Will “Lens Fabricating Machine Tender” 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 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
• 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 “Lens Fabricating Machine Tender”

• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• 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.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• 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.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• 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.
• 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.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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