Will “Cylinder Grinder” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

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…

• Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
• Surfacing Technician
• Polisher
• Optical Technician
• Optical Lab Technician (Optical Laboratory Technician)
• Line Operator
• Lens Grinder and Polisher
• Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician)
• Grinder
• Finishing Lab Technician
• Edger Technician
• Test Technician
• Surfacer
• Surface Room Shop Optician
• Surface Grinder
• Spotter
• Spectacle Truer
• Prism Measurer
• Prescription Eyeglass Maker
• Precision Optical Goods Worker
• Precision Lens Polisher
• Precision Lens Grinder
• Precision Lens Generator
• Precision Lens Centerer and Edger
• Optical Worker
• Optical Mechanic
• Optical Laboratory Mechanic
• Optical Instrument Assembler
• Optical Goods Drilling Machine Operator
• Optical Goods Drill Operator
• Optical Element Coater
• Optical Coating Technician
• Ophthalmic Technician
• Lens Silverer
• Lens Shaper Grinder
• Lens Polisher
• Lens Mounter
• Lens Mold Setter
• Lens Maker
• Lens Grinder
• Lens Generator
• Lens Finisher
• Lens Fabricating Machine Tender
• Lens Edger
• Lens Dotter
• Lens Cutter
• Lens Coating Technician
• Lens Cementer
• Layout Technician
• Laboratory Operations Coordinator (Lab Operations Coordinator)
• Laboratory Monitor (Lab Monitor)
• Hospital Laboratory Technician (Hospital Lab Technician)
• Hand Lens Polisher
• Hand Glass Cutter
• Glass Silverer
• Glass Frame Fitter
• Glass Cutter
• Eyeglass Maker
• Eyeglass Lens Cutter
• Eyeglass Cutter
• Eyeglass Assembler
• Edge Grinder
• Driller
• Dotter
• Diamond Grinder
• Cylinder Worker
• Contact Lens Technician
• Contact Lens Manufacturer
• Contact Lens Lathe Operator
• Contact Lens Cutter
• Contact Lens Blocker and Cutter
• Contact Lens Blocker
• Beveler
• Bevel Polisher
• Benchroom Shop Optician
• Bench Hand
• Artificial Plastic Eye Maker
• Artificial Glass Eye Maker

Tasks for “Cylinder Grinder”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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