market
Intelligence (AI) and much more.
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INTERVIEW
You said, Mido is the biggest eyewear show in the world. What
Then we have an area for lenses for the ophthalmic side of our industry.
does that mean in terms of numbers?
Then we have an area for the Asian companies, so the team has to make
To give you an idea: in 2023, we had about 1.000 exhibitors. In 2024,
a constant update on what is going on in the market and to properly
we will have more than 1.100 exhibitors. We will have, more or less,
represent this in the whole area.
an exhibition surface of 42,000m², that is a growth, in terms of
And of course, it is important for us to stay in touch with visitors and
exhibitors, of about 20%. We will increase one pavilion compared
exhibitors all year round. A big challenge is to hear the needs of exhibitors,
to last year, that means we will have seven pavilions of exhibition
to hear the needs of visitors and really put them together in the same
area. And we are definitely expecting a lot of traffic! Mido is extremely
environment.
global, even in 2023 visitors came from almost 130 countries. There
And finally, we feel a little bit the responsibility to really make culture
is a very special vibe when you go around the aisles of Mido because
and push innovation in a certain direction and spread it out to all exhibi-
you absolutely see all the different countries of origins of our visitors
tors. Sustainability, for example, is a fact today and we have been working
and therefore it is really the best place if exhibitors have new products
on it in the last five years.
or new projects. In your opinion, what are the biggest trends in ophthalmic In the last years especially Asian exhibitors were missing due
optics at the moment - is sustainability one of them?
to the Corona restrictions. Will that be different in 2024?
Sustainability is more than a trend, it is a fact! I think that without a
Correct, also in 2023 we still had restrictions for the Asian exhibitors
sustainable approach the negative impact towards the companies and
because those actually have been “freed” in March and we had our show
the planet will be so bad that ‒ if we look at things negatively ‒ there
in February. We will have a substantial comeback of these companies in
will be no more industries.
2024. So finally, after five years, they are back at Mido and most of the Far
I observe all the Italian manufacturers and for a few years ‒ when they
East companies are really willing to exhibit.
are conceiving and developing new collections and new products ‒ the sustainable approach has really been a fact. When they design a product,
That means visitors will find a huge show 2024. What is the
they think about the impact of the product towards the environment.
biggest challenge when organizing such a big show?
The most important thing is to work on products that leave the least
The biggest challenge is to give the best possible service to exhibitors and
waste possible. This is an approach that today is reality! Before the
visitors. The Mido team works the entire year to organize a cutting-edge
pandemic in 2019, it was only a wish.
event. It is extremely important that each pavilion and each area properly
We are trying to promote sustainability in a very concrete and transparent
represents what is going on in the market.
way. We have created a new label with our association that is called CSE,
For example, we have one area with more fashion and there is a fashion vibe.
which means Certified Sustainable Eyewear. It will be launched at Mido 2024.
But then we have an area which we call “Design” for the more avant-garde
Basically, it is a certification that explains very transparently what is
artistic companies. We have an area which we call “Academy” that gives the
behind the product in terms of manufacturing process, in terms of
chance to smaller companies and start-ups to present their products.
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INTERVIEW
When we talk about sustainability, we do fight greenwashing and we want that the industry really thinks of developing their business and their production with the minimum waste possible and with the minimum impact possible. We feel this is as a big responsibility. Another big topic is Artificial Intelligence. It is a tool that needs to be handled by human intelligence. It is about both working together, but it is definitely a fact in our industry. And we will have several talks about this subject because Artificial Intelligence is important for the distribution, it is important for product development, but it is also important for training purposes. I think we are living in times where there is a big push in terms of innovation. We will talk more and more about advanced technology and again about AI, and we will also have more and more
The most important thing is to work on products that leave the least waste possible. This is an approach that today is reality!
usable smart glasses. I think also 3D printing is becoming closer to mass production. It is already extremely important in all the prototypes for the eyewear companies but now it is becoming more and more close to
it will be challenging again especially in 2025. Honestly, we do not have a
real production. So that is also part of an interesting process, I would say.
solution as we fixed the dates seven years ago. If we have issues with the dates in the next years, we would suggest to change the dates of opti, going
Lorraine Berton is the new President of ANFAO, a position you
to March for example or having an option for exhibitors to rent a booth
previously also held. How does this change the cooperation
directly from opti. I think the organizers need to think a little bit out of
between ANFAO and Mido?
the box.
In the past 6 years and a half I was also ANFAO president. The relationship between Mido and ANFAO is extremely strict in the sense that Mido is
After many years of regulations due to Corona, the war in Ukraine,
owned by ANFAO, the Italian Optical Goods Manufacturers’ Association,
energy crisis and more, companies maybe thought they would
and Mido is the biggest promotional tool that this association has. With the
soon be able to breathe again. Now the war in the Middle East is
teamwork between the new president of ANFAO, Lorraine Berton, and
causing turbulent times. How is the political situation affecting the
myself as president of Mido, the responsibilities are clearly defined and as
current situation in the optical industry?
we push in the same direction, we can probably make some improvements.
2022 was a very good year for the Italian industry and the first semester
It is a big opportunity to have two presidents ‒ one on the commercial side
of 2023 was following the same path. But in quarter 3 in 2023, we had a
taking care of the events ‒ and the other one is responsible for the more
slowdown. And for sure also Q4 will have a further slowdown because of
strategical and political work.
the Middle East crisis. It is not easy to explain, but I guess European companies meanwhile are
It is still a challenge for exhibitors that the two trade fairs Mido
somehow used to work in an unstable context in the sense that every six
and opti Munich are so close together. Are there any plans to
months something arises that is creating some negative aspects. But perhaps
improve the situation?
that also makes us more resilient.
I think opti has a profile, which is a bit different from Mido because it is
I guess, having a good global show at the beginning of the year will boost
more linked, from my point of view, to meet the European markets. And
the activities for the companies and we will really push and try to give
I think opti is closer to opticians and medium-sized chain stores. According
positive energy to our industry.
to the numbers, the international visitors going to opti are mostly from Europe whereas Mido has global visitors.
What motivates you personally to stand up for the interests of
And comparing the exhibitors in 2024, Mido is about three times bigger
opticians in Italy and the industry on a daily basis?
because we have close to more than 1.100 exhibitors and opti will have
I am an eyewear man. I am not an optician but for some reason I like
round about 400. But we are big fans of opti.
eyewear, the fashion aspect but also the manufacturing side. I like the
But regarding your question: in 2019 we made a contract with Fiera Milano,
project behind nice glasses. To me there is a matching of fashion aspects,
the trade show venue, for the next seven years because we knew that Milano
design aspects, technological aspects, technical aspects, but even cultural
Cortina will organize the Olympic Games in February 2026, so it was
aspects. It is a product that combines so many different values and features
important for us to define all the dates until 2026.
that makes it really very interesting.
