A hydraulic-expansion chuck for clamping a workpiece includes an annular body, an inner circumferential surface, an outer circumferential surface, and an axis of rotation. The chuck also includes a channel integrated into the annular body for receiving a pressurized hydraulic fluid to clamp the workpiece. The channel has an annular peripheral channel section formed radially between the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface. The chuck also includes a holding contour with a plurality of expansion lugs disposed on the inner circumferential surface and a plurality of further channel sections branching off from the channel. At least one of the plurality of further channel sections extends into a respective lug of the plurality of expansion lugs, and the hydraulic-expansion chuck is manufactured by an additive manufacturing process.

A method of polishing a target surface of a waveguide to achieve perpendicularity relative to a reference surface is disclosed. The method includes i) providing a polishing apparatus having a polishing plate with a flat surface defining a reference plane, and an adjustable mounting apparatus configured to hold the waveguide during polishing at a plurality of angular orientations; ii) positioning an optical alignment sensor and a light reflecting apparatus such that a first collimated light beam is reflected off of a surface parallel to the reference plane, and a second perpendicular collimated light beam is reflected off of the reference surface; iii) aligning the waveguide within the polishing apparatus such that the reflections received by the optical alignment sensor align within the optical alignment sensor, thereby being indicative of perpendicularity between the reference plane and the reference surface; and iv) polishing the target surface of the aligned waveguide.

A method of polishing a target surface of a waveguide to achieve perpendicularity relative to a reference surface is disclosed. The method includes i) providing a polishing apparatus having a polishing plate with a flat surface defining a reference plane, and an adjustable mounting apparatus configured to hold the waveguide during polishing at a plurality of angular orientations; ii) positioning an optical alignment sensor and a light reflecting apparatus such that a first collimated light beam is reflected off of a surface parallel to the reference plane, and a second perpendicular collimated light beam is reflected off of the reference surface; iii) aligning the waveguide within the polishing apparatus such that the reflections received by the optical alignment sensor align within the optical alignment sensor, thereby being indicative of perpendicularity between the reference plane and the reference surface; and iv) polishing the target surface of the aligned waveguide.

A protective film removal device has a first removal station for releasing a protective film from an optical lens first surface, a lens holder which has an imaginary central axis, at least one fluid nozzle having a nozzle exit duct, and a rotary mounting between the lens holder and the fluid nozzle(s). The rotary mounting is configured such that a relative movement about the central axis is able to be carried out by the fluid nozzle(s), wherein the nozzle exit duct of the fluid nozzle(s) is in each case oriented inwards. A lifting device between the lens holder and the fluid nozzle(s) is configured in such that a relative movement in relation to the lens holder, said relative movement being oriented along the central axis, is able to be carried out by the fluid nozzle(s). A method for releasing a protective film from a lens surface is also disclosed.

A workpiece separator system including a gripper, a heat source in thermal communication with the gripper, the heat source configured to heat a block of the workpiece causing separation of an alloy puck from the block. A method for separating alloy from a block of a workpiece including heating the block, heating the alloy through the block, melting a thin interface between the block and the alloy, and removing from the block substantially all of the alloy as an alloy puck.

Disclosed is a method of preparing an operation of surfacing of a lens blank to transform the lens blank into a generated lens having a predetermined prism corresponding to an inclination between a front surface and a back surface of the generated lens at least locally. The method includes: for a plurality of devices destined to interact with the lens blank during the operation of surfacing to manufacture the predetermined prism of the generated lens, attributing a priority order to each; based on the priority order, attributing to each device a prism portion which is zero or included in a respective range delimited by a respective minimum prism portion and a respective maximum prism portion, the prism portion representing contribution of the corresponding device to the prism of the generated lens, for further interaction of each device with the lens blank during the operation of surfacing.

A blocking device for positioning and blocking an optical element to an insert at a given position, including an insert having a surface intended to be blocked against a face of the optical element with a glue material, the insert being positioned in respect with a blocking station; at least three pins to support the optical element at the given position, wherein the height of the extremity of each pin is adjustable independently of each other, the extremities being configured to position the optical element at the given position; and a locking device to hold the position of the optical element at the given position while the glue material is solidifying, the locking device including a lock associated with each pin.

A blocking device for positioning and blocking an optical element to an insert at a given position, including an insert having a surface intended to be blocked against a face of the optical element with a glue material, the insert being positioned in respect with a blocking station; at least three pins to support the optical element at the given position, wherein the height of the extremity of each pin is adjustable independently of each other, the extremities being configured to position the optical element at the given position; and a locking device to hold the position of the optical element at the given position while the glue material is solidifying, the locking device including a lock associated with each pin.

An apparatus and a block mold for blocking a lens are proposed, wherein the lens is blocked on a block piece by means of a block material. The space between the lens and the block piece is laterally delimited by a block mold. The block mold is preferably plate-shaped and has a plurality of block openings for forming different block sizes and has an integrated coolant channel. This enables easy and fast changing between different block sizes and very good cooling.

The supply systems for providing spectacle ophthalmic lenses have improved efficacy, in particular with respect to lens blank picking performance and/or lens manufacturing performance.