System and method for selecting ophthalmic lens manufacturing process

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for selecting an ophthalmic lens manufacturing process. A system (10) for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens, the manufacturing comprising additive manufacturing, the system comprising at least one processor (14), the at least one processor is configured to determine, in an automated manner, at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes usable for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens based on a set of input data, the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes differing due to at least one manufacturing operation. The system further includes at least one processor (16) configured to select, among the determined at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes, at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of a patent application with an application date of June 23, 2020, application number 202080043392.3, and name “System and method for selecting an ophthalmic lens manufacturing process”. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a system and method for selecting an ophthalmic lens manufacturing process. Background Art

[0003] The manufacture of ophthalmic lenses typically involves several entities.

[0004] Typically, based on the prescription and data related to the frames selected by the customer and possibly other requirements (a given tint and / or a specific coating for the ophthalmic lenses), an eye care professional (such as an optician) orders ophthalmic lenses from a commercial entity, which then dispatches the received order to a production site (such as a laboratory) where the ophthalmic lenses are manufactured.

[0005] Ophthalmic lenses are typically manufactured using a surfacing process, which can be either traditional or digital surfacing. The surfacing process includes several steps, such as lens selection, blocking, surfacing, polishing, and engraving.

[0006] Once an ophthalmic lens has been surface processed, it can receive added value such as tinting, hard coating, anti-reflection, etc. The ophthalmic lens can then be edged to the desired shape.

[0007] Ophthalmic lenses also need to be measured and controlled to match patient needs and standards.

[0008] Different data flows describe the communication between the different actors and systems involved in the entire production chain, mainly for surface processing, edging and control.

[0009] Generally, a management system, which may be referred to as a lens design and processing system or LDPS, is able to define or "calculate" an ophthalmic lens in two different ways:

[0010] Approximate and rapid methods to assess feasibility, compliance with patient needs and standards; and / or references to consumables (called semi-finished lenses in stock) required to produce ophthalmic lenses. Available data do not allow the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses but give sufficient details to simulate their geometry (curvature, thickness, overall shape, etc.);

[0011] Or a complete and full calculation in order to generate the data necessary to manufacture an ophthalmic lens. This may require LDPS to know the specific equipment available at the production site, the specific configuration of these equipment and additional product-related information. The information returned contains the precise final geometry of the ophthalmic lens, the type of semi-finished lens to be used and complete information of all manufacturing steps, including the data ready to be processed by the manufacturing machine.

[0012] In both cases, this data is returned to the calling entity (i.e., the entity requesting the LDPS, typically a laboratory) for computation, and such entity must integrate the data into its data flows to use the data appropriately based on the level of computation and make the data available when requested by the device.

[0013] LDPS also has methods to track jobs and keep a history of information received by and / or sent back to the calling entity. LDPS also allows access and / or generation of data for other systems (for support and billing, etc.).

[0014] In some cases, LDPS can also send part of the information to a third system, either local or remote (e.g., on the Internet), which will be used to store the information. This is particularly useful, but not limited to information that must be protected and whose transmission must be limited as much as possible. In this case, once the device or other system is allowed to obtain data directly from the third system, the data can be obtained directly from the third system as needed.

[0015] For a specific ophthalmic lens order, it may be necessary to choose between several manufacturing processes for manufacturing ophthalmic lenses, if the lenses are obtainable by more than one manufacturing process, wherein all those processes perform the same set of operations but differ mainly on the basis of semi-finished lenses having different front curvatures or different diameters. Other parameters that may vary (refractive index / optical design...) are usually already determined by the ordering party.

[0016] For example, the selection of a particular manufacturing process may depend on several criteria, such as the type of manufacturing equipment and the inventory available at a production site that is capable of manufacturing the ordered ophthalmic lenses.

[0017] The decision to select one manufacturing process over another can be made by an eye care professional, or by a production site with or without eye care professionals, primarily for inventory management reasons.

[0018] When only a small number (say two or three) of manufacturing processes are available, and because their different parts have limited range and limited impact on other parts of the process or even on the final product, those manufacturing processes can be determined manually and selecting one of those manufacturing processes is easy.

[0019] In the world of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, the situation is different.

[0020] Additive manufacturing is a manufacturing technology defined in the international standard ASTM 2792-12 and refers to a process of assembling material elements based on a digital three-dimensional model (usually represented by the data of a CAD file, CAD standing for "computer-aided design") to obtain a solid three-dimensional object.