I understand the issue for opti, to find a suitable date in the Munich exhibi-
In my position, the biggest goal is to make sure that the quality of the vision
tion center, keeping in mind that other shows with fixed dates are taking
of the global population improves ‒ technically and aesthetically.
place there in January, but we suggested opti to stay at least three weeks away from Mido because otherwise exhibitors would have a problem. But
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Thank you for the interview! ◆
MAFO 1-24
22.12.23 10:36
CHANGE
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!AZ.indd 24
19.12.23 00:10
LIVE ON SITE
Smart glasses a new mega trend? Picture: Snap Inc.
A visit to the open house at Bühler in Alzenau (Germany) On November 7, 2023, machine manufacturer Bühler hosted an open house in Alzenau (Germany). Smart glasses were the topic of the special event ‒ and it quickly became clear: research and development in the field of smart glasses is now an important topic in the ophthalmic optics industry, because the days when only technology giants dealt with AR or VR-glasses and others are long gone. By Hanna Diewald
I
n November, 35 participants from various industries found
anything but trivial and involves many challenges. Even if the physics
their way to Alzenau to listen to four exciting presentations
were simply explained, the implementation for mass production is
on smart glasses at Bühler and to exchange ideas with like-
highly complex and also to design AR-glasses, including all single
minded people.
components, very light, aesthetically pleasing and at the same time
The lectures were followed by a factory tour, where visitors had the
technically user-friendly and attractive.
chance to experience the facility in small groups. They could see the
But fortunately most of the challenges could already be mastered when
application center, the customer service, the assembling area and had
the appropriate know-how is available. Nevertheless, the smart glasses
the chance to explore the machines in detail.
remain relatively large and relatively heavy – at least compared to
But first back to the conference room, where Dr. Steffen Runkel, Director
conventional glasses.
& Head of Business Unit Optics, welcomed the guests: “In smart glasses, many activities driving the development of such glasses now. The
PVD hard coating as an opportunity for smart glasses
technology is combining completely different disciplines, and this is
The second presentation also dealt with challenges and solutions in
also reflected in the audience we have here today” he said.
production: “Smart Glasses - Challenges for PVD equipment and their
But Runkel also realistically admitted the challenges: “There is still a
solutions” was the title of this lecture, given by Dr. Harro Hagedorn,
way to go until we can fulfill the old dream of having a smart lens,
Head of Development at Bühler Leybold Optics.
which is super thin, and everybody can wear like a normal glass.”
Hagedorn started with a brief overview of smart glasses before moving
Those challenges were also reflected in the following presentations. In
on to the physical details of various processes and the challenges they
addition to a lot of euphoria about the technology and the noticeable
pose for the production of smart glasses and special components.
developer’s pride, there are still one or two issues to overcome.
For example, that everything has to be extremely light, that a change
there is a lot of optics involved. There are a lot of optical solutions and
in the structure always means a change in the stress level and that
The waveguide - the heart of most smart glasses
hard coatings in the dipping process are never as precise as PVD
The first presentation was about the development of a waveguide from
(Physical Vapor Deposition) processes. For instance, the thickness
a well-known company, although details shall not be published.
variation in dip hard coatings can be 10% to 20%.
However, it quickly became clear that the development and mass
However, this precision can be crucial for smart glasses, as we are
production of the waveguide – the heart of most smart glasses - is
talking about defect-sensitive coatings. One solution could be a PVD
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21.12.23 22:12
LIVE ON SITE
hard coating process, for example ‒ currently still a niche product, but possibly the future for smart glasses and their sensitive individual parts, such as projection displays near the eye.
Reducing coating defects The last presentation dealt with optical coatings for smart glasses, the defects that arise and the possibilities for reducing these defects. “Reactive Sputter Deposition of Optical Coatings with Lowest Defect Levels” was the title of the presentation by Dr. Stephan Mingels, Team Leader R&D at Bühler. Extremely low defect levels are required, especially for components of smart glasses. Therefore, the full production flow must be under control and coating quality has to reach a very high standard. Mingels explained how this can be achieved, using the Helios 800 Gen II as an example. In future, another upgrade should enable the processing
Tour of the machine hall. Picture: Hanna Diewald
of more complex optical filter architectures, such as photonics devices.
Round tour After the many exciting high-tech presentations, the participants also had the opportunity to visit the application center, customer service, assembling area and more in small groups. Experts from Bühler were available for each machine and technology and were happy to answer any questions. Application purposes and opportunities for the respective machines could thus be discussed live with the experts and, if interested, updates on all new products were available. There was also the opportunity to take a look at machines from other industries. For example, the Syrus pro 2800, a machine for precision coatings for astronomical mirrors, which simply impresses with its sheer size, as it exceeds that of well-known coaters in ophthalmic optics many times over. The open house was definitely worth a visit and the production of smart glasses and the corresponding components will certainly be a topic for a long time to come. ◆
MAFO 1-24
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F.l.t.r.: Xavier Perez and Oscar Silio (Bühler) and Jaime Leganés Carballo (Tooz). Picture: Hanna Diewald
35
21.12.23 22:12
BUSINESS
Sales success 2024 How to (also) write lucrative orders in the new year Some people start the new year with a lot of confidence, while others are more worried. “Will I get enough orders next year?”, “Will I be able to push through my calculated prices?” or "What will I do if my best customer drops out?” are questions that make many people anxious. Others just hope that things will work out. By Oliver Schumacher
H
ope never hurts! However, relying on this alone would
touch of their own accord. But many salespeople tend to be rather
be bad advice. Instead, you should take action and
passive – and simply process incoming inquiries. In this passive role,
contribute to the success of 2024 yourself. Go through
there is a high risk that you will rarely make contact with companies
the following five questions to set the course for a good
that may be a better fit for you, require higher quantities or are less
new (sales) year now.
price-sensitive overall. It is best to start different ways of generating sales inquiries at the same
How do I get more qualified inquiries?
time: call potential customers more actively, place advertisements and
There are many ways to do this. Interestingly, sales employees often
try out other options to generate more inquiries. After around six
deal exclusively with incoming inquiries from their regular clients.
months, draw an initial conclusion: Which acquisition methods were
Well, every now and then a potential customer will (hopefully) get in
lucrative? Which ones less so? You can then focus on what works best
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BUSINESS
for you – and finally get in touch with new customers from whom you would otherwise never receive sales inquiries.
How do I make myself more interesting for the market? Your best customers are your competitors' target customers. Or to put
How do I create pressure to act?
it another way: there are no safe customers. The only sure things are
The primary task of salespeople is not to prepare quotations. Quotations
death and taxes. Sounds harsh, but it's true. Unfortunately, you quickly
are nothing more than a “crutch” to an order. The job of salespeople
get used to your good customers: The order comes in, is processed, the
is to write orders. Nevertheless, there are some business partners who
invoice is created – and the customer pays. But there is a great risk that
like to impose work on sales staff free of charge and ask them to submit
at some point your customer will no longer feel that they are in good
quotations – but never buy. This often causes frustration among
hands with you. That they might even think “Somehow my supplier
salespeople. Interestingly, there are even salespeople who take a lot of
has become dull, they do not really care about me anymore. Perhaps
time to prepare a detailed quotation – knowing full well that they will
I should look around at other suppliers, maybe they can provide me
never receive an order. But can this be right? Anyone who writes quota-
with more interesting offers and impulses.” Once customers threaten
tions without selling has worked in vain.
to leave, many companies and vendors can only think of discounts as
This is why salespeople should take much more time to determine
a way of retaining their customers. But suppliers who do this are really
requirements – to be able to decide not to provide a quotation at all if
only saying one thing with this behavior: “We have overcharged you
necessary. Answers to questions such as “Why are you interested now?”
in the past.”
or “What if you can not find a solution?” are good indicators of the
Why do not check your presentation: How attractive is your website?
likelihood of a purchase. Anyone who writes quotations and does not
How much of a must-have are you as a provider for (potential) customers?
believe that they can generate an order from them is doing something
Are your sales staff able to communicate these added values clearly?
fundamentally wrong in sales!
