Manufacturing spectacle lenses using lens blanks blocked onto holding elements is laborious and time-consuming. Furthermore the manufacture is rendered difficult by different surface curvatures on the receiving side of the lens blanks. The purpose of the invention is to remedy such drawbacks. Accordingly this invention relates to equipment for processing lens blanks comprising a workpiece turret supported rotatably about a main axis of rotation, said turret being fitted with at least two workpiece receptacles configured each outside the main axis of rotation and being rotatable about spindle axes, each workpiece receptacle comprising a workpiece receiving surface having a surface curvature rotationally symmetrical about the spindle axis, whereby said surface curvatures of the workpiece receiving surfaces being different from each other.

An application device is configured to clean grinding surfaces in a machine for grinding ophthalmic lenses, the application device including: a central portion having so as to mount the application device in the grinding machine; and a peripheral edge configured to receive an application surface to cooperate with the grinding surface of the grinding wheel so as to clean the grinding surface. It also relates to a cleaning kit including an application device and a cleaning solution, and to a method for cleaning grinding surfaces.

A method of processing a workpiece with a first surface and a second surface facing away therefrom includes the following principal steps: (i) blocking the workpiece with the aid of a blocking material on a blocking member with the blocking material between blocking member and first surface, (ii) processing the workpiece by a geometrically defined cutting edge at the second surface for achieving the desired macrogeometry, (iii) processing the workpiece by a geometrically undefined cutting edge at the second surface for achieving the desired microgeometry and (iv) deblocking the workpiece from the blocking member. The principal step (ii) includes a plunge-cutting sub-step (ii.2) in which by a geometrically defined cutting edge an encircling plunge cut is produced which extends through the first surface as far as into the blocking material so that the workpiece with a predetermined edge profile remains on the blocking member radially within the plunge cut.

One exemplary embodiment relates to an installation and a method for processing ophthalmic lenses, with several processing devices for processing the lenses. The embodiment includes a conveying device connecting the processing devices for transporting lens carriers to and from the processing devices, and with a transfer device for changing transport tracks as required. According to the embodiment, it is provided that the processing devices are arranged in front of the first transport track and that the transfer device is designed as a pushing device with a fork-shaped guide device which guides the lens carriers laterally and in the direction of conveyance.

There is provided a surfacing station for processing of surfaces of optical elements as workpieces, including a processing unit configured to process surfaces of optical elements; a controller unit configured to communicate with a database containing processing protocols, which can be carried out by the surfacing station, and to control operation of the processing unit in accordance with the processing protocols; and an identification tag base configured to communicate with the controller unit and configured to determine identification tags of consumable items used by the surfacing station, the controller unit being configured to enable a surfacing protocol for processing of the optical elements as workpieces in function of an identified consumable item.

A computer-implemented method provides an occupation order for transferring lens blanks from a first carrier to a second carrier. A carrier identification information about the first carrier having a first number of slots and the second carrier having a second number of slots is received. Each of the slots is configured to carry a lens blank. An arrangement of the first number of slots at the first carrier and an arrangement of the second number of slots at the second carrier is determined based on the received information. Moreover, at least a part of the first number of slots of the first carrier is assigned to a corresponding number of the second number of slots of the second carrier. A control signal and/or instructions for transferring multiple lens blanks according to the defined assignment are provided.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing optical workpieces, having a working space, wherein workpiece spindles for receiving and holding the optical workpieces and tool spindles with processing tools receivable thereon for processing the optical workpieces are arranged in the working space, wherein the tool spindles are arranged rotatably about their center axis, wherein the tool spindles are arranged linearly movably along their center axes. It is provided that at least two pairs of tool spindles are provided, that at least one device for rotational drive is provided for the at least two pairs of tool spindles, that at least one device for linear drive is provided for the at least two pairs of tool spindles along their center axes. The present invention further relates to a method for processing optical workpieces.