Will “Surface 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
• 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
• 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 “Surface Grinder”

• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• 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.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• 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.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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• Microsoft Outlook
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