Disclosed is a lamination machine including: a film support for receiving a functional film to be laminated; an article support configured to receive and position the optical article in a predetermined orientation; and an actuating member configured to move the film support and the article support toward each other for laminating at a predetermined pressure the functional film received in the film support onto the optical article received within the article support. The article support is a blocker support configured to receive a surfacing blocker onto which the optical article is to be disposed for lamination, the article support being further configured to transmit laminating forces induced by the predetermined pressure to the lamination machine during a lamination operation.

A method of preparing individual spectacle lenses (L) in accordance with a prescription order comprises the steps of: (i) blocking, a provided lens blank (LR) as workpiece on a block piece provided from a plurality of block pieces (B) from a block piece store (BL), (ii) processing the blocked lens blank at least at a second surface so as to obtain a blocked, processed spectacle lens (L) as workpiece, and (iii) deblocking the processed spectacle lens from the block piece, wherein the workpiece, optionally in the blocked state, is transported between the steps (i) to (iii) in one of a plurality of provided transport boxes (T). In the method, the block pieces prior to the step (i) of blocking are stored in the transport boxes in the block piece store and, for the step (i) of blocking, are provided in the transport boxes from the block piece store.

A cleaning station for an optical element is providing, including: an optical element holder configured to hold the optical element; a first drive configured to rotate the optical element holder around a rotation axis coinciding with an optical axis of the optical element when held by the optical element holder; a cleaning nozzle configured to project a cleaning jet of a cleaning liquid towards the optical element; and a separate drying nozzle configured to project a drying jet towards the optical element, the cleaning nozzle and the drying nozzle being configured to move in order to direct the cleaning jet and the drying jet, respectively, successively to different locations on the optical element.

A manufacturing facility for manufacturing an optical element according to a prescription includes a first station configured for surfacing and polishing a second face of a lens blank and pre-cleaning the second face of the lens blank including a finishing drying which allows the lens blank to be put on hold, a second station configured for deep cleaning the second face of the lens blank and hard coating the second face of the lens blank, a tunnel oven configured to degas the lens blank, a vacuum box coater configured to apply an antireflection (AR)-coating, and a third station configured to deblock the processed lens blank from the block piece.

Disclosed is a semi-finished lens including a first optical surface including a surface design associated with a first reference system and a second optical surface to be manufactured, the first and second optical surfaces are connected by an external periphery surface, the semi-finished lens further including a reference element provided on the second optical surface and/or on the external periphery surface, the position of the reference element being defined with respect to the first reference system. Also disclosed is a method and a device for manufacturing an optical lens from such a semi-finished lens.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens to be mounted in a frame, the ophthalmic lens including an optical front face, an optical rear face, and a peripheral edge that surrounds the optical front and rear faces and that has a base portion carrying a fixing unit suitable for attaching the ophthalmic lens to at least a part of the frame, the method includes the steps of: determining a central part of the ophthalmic lens that includes at least one of the optical front face and the optical rear face; determining the peripheral edge with the fixing unit; calculating a planned manufactured device including both the fixing unit and the central part together; and manufacturing, using an additive manufacturing technology, the planned manufactured device in order to form the ophthalmic lens.

A blocking device and method for mounting a leap block to a lens by a lifting/lowering mechanism using a magnet and a wire is described comprising a blocking device housing having a guide; a movable leap block attachment part mounted on the guide of the housing; a spring having a lower end supporting the attachment part and an upper end supporting the blocking device housing, the spring pushing the attachment part downward, so that the attachment part protrudes below the lower end of the blocking device housing; a wire having one end connected to a pulley and the other end connected to the attachment part, so the wire pulling the attachment part upward when the pulley rotates; a leap block attached to the lower end of the attachment part by magnets; and a blocking arm coupled to the housing and to move the housing up and down.

A mandrel for holding and positioning an intraocular lens blank during manufacturing includes a shank portion having a central axis and a lens blank holding section configured to hold the lens blank. The holding section includes a central cavity formed concentrically with the central axis of the mandrel. Projections are formed on a surface of the central cavity and are configured to support a first surface of the lens blank at a fixed distance from the surface of the central cavity. A ring fits within a peripheral portion of the central cavity to hold a second opposing surface of the lens blank. A method for making an intraocular lens using the mandrel includes filling the space formed under the first surface of the lens with a liquid, such as water, freezing the liquid, and then machining and/or milling the second surface of the lens blank.

An optical element held in a holder has a first optical surface which has no rotational symmetry with regard to its imaging axis. The holder has at least one reference element, which defines a position and/or orientation of the holder in a predefined coordinate system which compensates for a difference between an actual pose of the first optical surface and a target pose of the first optical surface in the holder at least in one degree of freedom. The reference element defines at least one specific azimuthal position of the holder. Also provided is a method for adjusting the holder of an optical element that has at least a first optical surface, which has no rotational symmetry with regard to its imaging axis, to a difference between an actual pose of the first optical surface and a target pose of the first optical surface in the holder.

A method for manufacturing an optical element according to a prescription is provided, including providing a combination of a block piece and a lens blank having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, the lens blank being blocked with the first face on the block piece, surfacing and polishing the second face of the lens blank, cleaning the lens blank, hard coating the second face of the lens blank, degassing the lens blank, applying an AR-coating in a vacuum box coater, and deblocking the processed lens blank from the block piece, wherein the cleaning step includes a pre-cleaning step including a finishing drying step allowing the lens blank to be put on hold, and a deep cleaning step prior to the hard coating step.