[0021] Such processes are sometimes referred to as 3D printing or material printing because successive material elements (e.g., layers) can be successively deposited on previous material elements. The layers corresponding to virtual cross-sections extracted from the three-dimensional model are assembled and fused to form a solid three-dimensional object, here an optical component including an ophthalmic lens and a holder.

[0022] The expression "additive manufacturing" refers in particular to the process of forming a physical object by juxtaposing volume elements or voxels. The term "juxtaposition" is understood to mean sequential operations, such as in particular depositing a layer on a previous layer, or depositing a voxel in contact with or in the vicinity of a previously deposited voxel.

[0023] Furthermore, the term "voxel" is understood to mean a single element which in combination with other voxels defines an intermediate element, such as a layer. The term "voxel" may also be applied to intermediate elements, such as layers, in particular when using stereolithography.

[0024] Therefore, depending on the additive manufacturing technology used, optical lenses will have the potential to be produced voxel by voxel, row by row, or layer by layer.

[0025] The additive manufacturing method used may be selected from, but not limited to, the list consisting of: inkjet printing, stereolithography, mask stereolithography or mask projection stereolithography, material (e.g. polymer) jetting, scanning laser sintering (SLS), scanning laser melting (SLM) and fused deposition modeling (FDM).

[0026] Namely, various families of additive manufacturing technologies are known: DLP-SLA (Digital Light Processing-Stereolithography) and material jetting (also known as inkjet printing), or even Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), among others.

[0027] According to DLP-SLA, an image of a slice of the part to be printed is projected onto the surface of a liquid resin tank to print a layer. After each layer is formed, the part is moved vertically to print a new layer. The part can be moved above or inside the tank. The print includes supports for the part.

[0028] According to material jetting, parts are printed drop by drop. Similar to inkjet paper printing, the system can use a print head that includes multiple drop ejectors. The system also typically includes a UV curing system to fix each drop of ink where it is printed.

[0029] However, each of these technology families, in particular DLP-SLA and material jetting, includes many variations in the equipment, processes and materials used, as well as in the manufacturing processes implemented. Examples of such variations of additive manufacturing processes are: parameters inherent to each variant of each technology, such as the inherent thickness or size of the layers and / or droplets, the fluidic and mechanical properties of the materials, or different strategies for manufacturing lenses using said technology variants (such as lenses completely manufactured to their final shape by 3D printing or requiring further edging processes); lenses manufactured by additive additive manufacturing (i.e., building additively manufactured parts of the lens on an existing lens or transfer carrier), which may be followed by conventional surfacing or by finishing and edging; lens blanks, which are completely manufactured by 3D printing and then undergo conventional surfacing as well as finishing and edging, with all or only some of the conventional steps being necessary (e.g., engraving may no longer be necessary).

[0030] Therefore, the possibility of combining additive manufacturing techniques with traditional manufacturing techniques creates many additional variants for the manufacturing process. Several combinations will appear, depending on the complexity of the lens, the processes and machines available at the production site, the materials used, etc. These combinations of additive and subtractive processes can be considered hybrid processes.

[0031] Furthermore, depending on the manufacturing process to be used, the resulting lens (eg its thickness) may be different.

[0032] Therefore, it is impossible to manually determine all possible manufacturing processes and to select an ophthalmic lens manufacturing process among such a large number of manufacturing processes. Summary of the invention

[0033] The purpose of the present disclosure is to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art.

[0034] To this end, the present disclosure provides a system for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used in manufacturing an ophthalmic lens, said manufacturing comprising additive manufacturing, notably, the system comprising:

[0035] at least one processor configured to determine in an automated manner at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes that can be used to manufacture an ophthalmic lens based on a set of input data, the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes differing by at least one manufacturing operation; and

[0036] At least one processor is configured to select at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used to manufacture the ophthalmic lens among the determined at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes.

[0037] Thus, the present disclosure makes it possible to determine in a fast and easy automated manner a list of manufacturing processes that can be used to manufacture an ordered ophthalmic lens, even though a wide variety of manufacturing processes are conceivable due to the large number of available additive manufacturing technologies and traditional manufacturing technologies and combinations therebetween.

[0038] Furthermore, the present disclosure enables easy and rapid selection of one or more specific manufacturing processes from a defined list of possibilities.

