System and method for compensating deviations in an optical lens manufacturing process

• US 10,639,765 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Original Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Inventors: Piraube, Sebastien, Gelb, Brad J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ortiz Rodriguez, Carlos R
• Application Number:
  US15/570,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20180290257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/00 Machines or devices designed for grinding or polishing optical surfaces on lenses or surfaces of similar shape on other work; Accessories therefor edging optical work, e.g. lenses, prisms B24B9/14
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/06 grinding of lenses, the tool or work being controlled by information-carrying means, e.g. patterns, punched tapes, magnetic tapes
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00 Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms grinding or polishing of optical elements B24B; constructional form of optical elements G02B; optical parts of spectacles G02C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00009 Production of simple or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00423 Plants for the production of simple or compound lenses B29D11/00259 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00932 Combined cutting and grinding thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00951 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00961 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/404 characterised by control arrangements for compensation, e.g. for backlash, overshoot, tool offset, tool wear, temperature, machine construction errors, load, inertia G05B19/19, G05B19/41 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45157 Grind optical lens
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A real-time calculation system capable of computing the industrial optical performance and yields of a prescription laboratory is disclosed. The system uses statistical analysis to determine the compensation factors that can be applied to given products, Semi-Finish, materials, or lens designs to increase the lab yields. Using a monitoring and configuration system, the user tracks the evolution of the laboratory'"'"'s performance and identifies areas in which yields are impacted. The user defines how the calculation system will optimize the laboratory'"'"'s performance, such as by defining how the compensation factors will be calculated and applied.

Claims

1. A system for compensating for deviations in an optical lens manufacturing process, comprising:

an analyzer configured to compute deviations in one or more surfaced optical lenses based upon nominal optical prescription values and parameters measured on one or more lenses output from lens surfacing equipment, the analyzer further configured to compute compensation factors for one or more future optical lens manufacturing runs based upon the deviations, wherein the computing the compensation factors includes adjusting optical prescriptions; and

a Lab Management System coupled to the lens surfacing equipment, the Lab Management System configured to receive the compensation factors from the analyzer and to apply the compensation factors during the one or more future optical lens manufacturing runs,

wherein the Lab Management System is further configured to adjust an optical prescription to compensate for computed deviations in the lens surfacing equipment before sending the optical prescription to a Lens Design System.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the analyzer is further configured to provide the compensation factors directly to the lens surfacing equipment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the Lab Management System is further configured to adjust an optical design received from a Lens Design System calculator to compensate for computed deviations in the lens surfacing equipment.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the analyzer is further configured to compute compensation factors for deviations in one or more lens blanks.

5. A method for computing compensation factors for optical lens manufacturing, comprising:

automatically computing manufacturing deviations in one or more optical lenses using nominal optical prescription values and stored measurements of lenses that have completed a surfacing process;

computing compensation factors for one or more future optical lens manufacturing runs based upon the manufacturing deviations, wherein the computing the compensation factors includes adjusting optical prescriptions;

receiving the compensation factors at a Lab Management System coupled to lens surfacing equipment;

applying, by the Lab Management System, the compensation factors during the one or more future optical lens manufacturing runs; and

adjusting an optical prescription to compensate for computed deviations in the lens surfacing equipment before sending the optical prescription to a Lens Design System.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the compensation factors correspond to one or more of an amount of lens surfacing equipment wear, a brand of lens surfacing equipment, a brand of consumable used, and a type of consumable used.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

grouping the computed manufacturing deviations or the compensation factors or both by one or more categories comprising;

Semi-Finish, product code, optical design, design vendor, Lens Design System, and material categories.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

computing statistical deviations based upon the computed manufacturing deviations; and

computing the compensation factors for the future optical lens manufacturing runs based upon the statistical deviations.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

obtaining the compensation factors from a the Lab Management System for adjustment of commands provided to lens manufacturing equipment to compensate for the computed manufacturing deviations.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

obtaining the compensation factors from the Lab Management System for adjustment of an optical prescription received from a Lens Design System calculator to compensate for the computed manufacturing deviations.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

identifying, from the computed manufacturing deviations, a substandard lens that has completed the surfacing process, wherein one or more measurements of the substandard lens are outside tolerances established for optical prescription values associated with the substandard lens; and

applying the computed compensation factors prior to repeating a manufacturing run to replace the substandard lens.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

automatically computing manufacturing deviations in one or more optical lenses using nominal optical prescription values and stored measurements of lenses that have completed a surfacing process;

computing compensation factors for one or more future optical lens manufacturing runs based upon the manufacturing deviations, wherein the compensation factors correspond to one or more of an amount of lens surfacing equipment wear, a brand of lens surfacing equipment, a brand of consumable used, and a type of consumable used, and wherein the computing the compensation factors includes adjusting optical prescriptions;

receiving the compensation factors at a Lab Management System coupled to lens surfacing equipment;

applying, by the Lab Management System, the compensation factors during the one or more future optical lens manufacturing runs; and

adjusting an optical prescription to compensate for computed deviations in the lens surfacing equipment before sending the optical prescription to a Lens Design System.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

grouping the computed manufacturing deviations or the compensation factors or both by one or more categories comprising;

Semi-Finish, product code, optical design, design vendor, Lens Design System, and material categories.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

computing statistical deviations based upon the computed manufacturing deviations; and

computing the compensation factors for the future optical lens manufacturing runs based upon the statistical deviations.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining the compensation factors to the Lab Management System for adjustment of commands provided to lens manufacturing equipment to compensate for the computed manufacturing deviations.