Or to put it bluntly: What would the market be missing if you were no longer active with your company? If you are now saying meekly: “Nothing really”, then remember: you must be doing something right, otherwise you would have no customers at all. But now is the time to start positioning yourself even more clearly in the market to be interesting and therefore relevant for customers.
Ask yourself: what would the market be missing if you were no longer active with your company?
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22.12.23 19.10.21 10:39 12:05
BUSINESS
discount, we will not do business” are commonplace. Nevertheless, there are far too many salespeople who almost gullibly put up with such games – and give away important margins to finally place the long-awaited order. A buyer must never realize that the supplier is dependent on the order. Otherwise, the supplier can quickly be blackmailed by the buyer. So anyone who regularly wins new customers will sell at higher prices. For
▶ What arguments do we use to differentiate ourselves from our competitors?
▶ How do we qualify or disqualify customer inquiries in an appreciative manner?
▶ What statements and behaviors do we use to enforce our prices? ▶ What wording do we use to attract attention when acquiring customers over the phone so that our counterpart is happy to talk to us?
a good reason: the seller can enter into price negotiations with a healthy
▶ How much turnover can we achieve this month?
(!) indifference and is thus in a position to signal to the buyer that he
Unfortunately, the answers are often very unsatisfactory. But if there are no
would like to work with him – but not at bad prices.
well-founded answers to elementary questions, this clearly shows that there
It can be assumed that customers are putting more and more pressure
is still a lot of room for improvement. What is very reassuring is that if you
on their suppliers through purchasing. Those who cannot counter this
discover potential in your company, you can make use of it. And it is easier
will, at worst, sell – but earn nothing.
to change yourself and your company than customers and markets. You have now been presented with five powerful levers for retaining and
How do we get our sales force to act?
acquiring customers and increasing sales. It is best to choose one or two
Salespeople's behavior has a massive impact on the company's balance
of them to tackle as soon as possible so that you have another good sales
sheet. Despite this, many managers, whether entrepreneurs or sales
year in 2024. ◆
managers, are satisfied with a large performance gap between individual employees – and this for years. But can this be right? Everyone in sales should know what is expected of them. They should also regularly receive very specific ideas and instructions on how to deal with a telephone inquiry from a potential customer, for example, or how the price should ideally be communicated to a professional buyer in a respectful but clear manner. Why not take the test and ask your sales team the following questions? Oliver Schumacher
Remember: you must be doing something right, otherwise you would have no customers at all.
Sales trainer Oliver Schumacher is a speech scientist (M.A.) and focuses on new aspects of sales training in a friendly, well-founded manner. Under the motto "Honesty sells", he shows salespeople how to confidently win new customers, successfully master cold calling and assert themselves fairly – even in difficult price negotiations. The multiple book author is known to many through his numerous videos on YouTube. Before starting his own business in 2009, he worked very successfully for over 10 years in field sales for a listed manufacturer of branded goods. https://www.oliver-schumacher.de
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MAXGALLI + MIXER GROUP + SILVIA BADALOTTI + ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
The eyewear universe.
FEBRUARY 3-5, 2024 Fiera Milano, Rho
210X297 - MIDO - ORO - MAFO.indd 1 !AZ.indd 12
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MARKET SURVEYS
Coburn Technologies
FISA
www.coburntechnologies.com
www.fisa.com
Cleaning machinery
Duality
DualityAR
Medium sized labs
x
x
Large labs
x
x
Cleaning after deblocking, detaping, polishing, before inspection
x
x
Cleaning before coating
x
x
Cleaning after edging
x
x
Application
Small labs
x
Productivity [up to Ø lenses per hour]
120
5
up to 90
Total process time in the machine [min]
1 1/2
25 to 35
Weight [kg / lbs] (machine without conveyor)
582 / 1282
TBD
Dimensions [w x d x h] / [mm / inches] (machine without conveyor)
2159 x 965 x 1778 / 85 x 38 x 70
max. 2600 x 1300 x 2600
Single Phase, 220V/25A (2 outlets req.)
max. 20kW
Technical data
Power consumption (kW) Tap water consumption (liters/hour)
6 liters/hour
85
Number of tanks
5 to 9
Tanks (volume in liter)
Process
x
120 (one side) / 150 (both sides)
Lenses in process (total number)
8
Loading / unloading (manual / automated)
o
o
automated
Brush cleaning
x
x
/
Ultrasonic immersion cleaning
/
/
x
Spray cleaning
/
Drying module [hot air / cold air / infrared / vacuum/ lift out / solvent]
cold air
x
Environmentally friendly process (E.g. cascading from clean to dirty tanks, reduced chemical consumption etc.) Host connection Features
CS10
Rinsing water saving system / Zero waste / energy efficient x
x
x
Barcode reader
x
x
x
Detergent refilling automatic
/
/
x
/
/
x
Remote diagnostic Further information
Removes polish, tape adhesive and In addition to polish and tape blocking materials from a variety adhesive, DualityAR removes proof lens geometries and materials. gressive ink markings and residue Also available as a wash-only unit. from UV-cured blocking materials.
lens cleaning
Legend: Yes = x; No = /, Optional = o
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ma
MARKET SURVEYS
FISA www.fisa.com
CS20
CS20 Inline
x
x
CS40
CS40 Inline
CV10 x
x
x
x
x
x
x x x
288
288
576
up to 180
576 up to 360
120 up to 60
25 to 35 TBD max. 2600 x 1300 x 2600
max. 4600 x 1300 x 2600
max. 3400 x 1600 x 2600
max. 5400 x 1600 x 2600
max. 2000 x 1200 x 2600
max. 26kW
max. 30kW
max. 26kW
max. 30kW
max. 10kW
110
110
135
135
5 to 9
85 3 to 6
18
38
8
automated /
/
/
/
/
x
x
x
x
x
/
/
/
/
/
x
x
x
x
x
m/ nt
Rinsing water saving system / Zero waste / energy efficient
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
lens cleaning
loads/unloads lenses from job trays automatically
lens cleaning
loads/unloads lenses from job trays automatically
lens cleaning
MAFO 1-24
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MARKET SURVEYS
FISA
MEI
www.fisa.com
www.meisystem.com
Cleaning machinery
CV20
CV40
ClearXM
Small labs Application
Medium sized labs Large labs
x
x
x
Cleaning after edging
x
x
x
Productivity [up to Ø lenses per hour]
288
576
300
up to 120
up to 240
15
Total process time in the machine [min]
25 to 35
2,5
TBD
1500 / 3300
Weight [kg / lbs] (machine without conveyor) Dimensions [w x d x h] / [mm / inches] (machine without conveyor)
max. 2600 x 1200 x 2600
max. 3700 x 1200 x 2600
1900 x 2700 x 2350 / 75 x 106 x 93
Power consumption (kW)
max. 15kW
max. 20kW
4,5 (at peak), 2kW on average
110
135
10
Number of tanks Tanks (volume in liter)
3 to 6 18
Loading / unloading (manual / automated)
Process
x
Cleaning before coating
Tap water consumption (liters/hour)
1-3 38
automated
195 automated
Brush cleaning
/
/
x
Ultrasonic immersion cleaning
x
x
/
Spray cleaning
/
/
/
Drying module [hot air / cold air / infrared / vacuum/ lift out / solvent]
x
x
Cold air
Environmentally friendly process (E.g. cascading from clean to dirty tanks, reduced chemical consumption etc.)
