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”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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