Will “Lens Shaper 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 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
• 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 Shaper Grinder”

• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• 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.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• 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.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• 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.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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