Will “Bench Hand” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

97% Chance of Automation

“Bench Hand” will almost certainly be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #656 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

Cut, grind, and polish eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other precision optical elements. Assemble and mount lenses into frames or process other optical elements. Includes precision lens polishers or grinders, centerer-edgers, and lens mounters.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 51-9083.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 34,220.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 16.00
Currently, there are 28,570 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Bench Hand”

Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.

Related Technology & Tools

Frame adjusting pliers
Nylon-brass mallets
Hex nut wrenches
Zylonite files
Handheld tonometers
Screw extracting pliers
Trial lens sets
Stereopsis testers
Self-closing tweezers
Lens thickness calipers
Exophthalometers
Lens cutting machines
Nut wrenches
Phillips screwdrivers
Deblocking pliers
Optical chain nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
pH testers
Angling pliers
Screw grippers
Mini power drills
Lab snips
Bench polishers
Lens groovers
Rimless scribe tools
Drill presses
Lensometers
Keratometers
Pad removing tweezers
Wheel cutters
Carbon dioxide CO2 lasers
Spectrophotometers
Retinal cameras
Soldering irons
Pupilometers
Specular microscopes
Lens polishing machines
Prescription lens aligners
Corneal topographers
Chipping pliers
Lens grinding machines
Ultrasonic cleaners
Finger-piece pliers
Soldering clamps
Lens tinting equipment
Soldering torches
Pupillary distance rulers
Flathead screwdrivers
Optical tweezers
Lens sizing pliers
Phoropters
Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet Nd:YAG lasers
Riveting hammers
Diagnostic retinoscopes
Argon lasers
Tapered eyewire closure pliers
Frame shaping pliers
Pachymeters
Potential acuity meters PAM
Ball cutters
Lens coating machines
Bent post pliers
Visual field testers
Rimless assembly measuring tools
Sagitta gauges
Edge polishers
Optical slit lamps
Mini screwdrivers
Electric soldering kits
Optical prisms
3-way screwdrivers
Cutting pliers
Snipe nose pliers
Side cutting pliers

Eyeglass design software
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
Electronic medical record EMR software