[0039] The present disclosure also provides a method for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens, the manufacturing comprising additive manufacturing, notably comprising the steps of:

[0040] determining in an automated manner at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes that can be used to manufacture an ophthalmic lens based on a set of input data, the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes differing by at least one manufacturing operation; and

[0041] At least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process is selected to be used for manufacturing the ophthalmic lens among the determined at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes.

[0042] Since the method according to the present disclosure has the same advantages as the system, it will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] For a more complete understanding of the description provided herein and its advantages, reference is now made to the following brief description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts.

[0044] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for selecting an ophthalmic lens manufacturing process in accordance with the present disclosure in certain embodiments.

[0045] Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating steps of a method for selecting an ophthalmic lens manufacturing process according to the present disclosure in certain embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In the following description, although making and using different embodiments are discussed in detail below, it should be understood that many inventive concepts that can be implemented in a variety of environments are provided as described herein. The embodiments discussed herein are merely representative and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. It is also obvious to those skilled in the art that all technical features defined in connection with the process can be transposed to the device alone or in combination, and conversely, all technical features related to the device can be transposed to the process alone or in combination, and the technical features of different embodiments can be exchanged or combined with the features of other embodiments.

[0047] The terms "comprise" (and any grammatical variations thereof, such as "comprises" and "comprising"), "have" (and any grammatical variations thereof, such as "has" and "having"), "contain" (and any grammatical variations thereof, such as "contains" and "containing"), and "include" (and any grammatical variations thereof, such as "includes" and "including") are open-ended linking verbs. They are used to indicate the presence of the features, integers, steps or components or groups they describe, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components or groups thereof. Therefore, a method or step in a method that "comprises", "has", "contains" or "includes" one or more steps or elements possesses those one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps or elements.

[0048] The (multiple) processors within the terminology of the present disclosure may include dedicated hardware and hardware capable of executing software associated with appropriate software. This may include a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or multiple separate processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, the explicit use of the term "processor" should not be interpreted as specifically referring to hardware capable of executing software, but rather to a processing device in a general manner, which may, for example, include a computer, a microprocessor, an integrated circuit, or a programmable logic device (PLD). In addition, instructions and / or data capable of executing associated and / or resulting functions may be stored on any processor-readable medium, such as an integrated circuit, a hard disk, a CD (optical disc), an optical disc (such as a DVD (digital versatile disc), a RAM (random access memory) or a ROM (read-only memory)). Instructions may be stored in particular in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0049] The system according to the present disclosure is used to select one or several manufacturing processes to manufacture an ophthalmic lens.

[0050] Manufacturing contemplated in the context of the present disclosure includes at least manufacturing by additive manufacturing of at least a portion of an ophthalmic lens in a contemplated manufacturing machine or manufacturing system.

[0051] The system includes at least one processor configured to determine a manufacturing process, and at least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process within a set of at least two manufacturing processes.

[0052] A processor configured to perform a task refers to a processor that includes software and / or hardware capable of performing the calculations required to perform the task.

[0053] Thus, at least one processor is configured to determine in an automated manner at least two different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes that can be used to manufacture an ophthalmic lens based on a set of input data.

[0054] Two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes are defined as "different" if they differ due to the nature of at least one operation, i.e., the two "different" operations do not have the same function in the manufacturing process or do not use the same manufacturing tools to achieve said function. In contrast, two variations of the same manufacturing process (e.g., only changing the semi-finished lens front curvature or diameter) are not considered to be two different manufacturing processes. However, two manufacturing processes processing two different materials (which would result in the production of two lenses with different shapes) are considered to be two different processes.

[0055] Further, the at least one processor is configured to select in an automated manner at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used to manufacture the ophthalmic lens among at least two different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes determined by the at least one processor configured to do so.

[0056] At least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process within a set of at least two manufacturing processes may be integrated in the manufacturing machine or manufacturing system under consideration, or may exist in at least one external entity and / or at least one server configured to manage data from the external entity and communicate with the manufacturing machine or manufacturing system under consideration via an external network.

[0057] At least a portion of the set of input data may be stored in a database of a system according to the present disclosure, directly accessible by at least one processor configured to determine the manufacturing process. In this case, the database may be on the same computer or server as the at least one processor configured to determine the manufacturing process. As a variant, at least a portion of the set of input data is received by at least one processor configured to determine the manufacturing process upon a request to at least one external entity and / or at least one server configured to manage data from said external entity. The external entity may be a manufacturing plant or a machine at said manufacturing plant and / or may represent an optician or other eye care professional or a lens ordering entity.

