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”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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