Features
x
Cleaning after deblocking, detaping, polishing, before inspection
Lenses in process (total number)
Technical data
x
Rinsing water saving system / Zero waste / energy efficient
Low chemical content iodegradable detergent. B The lowest power consumption
Host connection
x
x
x
Barcode reader
x
x
x
Detergent refilling automatic
x
x
/
Remote diagnostic
x
x
x
Further information
lens cleaning
Legend: Yes = x; No = /, Optional = o
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The OptoTech LENS WASHER
Wash it. Clean it. Dry it. Cleaning of Every Lens: The LENS WASHER is a fully automated inline system for cleaning ophthalmic lenses and sun protection lenses made of plastic and mineral glass, as well as casting molds made of mineral glass. It removes any adhesive, polishing or dirt residues and fingerprints on the lens surface Multi Stage Cleaning Process: 3 brushing chambers, 2 rinsing chambers and 1 drying chamber (other configurations possible) for spotless lens surface ready for inspection & hard-coating Closed System with Optimized Energy Concept: No external exposure to dust or dirt. Double-walled casing with insulation material and fully equipped water tanks with integrated heating elements and sensor system for consistent temperature management Contact your local sales representative for more information, or visit us at MIDO 2024 in Milan, booth H15 H19 K16 K20 in hall 6.
Vision. Precision. Passion.
!AZ.indd 16
OptoTech Optikmaschinen GmbH Sandusweg 2-4 35435 Wettenberg / Germany Phone: +49 641-98203-0 Email: info.de@optotech.net Web: www.optotech.net
07.12.23 15:31
MARKET SURVEYS
Optimal Technologies www.optimal-technologies.com
Technical data
Application
Cleaning machinery
UCR-2
UCS40
UCS40 MF
Small labs
x
x
x
Medium sized labs
o
o
x
Large labs
/
/
o
Cleaning after deblocking, detaping, polishing, before inspection
x
x
x
Cleaning before coating
x
x
x
Cleaning after edging
x
x
x
Productivity [up to Ø lenses per hour]
20
40
40
Lenses in process (total number)
20
40
40
Total process time in the machine [min]
10min
20min
20 min
Weight [kg / lbs] (machine without conveyor)
200kg
222kg
300kg
Dimensions [w x d x h] / [mm / inches] (machine without conveyor) Power consumption (kW)
Process
Tap water consumption (liters/hour)
930mm x 922mm x 2031mm
2.2kW
2.5kW
2.5kW
1,8
2
2,5
Number of tanks
2
4
4
Tanks (volume in liter)
30
40
52
Loading / unloading (manual / automated)
/
x
x
Brush cleaning
/
/
/
Ultrasonic immersion cleaning
x
x
x
Spray cleaning
/
/
/
Drying module [hot air / cold air / infrared / vacuum/ lift out / solvent] Environmentally friendly process (E.g. cascading from clean to dirty tanks, reduced chemical consumption etc.)
Features
900mm x 734mm x 1077mm
Lift out
Infrared Low energy automatic standby and start-up operation, low e nergy lighting, extraction fans
Low energy automatic standby and start-up operation
Host connection
/
/
/
Barcode reader
/
/
/
Detergent refilling automatic
/
/
/
Remote diagnostic
/
/
/
Further information Legend: Yes = x; No = /, Optional = o
44
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21.12.23 12:32
m
MARKET SURVEYS
Optimal Technologies www.optimal-technologies.com
UCS60
UCS60-SP
UCS120
UCS150
UCS150 (Lens Stripper)
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
60
60
120
176
176
60
60
120
176
176
35min
35min
35min
40min
40min
420kg
690kg
700kg
980kg
1010kg
1650mm x 845mm x 1109mm
1910mm x 801mm x 2060mm
2000mm x 1000mm x 2060mm
1908mm x 1295mm x 2071mm
3.5kW 3,5
3,8
4
7 80
88
113
93
93
x
x
x
x
x
/
/
/
/
/
x
x
x
x
x
/
/
/
/
/
Infrared
dow ans
Low energy automatic standby and start-up o peration, low energy lighting, extraction fans
Low energy automatic standby and start-up operation
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
o
o
o
o
o
MAFO 1-24
40_SurveyCleaning.indd 45
45
21.12.23 12:32
MARKET SURVEYS
Optimal Technologies www.optimal-technologies.com
Technical data
Application
Cleaning machinery
UCS200
UCS200 R (Tool Cleaner)
UCS240
Small labs
o
o
/
Medium sized labs
x
x
x
Large labs
x
x
x
Cleaning after deblocking, detaping, polishing, before inspection
x
x
x
Cleaning before coating
x
x
x
Cleaning after edging
x
x
x
Productivity [up to Ø lenses per hour]
200
240
Lenses in process (total number)
240
384
Total process time in the machine [min]
45min
40min
Depend. on size/specification
Weight [kg / lbs] (machine without conveyor)
1030kg
1200kg
2000kg+
Dimensions [w x d x h] / [mm / inches] (machine without conveyor)
1883mm x 1375mm x 2100mm
2230mm x 1375mm x 2100mm
Power consumption (kW)
4kW
5kW
Dependant on size/specification
Process
Tap water consumption (liters/hour) Number of tanks
7
7+
Tanks (volume in liter)
77
Depend. on size/specification
Loading / unloading (manual / automated)
x
x
x
Brush cleaning
/
/
/
Ultrasonic immersion cleaning
x
x
x
Spray cleaning
/
/
/
Drying module [hot air / cold air / infrared / vacuum/ lift out / solvent] Environmentally friendly process (E.g. cascading from clean to dirty tanks, reduced chemical consumption etc.)