[0058] The set of input data may at least partially include lens input data that may be received from an external entity (such as an entity representing an optician or other eye care professional or any other lens ordering entity), and at least partially include one or more sets of manufacturing data that may be obtained from a database of the system or a subunit of the system, or from a manufacturing plant or machine and / or a server configured to manage data from the manufacturing plant or machine.

[0059] In certain embodiments, the set of lens input data includes information related to an ophthalmic lens to be manufactured.

[0060] As a non-limiting example, the set of lens input data may be related to the geometry of the ophthalmic lens and may include, in addition to prescription parameters (spherical power, cylindrical power, axis, lower light addition, prismatic power and orientation, etc.), the actual lens design product selected, the front and back geometry of the ophthalmic lens, the contour shape and / or thickness of the ophthalmic lens, the optical refractive index of the lens, and fitting information (such as the anterior tilt angle and / or the angular wrap, dimensions A and B, etc.), and / or data related to a paired lens that is paired with the ophthalmic lens to be manufactured and is intended to be installed in the same frame for the same customer.

[0061] In certain embodiments, the set of lens input data may also include value-added functions (such as anti-scratch, anti-reflection, tinting, photochromic, polarization, etc.) and / or parameters related to the wearer's morphology (such as the distance between the eyes). The set of lens input data may also include frame installation information, such as the shape of the nose pad, the 2D or 3D shape and / or the position of the groove or bevel of the mounting hole, etc.

[0062] The set of manufacturing input data includes information related to theoretically available manufacturing processes or machines.

[0063] In particular embodiments, the set of manufacturing input data may include data about additive manufacturing machines available in at least one manufacturing plant, characteristics of these additive manufacturing machines and / or data about their technical capabilities, and may include data about other manufacturing machines available in the at least one manufacturing plant, the availability and / or technical capabilities of these other manufacturing machines, etc.

[0064] The set of manufacturing data may further include, for example, pre-processing information (e.g., in the case of additive manufacturing build stacking, the selection of a carrier, procedures for cleaning, positioning and holding the carrier, the additive manufacturing machine, materials, preparation of supports, etc.), post-processing information (e.g., information on post-curing when necessary to eliminate temporary support structures, finishing processes such as polishing, etc.), and whether a lens can be manufactured based on an already existing lens or whether a completely new lens should be manufactured.

[0065] In addition to the above parameters, in certain embodiments, the set of input data may also include preference criteria that are provided to at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes by the eye care professional who ordered the lens. Such preference criteria may, for example, relate to the maximum cost of the lens, the maximum time required to receive the manufactured lens, and / or the minimum level of optical quality required for the lens.

[0066] In a particular embodiment, the set of lens input data may also include information related to the mandatory permanent markings to be made on the lenses (lens designer, lower light addition for progressive designs, center mark, etc.), branding, personalization (initials, pictures, etc.), special markings for lens tracking and identification (data matrix, barcode, etc.).

[0067] In certain embodiments, the set of input data may also include information for measuring and controlling the final lens according to the selected standard and suitable for the equipment to be used for the control.

[0068] The above examples of information that may be included in the set of input data are not limiting, and thus their listing is not exhaustive.

[0069] Based on the set of input data and knowing the technical capabilities in terms of equipment (additive manufacturing machines, conventional surface processing equipment, finishing equipment, control / measurement machines and configurations of such equipment) and available materials, at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes automatically calculates characteristics or "recipes" of at least two manufacturing processes that can be implemented for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens at least partially using an additive manufacturing process. By doing so, the processor uses the manufacturing input data to determine at least one, preferably at least two, manufacturing processes that are available. In an embodiment, at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes calculates all manufacturing processes that can be implemented for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens while using only machines of the same manufacturing plant for each process.

[0070] At least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes can refer to a set of pre-existing manufacturing process types present in a database, and then such determination can be based on the following: identifying which manufacturing process in the set of manufacturing processes of the type can be enabled based on the input data.

[0071] Furthermore, the at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes may calculate or determine specificities of the manufacturing processes thus determined and / or specificities of an ophthalmic lens to be manufactured using said determined at least two different manufacturing processes.

[0072] Assume that the set of input data results in calculations for at least two different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes.

