A collet (230) for holding a contact lens mold half (240) during machining of a surface of the mold half (240) having a disc (235) having a face and defining: a central structure (250a), at the center of the face, for receiving a head portion (240a) of the mold half (240), and an elongate recess (250b), in the face, for receiving a tail portion (240b) of the mold half (240), the elongate recess (250b) extending from the central structure (250a) along a radius of the disc (235).

A universal machining system capable of accommodating multiple small-batch or one-off machining jobs, involving workpieces of different diameter and composition, comprises a rotating chuck having multiple jaws that may be adjusted positionally inward or outward towards the longitudinal centerline of the workpiece or removed entirely, and a tool turret capable of holding a variety of socketed tools. System also comprises a measurement sensor, which may be separate or comprise one of the socketed tools. A control program collects machining instructions for a series of workpieces, and directs the chuck, the tool turret, the measurement sensor, and at least one robot to load/unload workpieces and tools from the chuck and turret, respectively, measure workpieces and tools for quality control, and track available storage, overriding or skipping individual machining instructions as dictated by safety parameters and the availability of raw materials and tools.

A gripping device (100) for holding, centring and/or clamping a micromechanical or horological component (200) in a chamber delimited by a collet including at least one movable jaw (2) and at least one stationary jaw (3), wherein some of the movable jaws (2) and/or stationary jaws (3) include a reference surface (20) to support a component (200) bearing frontally thereagainst, and the gripping device (100) includes both, on the one hand, stationary jaws (3) including the reference surface (20) to support the component (200) bearing thereagainst, and movable jaws (2) for centring and/or clamping the component (200), and on the other hand a vacuum generator (60) for creating the vacuum in the clamping chamber. Also a related method.

An additive lathe integrates the advantages of additive manufacturing (also called 3d printing) with the cylindrical motion of a lathe to reduce material waste, print times, and increase creative potential. A post-processing system allows for an improved surface finishing on parts. The additive lathe no longer prints in cartesian (X, Y, Z) coordinates as other 3D printers and instead prints using cylindrical (R, Theta, Z) coordinates. The traditional bed or build plate is replaced with a horizontal cylindrical starter bar, on which 3D printed material is deposited along and around the bar. Essentially, the additive lathe works like a conventional lathe, but in reverse. Instead of taking a cylinder and slowly removing material as the part spins, the additive lathe adds material along and around the bar iteratively building up the part. The finishing mechanism allows for the creation of a smooth outer finish on printed parts while still in the printer.

A collet (230) for holding a contact lens mold half (240) during machining of a surface of the mold half (240) comprises a disc (235) having a face and defining: a central structure (250a), at the centre of the face, for receiving a head portion (240a) of the mold half (240), and an elongate recess (250b), in the face, for receiving a tail portion (240b) of the mold half (240), the elongate recess (250b) extending from the central structure (250a) along a radius of the disc (235).

Some embodiments of a device comprise a collet, a holder that has a proximal end that is configured to hold the collet and a distal end that has a cavity, and a holder sleeve at the proximal end of the holder. Also, the holder sleeve is configured to increase a grip of the collet, the collet and the holder define an opening that is configured to receive a pin, the opening extends from the cavity through a center of the holder and a center of the collet along a longitudinal axis of the collet and a longitudinal axis of the holder, and the cavity of the holder is wider than the opening.

A clamp includes a base portion and a grip portion. The base portion has a base end. The base portion includes an outer cylindrical member disposed about a clamp center axis. The outer cylindrical member extends from the base end to an outer distal end. The outer distal end of the outer cylindrical member defines an annular first clamping surface disposed about the clamp center axis. The outer cylindrical member defines a base internal cavity extending from a base opening. The grip portion includes a cylindrical body and a grip member extending radially outward from the cylindrical body. The grip portion includes a second clamping surface. The cylindrical body is configured to be positioned within the base internal cavity of the base portion such that the second clamping surface of the grip portion radially overlaps the annular first clamping surface of the base portion.

In an example embodiment, a bidirectional indexing apparatus includes a plurality of bidirectional indexing heads that can operate independently of each other or in concert to adjust a gap between a substrate and a pedestal in a substrate processing chamber. In some embodiments, a bidirectional indexing head comprises a base; a rotatable plate rotatable relative to the base, the rotatable plate including a plurality of profiled pockets each defining a camming surface therein; and a plurality of camming pins, each disposed to act on the camming surface of a respective profiled pocket to move the rotatable plate in a first or second rotatable direction when actuated.

A gripper device (100) for maintaining, centring, and/or clamping a micromechanical or horological component (200) in a clamping chamber defined by a clamp including at least one mobile jaw (2). At least a part of the mobile jaws (2) includes a reference surface (20) for frontal bearing of a component (200), and the gripper device (100) includes a vacuum generator (60) for creating the vacuum in the clamping chamber. Also, a method for fastening a micromechanical or horological component (200) in the clamping chamber of such a gripper device (100) according to which the component (200) is disposed on the reference surface (20), then a first maintaining by vacuum is carried out, then a second maintaining having a torque greater than that of the first maintaining by pivoting of the mobile jaws (2).

A gripping device (100) for holding, centring and/or clamping a micromechanical or horological component (200) in a chamber delimited by a collet including at least one movable jaw (2) and at least one stationary jaw (3), wherein some of the movable jaws (2) and/or stationary jaws (3) include a reference surface (20) to support a component (200) bearing frontally thereagainst, and the gripping device (100) includes both, on the one hand, stationary jaws (3) including the reference surface (20) to support the component (200) bearing thereagainst, and movable jaws (2) for centring and/or clamping the component (200), and on the other hand a vacuum generator (60) for creating the vacuum in the clamping chamber. Also a related method.