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Show I Public Sees Latest With Optical Technology Special to The Tribune GRANGER The very latest in optical technology was presented to the public recently when Standard Optical conducted an open house at its manufacturing plant in Decker Lake Park. Henry Schubaeh, the firm's advertising manager, said the open house marked the first anniversary of the plant at its new location. Standard Optical's manufacturing division used to l)e located on the northeast comer of Main Street and 300 South. The open house was also held in conjunction with the recent Mountain West Optician convention held in the Hotel Utah. Locations Standard Optical employs about 50 persons in the manufacturing plant, which features 15.000 square feet of working space. Orders for glasses come into the plant from 13 retail locations in Utah and surrounding states and usually amount to $5,000 or more per day in jobs. Mr. Schubaeh said. Most of the retail locations send two daily shipments of orders to the plant, and each optometrist's prescription is placed in a numbered tray, along with the blank lenses which will be needed, and the proper frame style. The numbered trays serve to identify a particular job throughout the process. Blank lenses are initially about an inch thick and already finished on the convex side, including hi or trifocal cuts, if the prescription calls for them. If tinted lenses are requested, then the proier glass has been plastic lenses are colored during the cutting process. 13 d; 15, Lake Sait The IV O i Computerized System For about the past seven or eight months, Standard has been using a computerized system to determine the proper cuts necessary for a particular lens. The optometrist's prescription is entered into the computer, along with other information, such as lens size needed for a certain frame style, and the computer prints out a list of numbers which indicate what settings to use on the cutting machines, Mr. Schubaeh said After that, the lens is covered with a film, to protect the special plastic-tyji- e surface from being scratched and to allow a metal block to be adhered to the lens so it can be attached to the various cutting and sanding devices. According to Mr. Schubaeh, the special plastic-typ- e coating is a recent development of the 3M Corp. and is being tested by Standard Optical before being released to other optical companies. Prior to this 'method)! Standard had used a coating winch" was sprayed on like paint. Melted Lead The metal block is attached to the lens by injecting melted lead between the block and the special coating. The lens is then rough cut to the approximate curvature and thickness and is ground and polished by a process involving abrasives of varying coarseness. Before cutting, the lens had been marked to determine its optical center. A laser is then used to determine the precise optical center in relation to the shape the lens will take to fit the frames and the distance from the persons eyes. Mr. Schubaeh said tliis is the most critical stage of glasses manufacturing. The laser is another state of the art" device used by Standard. Before its development, a device like a microscope was used and the results varied according to the vision of the person conducting the test. The laser, he said, eliminates any chance for human error. Of Metal Block Before being checked by the laser, the metal block and special coating had been removed, but after laser inspection and marking of the exact optical center, another, smaller block is once again attached so the lens may be cut to fit the frames. According to Mr. Schubaeh, Standard Optical has about 4O,0iX) different frame styles and, therefore, must have 40,000 different patterns on stock to cut lenses with. They also have about 10,000 patterns on stock which match frame styles of other optical companies and they still end up making about five patterns a day to match frames they have never seen before. Grinding Too! The lens is cut from a pattern, just like keys are made. A guide follows the pattern lens and a grinding tool rough cuts, then smooth and bevel cuts the lens. Plastic lenses are cut on a separate machine which uses a knife blade instead of a grinding wheel. The lenses are tempered in a chemical process that takes about 17 hours to complete and each one is tested for shatter resistance by dropping a small steel ball from a height of about three feet directly on the lens. This testing is a requirement of the Food and Drug Administration. After that, the glasses are assembled and shipp'd back to the retail location where the order originated. According to Mr. Schubaeh, almut 2,000 people attended the open house and toured the plant, which, is the largest one of its kind in the Intermountain West. Children were treated to balloons and ice cream bars and everyone left with a "crystal clear vision1 of how eye glasses ; are made. 'Vvru., L , 'Vf v.j,. xlL'i'''''- : j . Teresa Allen programs computer to determine precise cuts need- - I - . ? il f W ed to get required prescription, It also determines optical center. - ri--.: X . ?' - - 'K'- v '', ,V"'.aCi- - Dale Horton checks finished lens center cor to make sure-optical relates with wearer's eyes and frame style. Laser is used for this.- - |