[0073] In a particular embodiment, at least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process applies a predetermined cost function to different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes determined by at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes. The resulting cost function values ​​correspond to the different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes determined by at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes and / or the different ophthalmic lenses to be manufactured by the ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes, respectively.

[0074] The values ​​used in the cost function calculation may be calculated by at least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process. Alternatively, the values ​​may be calculated by at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes while determining the specificity of the determined manufacturing process or the specificity of the ophthalmic lens to be manufactured using such a manufacturing process. In a further alternative, the values ​​used in the cost function calculation may be attributed by at least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process based on previous values ​​calculated by at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes.

[0075] That is, at least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process is adapted to compare various cost function values ​​and select at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process corresponding to the lowest cost function value.

[0076] In certain embodiments, the cost function may be based on a number of factors including expected manufacturing costs, expected manufacturing duration, expected amount of cosmetic defects in the lens, expected type and amount of material consumed in manufacturing, expected weight and / or thickness of the lens, and expected optical quality level of the lens manufactured according to each ophthalmic lens manufacturing process. The resulting cost function value may be, for example, a weighted sum of such factors (possibly in combination with other factors).

[0077] In the example described below, at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes determines that four different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes can be implemented to manufacture an ophthalmic lens: DLP-SLA horizontal printing, referred to as process 1; DLP-SLA vertical printing, referred to as process 2; inkjet full lens printing, referred to as process 3; and inkjet patch printing, referred to as process 4.

[0078] The main steps of process 1 are as follows. Stereolithography is used to print the lens horizontally, with the support being located below the main face of the lens which is visibly horizontal. The lens is directly formed with a shape suitable for the frame, so that no edging step is required. After the lens has been printed, the upper side of the lens is polished to provide the required transparency. Next, a blocking step sets the reference system and clamps the upper surface of the lens. Then, the lower side of the lens, which was previously in contact with the support and corresponds to the back side of the lens when presented on the frame, is machined and polished, and the lens is finally unblocked.

[0079] The main steps of process 2 are as follows. The lens is printed vertically using stereolithography technology, where the support is positioned at the edge of the lens. The lens is directly formed to have a shape that fits the frame, so that no edging step is required. After the lens is printed, the support is used to clamp the lens and the surface is polished in turn. Next, the support is removed and a de-gating step is performed, after which the edge of the ophthalmic lens is polished, for example. Optionally, the lens surface can be further protected by a film. This can provide added value, such as tinting, hard coating, etc.

[0080] The main steps of process 3 are as follows. The lens is printed horizontally using polymer jetting technology. This is done in two steps in order to avoid the use of supports. In particular, in this example, the first part of the lens is produced on a flat surface of a support plane. After the first part is formed, the lens is then turned over and the second part of the lens is manufactured by jetting a polymer on the surface of the first part previously in contact with the support plane. The lens obtained has a profile close to the shape of the frame. After the lens is printed, an edging step is performed, which is a light operation used to produce a profile with possible grooves, bevels, etc.

[0081] The main steps of process 4 are as follows. After a first step of picking a support lens from stock, the patch is printed horizontally on a support film. Next, a lamination step transfers the patch to the face of the support lens that will face the wearer when mounted on the frame. An additional edging step enables the lens to be fitted into the frame by removing the outer part of the support lens, which can be done after providing added value such as tinting, hard coating, etc.

[0082] In this example, the cost function is based on the following factors:

[0083] the service factor, defined as the time required to deliver the lenses;

[0084] the sustainability factor, defined as the ratio between the amount of waste material and the amount of effective product;

[0085] Perceived quality factors are defined as the perceptions that consumers associate with lens characteristics such as haze, contrast, diffraction effects, etc. The perceived quality factors may also include the above-mentioned expected optical quality level of the lens and / or the above-mentioned expected amount of cosmetic defects. According to the present disclosure, the cost function takes into account the fact of perceived quality factors, that is, optical quality aspects as well as geometrical aspects, making it possible to use data generated by the measurements of haze, contrast, diffraction effects, etc., and / or data given by a trained panel of wearers, and / or pre-existing data collected in one or more databases as comparative data to predict the comfort of the lens wearer. Such comparative data make it possible to automatically classify the different available manufacturing processes according to the selection of the most suitable process. By way of non-limiting example, if the haze exceeds a predetermined threshold when using the manufacturing process under consideration, the perceived quality factor will automatically predict that the optical quality of the lens obtained by using the manufacturing process under consideration is lower than the optical quality when another manufacturing process is used with a haze below the above-mentioned threshold;