Features
5
Hot air / Infrared (Hybrid Hot air + Infrared optional) Low energy automatic standby + start-up operation, low energy lighting, cascading water systems, conveyor motors, extraction fans
Low energy automatic standby and start-up operation, low energy lighting, cascading water systems, dosing consumption control, conveyor motors, extraction fans
Host connection
/
x
x
Barcode reader
o
x
x
Detergent refilling automatic
o
o
o
Remote diagnostic
x
x
x
Further information
Legend: Yes = x; No = /, Optional = o
46
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21.12.23 12:32
Lo low
on
on
on
rgy ol,
MARKET SURVEYS
Optimal Technologies
OptoTech
Satisloh
www.optimal-technologies.com
www.optotech.net/en/
www.satisloh.com
SC21
UCS300-1000
x
/
x
x
x
x
x
/
o
x
x
x
/
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
/
/
x
x
x
o
o
/
Depend. on size/ specification
300-1000
480
240
72
o
o
Depend. on configuration
2
6
adjustable
30s
20 (for the first basket)
Dependant on size/specification
Lens Washer
OWS 80 Twin-A
Hydra-Sonic-5
1000kg
Dependant on size/ specification
3400 / 7496
200 / 441
230 / 507
1300mm x 1300mm x 1959mm
Dependant on size/ specification
5840 x 1305 x 2800 / 230 x 51 x 110
1344 x 953 x 1365 / 53 x 37 x 54
1300 x 650 x 1400 / 51 x 26 x 558
Dependant on size/specification 2
7+
Depend. on configuration
2,3 kW
2.5
Depending on process
closed system
110
Depend. on configuration
1
Dependant on size/specification
4
50
4
automated
manual
x
x
/
/
x
/
/
x
x
/
/
x
/
/
/
/
/
Solvent/Liftout
Hot air / Infrared (Hybrid Hot air + Infrared optional)
x
x
lift out
Low energy automatic standby and start-up operation, low energy lighting, cascading water systems, dosing consumption control, conveyor motors, extraction fans
x
x
Low consumption of detergents and water. Low tap water consumption
x
x
o
x
o
x
o
/
x
x
x
x
/
Different versions for blocked or unblocked lenses
The patented conveyor housing protects the driver chain from water and detergent, meaning less maintenance and downtime, no cross contamination between chambers, and reduced detergent consumption
MAFO 1-24
40_SurveyCleaning.indd 47
x
x x (or RFID)
/ / /
47
21.12.23 12:32
MARKET SURVEYS
Satisloh www.satisloh.com/ophthalmic/cleaning/
Process
Technical data
Application
Cleaning machinery
Hydra-Sonic-10
Hydra-Sonic-40
Hydra-Brush-5
Small labs
x
/
/
Medium sized labs
/
/
x
Large labs
/
x
x
Cleaning after deblocking, detaping, polishing, before inspection
x
x
x
Cleaning before coating
x
x
/
Cleaning after edging
/
/
x
Productivity [up to Ø lenses per hour]
72
384
500
Lenses in process (total number)
6
32
54
Total process time in the machine [min]
10
Weight [kg / lbs] (machine without conveyor)
340 / 750
1750 / 3858
1550 / 3417
Dimensions [w x d x h] / [mm / inches] (machine without conveyor)
1500 x 800 x 1300 / 59 x 32 x 51
6210 x 1250 x 2325 / 244 x 49 x 92 (2G version)
5200 x 1520 x 1230 / 205 x 60 x 48
Power consumption (kW)
3
23
21 200
Tap water consumption (liters/hour)
225
720
Number of tanks
6
8 (max)
7
Tanks (volume in liter)
4
32
60
Loading / unloading (manual / automated)
manual
automated
manual/automated
Brush cleaning
/
/
x
Ultrasonic immersion cleaning
x
x
Spray cleaning
/
/
/
lift out
infrared heaters
hot air
Drying module [hot air / cold air / infrared / vacuum/ lift out / solvent] Environmentally friendly process (E.g. cascading from clean to dirty tanks, reduced chemical consumption etc.)
Features
30 (for the first basket)
Low consumption of Low consumption of detergents and detergents & water. Environm. friendly drying water. Low tap water consumption system with IR heaters
Low tap water consumption due to cascading from clean to dirty tanks
Host connection
/
x
x
Barcode reader
/
/
x
Detergent refilling automatic
/
/
o
Remote diagnostic
/
/
/
Further information
The patented conveyor housing protects the driver chain from water and detergent, meaning less maintenance and downtime, no cross contamination between chambers, and reduced detergent consumption
Optional customizable loading and unloading conveyor belt connection
The patented conveyor housing protects the driver chain from water and detergent, meaning less maintenance and downtime, no cross contamination between chambers, and reduced detergent consumption
Legend: Yes = x; No = /, Optional = o
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!AZ.indd 18
08.12.23 12:55
MARKET SURVEYS
Satisloh
SCL
www.satisloh.com
www.scl-int.com
Technical data
Application
Cleaning machinery
Hydra-Brush-7
CC16
Small labs
/
x
Medium sized labs
x
Large labs
x
Cleaning after deblocking, detaping, polishing, before inspection
x
x
x
Cleaning before coating
/
x
x
Cleaning after edging
x
Productivity [up to Ø lenses per hour]
500
200
100
Lenses in process (total number)
76
16
8
Total process time in the machine [min]
8
30
30 to 45
Weight [kg / lbs] (machine without conveyor)
1750 / 3858
Dimensions [w x d x h] / [mm / inches] (machine without conveyor)
7020 x 1520 x 1370 / 276 x 60 x 54 33
Tap water consumption (liters/hour)
200
300
250
Number of tanks
5
5
6
Tanks (volume in liter)
60
9
5
Loading / unloading (manual / automated)
manual/automated
Spray cleaning
x
x
IR
IR
/
Drying module [hot air / cold air / infrared / vacuum/ lift out / solvent]
hot air
Environmentally friendly process (E.g. cascading from clean to dirty tanks, reduced chemical consumption etc.)
Low tap water consumption due to cascading from clean to dirty tanks
Host connection
manual
x
Ultrasonic immersion cleaning Process
x x
Power consumption (kW)
Brush cleaning
Features
CS5
x
Cascading sequenced flow -
x
Barcode reader
x
-
-
Detergent refilling automatic
o
x
x
Remote diagnostic
/
/
x
Further information
The patented conveyor housing protects the driver chain from water and detergent, meaning less maintenance and downtime, no cross contamination between chambers, and reduced detergent consumption
Legend: Yes = x; No = /, Optional = o
50
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21.12.23 12:32
MARKET SURVEYS
SCL
Schneider
Shyre
www.scl-int.com
www.schneider-om.com
www.Shyre.co.uk
CS10
CS20
LCU modulo ONE
LCU modulo
US14/US28
x
/
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
/
/
x
190
380
240
300
2-200
16
32
14
66
50/100
app. 4
app. 12
60 to 3600
approx. 985 kg / 2172 with automation: approx. 1300 kg / 2866
approx. 1800 kg / 3968
12kg / 20kg
30 to 45
approx. 2640 x 1260 x 1795 / approx. 2000 x 1615 x 1930 104 x 50 x 71. with automa/ 79 x 64 x 76 inches. with tion: approx. 3300 x 1488 x automation: approx. 8278 x 1934 / 130 x 58 x 76 inches 3383 x 2860 / 336 x 133 x 113 10 kVA avg.
