The invention is directed to a reusable mold for making a contact lens and the reusable mold has at least one of the mold halves is made from an oxide glass having a Knoop Hardness less than HK 350. The invention is also directed to a method for making an optical part by single point diamond turning an oxide glass having a Knoop Hardness HK less than 350.

The invention is directed to a reusable mold for making a contact lens and the reusable mold has at least one of the mold halves is made from an oxide glass having a Knoop Hardness less than HK 350. The invention is also directed to a method for making an optical part by single point diamond turning an oxide glass having a Knoop Hardness HK less than 350.

A machine tool cuts a workpiece having an inclined or curved surface and includes a main spindle that holds and rotates the workpiece, a moving device that moves a cutting tool relative to the workpiece in a direction obtained by combining a Z direction parallel or substantially parallel with the axis of the main spindle, an X direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the Z direction and determines the amount of cutting of the workpiece, and a Y direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the Z direction and the X direction, and an angle setting mechanism that causes the direction of an edge of the cutting tool to match the inclined surface of the workpiece by inclining the direction of the edge with respect to the Z direction when seen from the Y direction in a state in which the direction of the edge is inclined with respect to the Z direction when seen from the X direction.

A machine tool cuts a workpiece having an inclined or curved surface and includes a main spindle that holds and rotates the workpiece, a moving device that moves a cutting tool relative to the workpiece in a direction obtained by combining a Z direction parallel or substantially parallel with the axis of the main spindle, an X direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the Z direction and determines the amount of cutting of the workpiece, and a Y direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the Z direction and the X direction, and an angle setting mechanism that causes the direction of an edge of the cutting tool to match the inclined surface of the workpiece by inclining the direction of the edge with respect to the Z direction when seen from the Y direction in a state in which the direction of the edge is inclined with respect to the Z direction when seen from the X direction.

A method of producing an ophthalmic lens member is disclosed. The method comprises mounting an ophthalmic lens member blank 16 on a mandrel 1 for machining. The mandrel 1 has a front surface 6 comprising a planar surface region 10, a curved surface region 8 and a tool trench 12 located between the curved surface region 8 and the planar surface region 10. The method comprises mounting the mandrel 1 on a machine tool; and then severing a portion of the ophthalmic lens member blank 16 by passing a cutting tool 70 through the ophthalmic lens member blank 16 until a portion of the cutting tool 70 is received in the tool trench 12. A mandrel 1 suitable for use in the method is also disclosed.

A method of producing an ophthalmic lens member is disclosed. The method comprises mounting an ophthalmic lens member blank 16 on a mandrel 1 for machining. The mandrel 1 has a front surface 6 comprising a planar surface region 10, a curved surface region 8 and a tool trench 12 located between the curved surface region 8 and the planar surface region 10. The method comprises mounting the mandrel 1 on a machine tool; and then severing a portion of the ophthalmic lens member blank 16 by passing a cutting tool 70 through the ophthalmic lens member blank 16 until a portion of the cutting tool 70 is received in the tool trench 12. A mandrel 1 suitable for use in the method is also disclosed.

A processing apparatus includes a cutting tool that processes a clamped workpiece, a quenching unit capable of emitting a laser beam, and a vibration cutting unit capable of vibrating a distal end with a vibration cutting tool mounted thereon. The cutting tool, the quenching unit, and the vibration cutting unit are movable relative to the workpiece. The cutting tool cuts the workpiece before being quenched. The quenching unit applies laser quenching as a surface hardening treatment to the workpiece. The vibration cutting unit finishes the quenched workpiece by applying the vibration cutting tool to the workpiece while vibrating the vibration cutting tool.

A processing apparatus includes a cutting tool that processes a clamped workpiece, a quenching unit capable of emitting a laser beam, and a vibration cutting unit capable of vibrating a distal end with a vibration cutting tool mounted thereon. The cutting tool, the quenching unit, and the vibration cutting unit are movable relative to the workpiece. The cutting tool cuts the workpiece before being quenched. The quenching unit applies laser quenching as a surface hardening treatment to the workpiece. The vibration cutting unit finishes the quenched workpiece by applying the vibration cutting tool to the workpiece while vibrating the vibration cutting tool.

A cutting tool includes: a cutting part including a cutting edge having a linear shape; and a fitted part including a fixed section to which the cutting part is fixed, and a fitted part body to be fitted to a cutting device. The cutting edge is located perpendicularly to a virtual line passing through a central axis of the fitted part body, on a plane that is perpendicular to the central axis of the fitted part body. A center of the cutting edge in its longitudinal direction is located on the virtual line.

An assembly and method for mechanically skiving a tube to later form into a medical balloon are provided. The assembly includes a blade holder and a tube guide wherein the blade holder retains the blade in a diagonal relationship relative to the tube guide. A lathe assembly includes a mandrel for extending into a lumen of the tube and fitting into the tube guide. The lathe assembly further includes a spinning mechanism that rotates the mandrel relative to the blade for skiving the exterior surface of the polymer tube. The diagonal relationship allows for precise shaping of a transition portion of the tube, which is located between a medially located un-skived portion of tube and two skived portions located at tube ends. Once the tube is skived, a molding process inflates the un-skived portion into a balloon and stretches the transition portion and the skived portions forming a medical balloon.