[0086] The thickness factor, defined as the maximum thickness inside the intended contour, which is the frame, if known, or the circumscribed shape (e.g., circle, ellipse, rectangle, etc.);

[0087] The lens weight factor, defined as the estimated weight of a lens with the intended contour, which is the frame, if known, or the circumscribed shape (e.g., circle, ellipse, rectangle, etc.);

[0088] The operating cost factor is defined as the cost of consumables (including waste disposal costs), operator costs, maintenance capitalization, etc.;

[0089] The capital cost factor, defined as the investment cost portion of the lens production cost, can be minimized by maximizing the use of the process and the machinery used therein; and

[0090] The quality level factor, defined as the capability of the process or workshop with respect to the expected tolerance of the lens, gives the possibility of not taking into account production costs or services.

[0091] It should be noted that any values ​​given in the examples merely reflect the current state of the art for several types of machines and processes currently available to the inventors. Such values, particularly values ​​of perceived quality or quality level, may change if similar processes are implemented on different machines and / or if optimized processes are used.

[0092] Table 1 below details the values ​​of the corresponding units of each of the above factors, which correspond to the scales of scores assigned to these factors, i.e., minimum score 1, first quartile score 3, middle score 5, third quartile score 7, and maximum score 9. The lower the score, the lower the cost function, and the better the characteristic evaluated by the corresponding factor.

[0093]

[0094]

[0095] Table 1

[0096] In this example, two different cases referred to as "Case 1" and "Case 2" are considered, respectively for two lenses having a cylindrical power of 1.00 and different values ​​of the refractive index, spherical power, axis position, lower light addition and profile of the material used, as detailed in Table 2 below.

[0097]

[0098] Table 2

[0099] For Cases 1 and 2, the following Tables 3 to 6 list the values ​​of the corresponding units and the corresponding scores for each of the above factors for the above described manufacturing processes 1 to 4. Table 3 is for process 1, Table 4 is for process 2, Table 5 is for process 3, and Table 6 is for process 4.

[0100] As described above, and applicable to the following table, these values ​​may be determined by at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes during said determination or when determining the specificities of said manufacturing process and of the lens manufactured thereby. The at least one processor configured to determine at least one manufacturing process may thus calculate each of said values ​​or may refer to a database of some of said values.

[0101] In addition, the scores in the following table can be assigned by at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes based on the determined values, or assigned by at least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process based on the values ​​determined by at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes and transmitted to at least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process.

[0102]

[0103] Table 3: Process 1

[0104]

[0105] Table 4: Process 2

[0106]

[0107]

[0108] Table 5: Process 3

[0109]

[0110] Table 6: Process 4

[0111] It should be noted that another selection system may assign other scores to these values ​​or determine values ​​for other factors without changing the core of the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0112] Based on all the above scores, for Ophthalmic Lens Case 1 and Ophthalmic Lens Case 2 and the four manufacturing processes described above, three non-limiting examples of possible cost functions as a weighted sum of the scores obtained for at least some of the factors are given below.

[0113] Example 1 of Case 1 in Table 7 below focuses on identifying the manufacturing process with the best production cost. Therefore, coefficient (or weight) 1 is assigned to the score of the operating cost factor, and coefficient 2 is assigned to the score of the quality level factor for calculating the cost function as the weighted sum of these two factors, while other factors are not considered in the cost function.

[0114]

[0115] Table 7 - Case 1 - Example 1: Optimal production costs

[0116] For processes 3 and 4, the lowest cost function values ​​of the production cost are obtained, so these two processes can be selected. As shown here and not limited to this example, if two or more processes have the same result, it is possible to let the operator or customer make the final selection, or it is possible to integrate another parameter or use another cost function to compare multiple processes with similar cost function values.

[0117] Example 2 of Case 1 in Table 8 below focuses on identifying the manufacturing process that will produce a lens with the best perceived quality. Therefore, a coefficient of 2 is assigned to the score of the perceived quality factor, and a coefficient of 1 is assigned to the thickness factor and the lens weight factor, respectively, while other factors are not considered in the cost function.

[0118]

[0119]

[0120] Table 8 - Case 1 - Example 2: Best perceived lens quality

[0121] For process 3, the lowest cost function value for perceived quality of the lens was obtained, so this process was selected. In embodiments of the present disclosure that propose the selection of two processes in order to allow the operator or customer to make the final selection, processes 2 and 3 will be selected.

