Will “Layout Technician” 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
• 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
• Cylinder Grinder
• 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 “Layout Technician”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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