16 kVA
1kW/2kW
400
500
8
8
3
4
1
10
25
30
60
14/28
automated
manual / automated
manual
automated
x
x
IR
120 (DI water)
500mm x 300m x 200mm
x
x
/
/
x
/
/
/
IR
hot air
Cascading sequenced flow x
minimal
/
rinsing water cascading
x
x
info to control center
/ /
-
-
x
/
x
x
/
o
/
x
x
x
x
/
O: loading robot HRA
Reliable bench top cleaning
MAFO 1-24
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MARKET SURVEYS
Shyre www.Shyre.co.uk
Technical data
Application
Cleaning machinery
PC20
PT60 (PT = Pre-Treatment)
PC60 (PC = Precision Clean)
Small labs
x
x
x
Medium sized labs
x
Large labs Cleaning after deblocking, detaping, polishing, before inspection
x
Cleaning before coating
x
Cleaning after edging
x
Productivity [up to Ø lenses per hour]
100
60
60
Lenses in process (total number)
30
54 (exc. conveyors)
55 (exc. conveyors)
Total process time in the machine [min]
15-20
5 min tact time - 30min typical full process time
5 min tact time - 40min typical full process time
Weight [kg / lbs] (machine without conveyor)
250kg
675kg
675kg
Dimensions [w x d x h] / [mm / inches] (machine without conveyor)
1000mm inc. conveyors x 1000mm x 1000mm
Power consumption (kW)
x x x
5 typ
2100mm inc. conveyors x 1000mm x 2000mm 8kW
8kW <20
Tap water consumption (liters/hour)
<20
<20
Number of tanks
4
6
6
Tanks (volume in liter)
10
3.5 and 7
3.5 and 7
Loading / unloading (manual / automated)
manual
manual/conveyor/auto
Process
Brush cleaning Ultrasonic immersion cleaning
x
x
x
Spray cleaning
/
o
o
Drying module [hot air / cold air / infrared / vacuum/ lift out / solvent]
Features
Environmentally friendly process (E.g. cascading from clean to dirty tanks, reduced chemical consumption etc.)
infrared / lift out
Lift Out + hot air / infrared
Compact, low energy system. No compressed air required
Automatic Start and Shut-down. Heating Efficiency Monitor Auto Chemical Management Option Cascading Rinse Water Option Effluent Treatment Option No compressed air
Host connection
x
x
x
Barcode reader
o
o
o
Detergent refilling automatic
/
o
o
Remote diagnostic
x
x
x
Further information
Adv the sup t
Highly compact system without compromising on quality or functionality
Legend: Yes = x; No = /, Optional = o
52
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n)
cal
MARKET SURVEYS
Shyre www.Shyre.co.uk
PT200
PC200
x
x
PT1000+
PC1000+
TC1000+ (TC = Tooling Clean)
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
x
200
1000+
208 (exc. conveyors)
500-2000+
5 min tact time - 40min typical full process time
<5 min tact time - 15min typical full process time
5 min tact time - 30min typical full process time
920kg
2200kg
2500kg
2954mm inc. conveyors; 1080mm; 2000mm
bespoke
12kW
20-40kW typical
<40
100-500 typical
7
bespoke
8 and 17
40+ conveyor/auto
x
x
x
x
x
o
o
o
o
o
Lift Out + hot air / infrared
Lift Out + hot air / infrared/ vacuum /solvent
Automatic Start and Shut-down. Heating Efficiency Monitor Auto Chemical Management Option Cascading Rinse Water Option Effluent Treatment Option No compressed air
Automatic Start and Shut-down. Heating Efficiency Monitor Auto Chemical Management Option Cascading Rinse Water Option Effluent Treatment Option
x
x
x
x
x
o
o
x
x
x
o
o
o
o
o
x
x
x
x
x
Advanced Pre-Treatment for Advanced Cleaning for the modern lab. Providing the modern lab. Providing superior quality, Functionali- superior quality, Functioty and process control nality and process control
MAFO 1-24
40_SurveyCleaning.indd 53
The most advanced, fully The most advanced, fully The most advanced, fully functional bespoke Pre- functional, bespoke Preci- functional, bespoke Tool Treatment systems for sion Cleaning systems for Cleaning systems for mass production facilities mass production facilities mass production facilities
53
21.12.23 12:32
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
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 Siemensstrasse 88, D-63755 Alzenau T + 49 (0) 6023 500-0, F + 49 (0) 6023 500-150 leyboldoptics@buhlergroup.com www.buhlergroup.com
optics@fisa.com
www.fisa.com
Hard coating ad:
Crystals Pub FISA - Optical World 88x40.indd 1
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
Cleaning ad:
optimal-technologies.com
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
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
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
www.filtech.com 617-227-1133 • 800-743-1743 paula@filtech.com
Full range available for any lens volume Expert advice on your application
Contact us for our full range: +44 (0) 1462 491 616 sales@optimal-technologies.com
54
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www.optimal-technologies.com
MAFO 1-24
20.12.23 00:32
Suppliers Guide
SUPPLIERS GUIDE
Lens surfacing machinery
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
Lenses
Lens surfacing machinery PUB_TECO-Juillet 2016.indd 1
25/07/16 17:59
Ophthalmic Equipment & Services for All Phases of Lens Production US ++-888-888-+8-- UK +88 (8) + 68--68888 ASIA/INDIA +6--6 -8-8--CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC@CCCCCCTCTTCCTCTTCC.TCC ....CCCCCCTCTTCCTCTTCC.TCC
!AZ.indd 9
30.11.20 12:42
Machinery - Automation, Control & Packaging Lens Quality Control Automation Process Control Services & Solutions Optical Machinery. Processing Technology.
OptoTech Optikmaschinen GmbH
!AZ.indd 2 Sandusweg 2-4 • 35435 Wettenberg/Germany Tel.: + 49 641/98203-0 eMail: info.de@optotech.net Web: www.optotech.net
MAFO 1-24
54_SG.indd 55
26.07.16 14:56 BELGIUM - THAILAND - USA - LATIN AMERICA
www.ar.be
55
20.12.23 00:32
Suppliers Guide
SUPPLIERS GUIDE
Machinery - lens edging & industrial edging
Surfacing and finishing consumables
Combination of dynamic ideas and stable performance provides superb Lens Edging
www.nidek.com info@nidek.co.jp
Software YOUR ULTRA PRECISION
Your lens design and innovation experts
Diamond Tools Manufacturer
> Excellent service and quick turnaround
IOT exists to empower independent labs and ECPs to create the best lenses in the world.
> Compliant with any generator
kydiamond.ca sales @ kydiamond.ca
The Lab Management System Company LensWare International GmbH Robert-Bosch-Str. 32 63225 Langen - Germany
Phone : +49 6103 / 372 87 87 Email : info@lensware.de Web : www.lensware.de
Media TECHNOLOGY AT IT’S BEST – FOR OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY
OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY
HOME OF YOUR BUSINESS
!AZ.indd 1
18.04.23 09:35
Surfacing and finishing consumables
E L P M
SG_Eyepress.indd 1
GENERATING POLISHING EDGING !AZ.indd 3
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
56
54_SG.indd 56
30.01.20 16:41
incl. presence in the MAFO online Suppliers Guide
SA
1 module (88 x 40 mm) per year with company logo 4c = € 990 p.a.