[0122] Example 3 of Case 1 in Table 9 below focuses on identifying the manufacturing process that provides the best performance / cost tradeoff. Therefore, a coefficient of 1 is assigned to the score of each factor, and all factors are considered in the cost function.

[0123]

[0124] Table 9 - Case 1 - Example 3: Best performance / cost tradeoff

[0125] For process 4, the lowest cost function value for the best performance / cost tradeoff was obtained, so this process was selected. In embodiments of the present disclosure that propose the selection of two processes in order to let the operator or customer make the final selection, processes 3 and 4 will be selected.

[0126] The cost functions of Examples 1, 2, and 3 of Case 2 in the following Tables 10, 11, and 12 use the same coefficients as those shown in Case 1 of Examples 1, 2, and 3, respectively.

[0127]

[0128]

[0129] Table 10 - Case 2 - Example 1: Optimal production costs

[0130] For process 3, the lowest cost function value for production cost is obtained, so this process is selected. In embodiments of the present disclosure that propose to select two processes so that the operator or customer makes the final selection, processes 2 and 3 will be selected.

[0131]

[0132] Table 11 - Case 2 - Example 2: Best perceived lens quality

[0133] For process 2, the lowest cost function value for perceived quality of the lens is obtained, so this process is selected. In embodiments of the present disclosure that propose the selection of two processes in order to let the operator or customer make the final selection, processes 1 and 2 will be selected.

[0134]

[0135] Table 12 - Case 2 - Example 3: Best performance / cost tradeoff

[0136] For process 2, the lowest cost function value for the best performance / cost tradeoff is obtained, so this process is selected. In embodiments of the present disclosure that propose the selection of two processes in order to let the operator or customer make the final choice, processes 2 and 3 will be selected.

[0137] As can be seen when applying the cost function principles of the present disclosure to these examples, the properties of the target ophthalmic lens (here Case 1 or 2) may have an impact on the process that is most suitable given a particular cost function.

[0138] In fact, if the goal is to identify the manufacturing process with the best production cost using the exemplary cost function, then Process 4 is better for manufacturing the ophthalmic lenses of Case 1, while Process 3 is better for the ophthalmic lenses of Case 2.

[0139] Further, if the goal is to use the exemplary cost function to identify the manufacturing process that will produce the best perceived quality of the lens to be manufactured, then Process 3 is better for manufacturing the ophthalmic lens of Case 1, while Process 2 is better for the ophthalmic lens of Case 2.

[0140] Furthermore, when the goal is to use the exemplary cost function to identify the manufacturing process that will provide the best compromise between cost and performance, then Process 4 is better for manufacturing the ophthalmic lenses of Case 1, while Process 2 is better for the ophthalmic lenses of Case 2.

[0141] Thus, using the process of the present disclosure enables efficient selection of the most suitable manufacturing process for each ophthalmic lens to be manufactured, based on a given selection cost function and therefore for a given selection criteria.

[0142] It should be noted that in an embodiment, an operator or customer selects a cost function to be used by at least one processor configured to select at least one manufacturing process.

[0143] It should be noted that in the embodiment where two or more manufacturing processes are selected, in order to enable the operator or customer to make a final selection, at least two processes that achieve the lowest value of a given cost function may be selected. Alternatively, the operator or customer may be presented with the final manufacturing process that has achieved the lowest value of two or more different cost functions. For example, with respect to the ophthalmic lens of Case 1, a suggestion that the lens manufactured by process 3 has better perceived quality, and a suggestion that the lens manufactured by process 4 has a better performance / cost compromise may be displayed to the eye care professional.

[0144] More generally, the eye care professional may be presented with at least a first suggestion of a lens manufactured by a first process, having a first better cost function value determined using a first cost function (intended to identify, for example, one of production cost, perceived quality, a performance / cost tradeoff, etc.), and a second suggestion of a lens manufactured by a second process different from the first process, having a second better cost function value determined using a second cost function different from the first cost function. The lens is then manufactured using the process selected by the eye care professional among the various suggestions.

[0145] like Figure 1 As shown, in a specific embodiment, the system 10 for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of N candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N For example, candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N A laboratory or factory that houses the equipment and materials used to make ophthalmic lenses.

[0146] Location 121 to 12 N At least one of the candidate manufacturing sites is an additive manufacturing site.