Contact: constanze.classen@mafo-optics.com
MAFO 1-24
20.12.23 00:32
!AZ.indd 6
25.10.23 15:52
CLOSING WORDS
Closing Words highlights The ophthalmic optics industry sometimes seems to be like a small island: everyone knows everyone somehow, at least from a professional perspective. But as it is in life - talking shop with experts is exciting, but while having dinner, with a good glass of wine, you often hear the funniest and most touching stories. That is why we at MAFO established the column “Closing Words” where people who work in the optical industry give an insight to their personal life. Here you will find the funniest, most creative and most touching answers from two years and the answers are just as diverse as the people who answered them.
My little town. However, if I could
Favourite place in the world
choose one country to live in, it would be Switzerland, as it boasts breath- taking landscapes and a high quality of life. (Ivette Bruguera) The North and the South of Saudi
Arabia (Mark Mackenzie)
I would pick for the food: Italy, for leanliness: Japan, for improvisation: c USA, for speed: China/Asia, for democracy: Switzerland and passion for cars/ technology: Germany. (Stefan Seifried) My mother’s house in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. If I could choose one country to live in, it would be Canada. (Will Daniels)
A small Greek village called Agkistro. Even if you dropped me in one place
The extreme prizes charged.
(Mark Mackenzie) Cable news. (Will Daniel) Fast fashion. (Lene Bille Hoegh)
Events that deeply moved
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and put a fence around me, I would find a way to put a caravan on a car hook, or a chart before a horse. It is one world for me, and I will wander till the end. (Lene Bille Hoegh)
My mother was born there. For me, it is the most beautiful and peaceful place on earth. It is situated in a remote valley in the north of Greece. Thanks to its hot springs, it has become a health resort with enough jobs for the young people from the region. (Efstathios Efthimiadis)
To think that the internet will adequately inform you of everything you want to find out. You have to understand that “lie and manipulation” is "the kingdom of the internet and social networks". (Eugenio Casas)
Completely overrated things
Watching my little daughter try so
hard in her last cross-country race. (Daniel Crespo)
Queen Elizabeth II., when she passed away and still tried to support the repair of her government on her last days. (Stefan Seifried)
The images from the James Webb Space Telescope connecting humanity to the cosmos. (Robert L. Kohn)
The stupid and unjustifiable Russian
invasion of Ukraine (Eugenio Casas)
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CLOSING WORDS
Celebrity – past or present – you most like to meet personally
The old school comedy movie “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”. And read your daily newspaper every day to support local journalism. (Robert L. Kohn)
Bad idea. Never meet your idols.
I once got to meet a musician I appreciated in person after a concert. I haven't been able to listen to a record by him since. (Efstathios Efthimiadis)
Terry Fox, because I still remember seven-year-old me being in awe of him as much as 49-year-old me is still in awe of him. (Will Daniels)
Hopefully, we all read many and different books. It is so much more interesting. (Daniel Crespo) “A Good Year” by Ridley Scott. Book: “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss. (Will Daniels)
What I like about the book “1984” by There are so many to choose from! The
Attention Merchants by Tim Wu is still high on my list as a book we collectively would benefit from. (Lene Bille Hoegh)
George Orwell is that it still hasn't lost any of its relevance, both socially and technologically. (Efstathios Efthimiadis)
Isaac Newton, the greatest scientist ever, although I hear he wasn’t so nice as a person. (Daniel Crespo)
Lin-Manuel Miranda. I’ve had the chance to see him on FaceTime but to meet him in real life would be awesome. (Lowri Moorea) I would meet Leonardo da Vinci in Milan and take a tour of Italy with him. (Robert L. Kohn)
Movie or book everyone should have seen or read
The Little Prince by Antoine de
Saint-Exupéry (Eugenio Casas)
What would you do differently in your next life?
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In my next life, I would learn more I am not sure it works that way.
languages. (Ivette Bruguera)
You must live the life to know the lesson. (Lene Bille Hoegh)
Do it all over again.
(Mark Mackenzie)
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OUTLOOK
Closing with good news! Development of a retina-like biochip The fusion of man and machine is the epitome of a science fiction narrative. In real life, the first steps towards such cyborgs have long been taken: people have pacemakers to treat arrhythmias, cochlear implants to improve hearing and retinal implants help people who are almost blind to see at least a little. A new chip could help retinal implants fuse even better with the human body in the future. It is based on conductive polymers and light-sensitive molecules that can be used to imitate the retina, complete with visual pathways. “Our organic s emiconductor recognizes how much light falls on it. Something similar happens in our eye. The amount of light that hits the individual photoreceptors ultimately creates the image in the brain,” explains Francesca Santoro. It was developed by Santoro’s r esearch group at Jülich’s Institute for Bioelectronics (IBI-3) in collaboration with RWTH Aachen University, the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genoa and the University of Naples.
Special topics in MAFO 2024
MAFO 01
MAFO 03
MAFO 05
Future Lab
Lab Management
Go Digital!
Ophthalmic Optics around the World
Go Green!
Markets Worldwide
MAFO 02
MAFO 04
MAFO 06
Preview MAFO 02/2024 The special topic of the pcoming issue is “Ophthalmic Optics u around the World”, wherefore we will dive deeper into several projects worldwide. Furthermore, you will find the show reports of Mido, opti Munich and MAFO – The Conference. Additionally this issue deals with topics such as innovative solutions for labs and how AR and VR lenses can get structured.
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Missed an issue?
No problem, view the latest issues online: app.mafo-optics.com ISSN ISSN1614-1598 1614-159866527 66527 Volume Volume1919
ISSN 1614-1598 66527 Volume 20
OPHTHALMIC OPHTHALMICLABS LABS&&INDUSTRY INDUSTRY
OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY Connect, discover, stay up-to-date
Connect, Connect,discover, discover, stay stayup-to-date up-to-date
THE NATURAL WAY OF DEBOXING
1/2024 ▶ Special topic: Future Lab
5/2023 6/2023 ▶ ▶Special Specialtopic: topic: Sustainable Go Digital! Processes Lens production Agoing broaddigital vision of sustainability Chat GPT and other “There no waste at AI´s -‒ is a new language all‒for , only materials!” the raw industry
Digitalization and the Internet of Things Additive manufactured optical coatings ▶ Technology
THESMART NATURAL WAY OF TRULY DEBOXING LENS GENERATING
▶ ▶ Special Special topic: topic: Data Sustainable Handling & Security Processes
Thickness and weight ▶ Live on site of ophthalmic lenses A breath of future One drop and you at VEW 2023 regain the vision of Paris 2023 a Silmo 20-year-old?
Smart Glasses: A visit to the open house at Bühler ▶ Interview Mido 2024: “We feel responsible to make culture!”
MarketSurvey Survey ▶▶Market Lens printing AR-Coating machinery Laser engraving systems
▶ Spotlight Unboxing any kind of box
Environmentally friendly
▶ Market Survey
AI A and broad machine vision of learning sustainability algorithms
AI and machine learning algorithms
“Therelevel is noof waste at Highest all‒,personalization only raw materials!” lens thanks to “big ▶ Technology data” and recent scientific findings Anti-reflex coating and process control ▶ MAFO live on site Thickness and weight SLUGFest 2023 — of ophthalmic lenses first-hand information One dropfor and and visions theyou future regain the vision of Leica Eyecare — a 20-year-old? back to the roots
Highest level of lens personalization thanks to “big data” and recent scientific findings
VFT-ORBIT-2i MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE MEETS AI
AR-Coating machinery ▶ Market Survey Dip- and spin hard coating machines
Environmentally friendly
lens deboxer for high throughput, 24/7. The innovative technology unpacks all common kinds of boxes and materials – cardboard, blisters, even sleeves – damage-free with a clean process. It requires a minimum of energy and effort.
SMART
CONNECTED
After swiftly identifying the type of box, DBX Modulo ONE opens it “naturally”: It unfolds, takes out and unwraps, entirely without touching the lens surface. SCHNEIDERs eco-friendly process avoids cutting or burning the material using sharp blades or high energy lasers – no cutting particles or dust and no fumes.
All waste material is separated and collected individually to simplify recycling and further increase sustainability.
DBX Modulo ONE follows SCHNEIDERs vision to provide the full solution for ophthalmic labs, from warehousing all the way to inline coating and beyond.
Contact us for more and details on VFT-orbit-2i! Ophthalmic lens production fully-automated entirely hands-free.
Ophthalmic lens production fully-automated and entirely hands-free. SEE IT LIVE AT MIDO // 03. – 05. February 2024 // Hall 6 // Booth T32 Eyepress Fachmedien GmbH Saarner Str. 151 45479 Muelheim a. d. Ruhr 66527 Germany
Eyepress Eyepress Fachmedien Fachmedien GmbH GmbH Saarner Saarner Str. Str. 151151 45479 45479 Muelheim Muelheim a. a. d. d. Ruhr Ruhr 66527 66527 Germany Germany
www.schneider-om.com
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Leica Eyecare — back to the roots
Eyepress Eyepress Fachmedien Fachmedien GmbH GmbH Saarner Saarner Str. Str. 151 151 45479 45479 Muelheim Muelheim a. d.a.Ruhr d. Ruhr 66527 66527 Germany Germany
www.schneider-om.com
satisloh.com
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processes
06.09.2023 11:14:36 08.09.23 03.11.2312:49 09:12
80
lenses
1
in hour
▶ Market Survey
72
Dip- and spin hard coating machines
sq.ft.
Environmentally friendly
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80
lenses
1
in hour
72
sq.ft.
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. Modulo Center ONE features highly advanced process technology, based on robust and reliable components proven in hundreds of installations across the globe. 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. 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
www.schneider-om.com www.schneider-om.com
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4
processes
M dulo Center
With Modulo ONE, SCHNEIDER powerful and fully automated center is aDBX full-fledged production linedebuts withouta limitations: a milling station //new a lathe lens station deboxer//for high throughput, 24/7. The innovative unpacks turning one or two 4-spindle polishing units // atechnology CO₂ or excimer laser.all common kinds of boxes and materials – cardboard, blisters, even sleeves – Modulo Center ONEwith features highly advanced process technology, robust and damage-free a clean process. It requires a minimum of based energyonand effort. reliable components proven in hundreds of installations across the globe. After swiftly identifying the type of box, DBX Modulo ONE opens it “naturally”: The It all-in-one substantially saves time,touching running all simulunfolds,surfacing takes out center and unwraps, entirely without theprocesses lens surface. taneously and perfectly synchronized – evencutting milling or andburning lathe turning. And with SCHNEIDERs eco-friendly process avoids the material usingthe chambers placed or right next to one another, the smart automation transfers lenses sharp blades high energy lasers – no cutting particles or dust and nothe fumes. in virtually no time. There is no faster way to surface a lens. All waste material is separated and collected individually to simplify recycling The and dedicated Center (MES) informs at a glance about the current status of the furtherControl increase sustainability. machine, production parameters, and efficiency. DBX Modulo ONE follows SCHNEIDERs vision to provide the full solution for Labsophthalmic can now runlabs, larger scale productions in small locations andand under nonfrom warehousing alleven the way to inline coating beyond. industrial conditions. Little to no operator intervention is needed as the center works lens production and entirely hands-free. fullyOphthalmic automated with all essentialfully-automated components on board. Simply put: Blank in, surfaced lens out.
INTEGRATED
Minimizes unexpected breakDelivers diagnostic data to MES-360 Lite included to All waste material is separated and collected individually to simplify recycling downs due to AIincrease powered sustainability. best analyze performance establish KPIs & track machine and further predictive maintenance and identify issues utilization, throughput, errors
DBX Modulo ONE follows SCHNEIDER‘s vision to provide the full solution for ophthalmic labs, from warehousing all the way to inline coating and beyond.
SLUGFest 2023 — first-hand information and visions for the future
M dulo Center Imagine one single featuring all the technology to surface 80 lenses/hour, DBX mmachine dulo in just 72 sq. f t. (7m²). This is Modulo Center ONE. The compact all-in-one surfacing
DBX m dulo
After swiftly identifying the type of box, DBX Modulo ONE opens it “naturally”: It unfolds, takes out and unwraps, entirely without touching the lens surface. SCHNEIDER‘s eco-friendly process avoids cutting or burning the material using sharp blades or high energy lasers – no cutting particles or dust and no fumes.
▶ MAFO live on site
Unboxing any kind of box
Witness what happens when unmatched lens generator performance - ultra-fast milling, voice coil technology & auto-calibration - meets the power of AI in the new VFT-orbit-2i. With the seamless integration of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, we´re revolutionizing ease with advanced With DBX Modulo ONE, SCHNEIDER debuts a powerful and fully automated new diagnostics and predictive maintenance.
With DBX Modulo ONE, SCHNEIDER debuts a powerful and fully automated new lens deboxer for high throughput, 24/7. The innovative technology unpacks all common kinds of boxes and materials – cardboard, blisters, even sleeves – damage-free with a clean process. It requires a minimum of energy and effort.
Cleaning machinery
ALL-IN-
4/2023 ▶ Special topic: Data Handling & Security
▶ Market Survey
Unboxing any kind of box
DBX m dulo
OPHTHALMIC LABS & INDUSTRY We help you to stay in contact
THE NATURAL WAY OF ALL-INDEBOXING
4/2023 5/2023
Anti-reflex Overcoming coating and theprocess gas agecontrol
▶ Live on site
ISSN 1614-1598 66527 Volume 19
OPHTHALMIC OPHTHALMICLABS LABS&&INDUSTRY INDUSTRY Connect, We help you discover, to stay stayinup-to-date contact
▶▶Technology Technology
Prismatic lenses for visually impaired people
Ray-Ban Meta glasses: What can they do, and what not?
ISSN ISSN 1614-1598 1614-159866527 66527 Volume Volume 19 19
02.06.2022 06.09.2023 14:51:27 11:14:36 06.07.23 08.09.23 14:48 12:49
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www.schneider-om.com
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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
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