[0147] According to the present disclosure, the system 10 includes at least one processor 14 configured to determine in an automated manner at least two different ophthalmic lens manufacturing effective processes that can be selected from candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N At least one of the following is implemented.

[0148] In other words, the determined at least two different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes can be performed by the locations 121 to 12 N two or more different manufacturing sites, or by sites 121 to 12 N The two processes may be carried out at the same manufacturing site, but using two different machines that exist at the same site, or using the same machine in two different ways.

[0149] At least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes may be included in the LDPS.

[0150] In order to determine the candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N At least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes implemented in at least one of the at least two different manufacturing processes uses a set of input data.

[0151] In a particular embodiment, at least a portion of the set of input data is stored in a database comprised in a computing unit comprising said at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes. As a variant, at least a portion of the set of input data is received by at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes.

[0152] The set of input data at least partially comprises lens input data received from an external entity (not shown) via a receiver (not shown) contained in at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes, and at least partially comprises manufacturing data, the lens input data coming from a database of the system 10 or a subunit of said system 10, or from a database or a server configured to manage the manufacturing data from at least two different candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N That is, the database may be located at a centralized location, or may be located at one or more candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N middle.

[0153] The at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes and the candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N The information transfer between them can be handled by a laboratory management system (LMS) known per se.

[0154] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the set of manufacturing input data includes information related to the locations 121 to 12 N Information on theoretically possible manufacturing processes at the additive manufacturing site.

[0155] Based on the set of input data and knowing the candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N Based on the technical capabilities of each of the sites in terms of equipment (additive manufacturing machines, traditional surface processing equipment, finishing equipment, control / measurement machines, and data that may be related to the configuration of such equipment) and available materials, at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes automatically calculates the characteristics or "recipes" of all manufacturing processes that can be implemented by at least one candidate manufacturing site for manufacturing ophthalmic lenses. The at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes can further calculate the characteristics of the ophthalmic lenses to be manufactured thereby.

[0156] By doing so, the processor uses the manufacturing input data to determine at least one, preferably at least two, manufacturing processes that are available. In an embodiment, the at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes calculates all manufacturing processes that can be implemented for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens while using only machines of the same manufacturing plant for each process.

[0157] At least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes can refer to a set of pre-existing manufacturing process types present in a database, and then such determination can be based on the following: identifying which manufacturing process in the set of types of manufacturing processes can be enabled based on the input data.

[0158] Assume that the set of input data and the plurality of candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N Calculations of at least two different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes are generated.

[0159] The system 10 further includes at least one processor 16 configured to select at least one manufacturing process suitable for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing the ophthalmic lens from among all manufacturing processes determined by the at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes.

[0160] In a particular embodiment, the at least one processor 16 configured to select at least one manufacturing process applies a predetermined cost function to the different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes determined by the at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes. The resulting cost function values ​​correspond to the different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes determined by the at least one processor 14 configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes, respectively.

[0161] That is, the at least one processor 16 configured to select at least one manufacturing process is adapted to compare various cost function values ​​and select at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process corresponding to the lowest cost function value.

[0162] In an embodiment, a user may input data into at least one processor 16 configured to directly or indirectly select at least one manufacturing process in order to select specific factors or cost functions for a process applying the present disclosure.

[0163] In further embodiments, based on the results of applying one or more cost functions to two or more different manufacturing processes, two or more processes may be suggested to a user, while providing the user with corresponding values ​​for one or more predetermined factors or cost functions. The user may then select a process for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens, which will be used to manufacture the desired ophthalmic lens. The use of processes of the present disclosure still applies because the number of possible processes to be compared is reduced to a manageable number of processes from which the user can select.

[0164] In certain embodiments, at least one processor 16 configured to select at least one manufacturing process is present in the candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N In at least one of the candidate manufacturing sites. In this embodiment, the cost function may include factors that depend on data taken from: the inventory of additive manufacturing materials corresponding to a given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process available in a given candidate manufacturing site, the inventory of semi-finished lenses and / or blank lenses available in a given candidate manufacturing site and corresponding to a given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process, and the manufacturing duration for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens using a given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process; and / or data related to other lenses or pairs of lenses to be manufactured in the same time period, especially when such manufacturing may affect some factor values ​​(such as capital costs or similar costs). The resulting cost function value may, for example, be a weighted sum of these factors as in the examples described above.

[0165] Typically, lenses are manufactured in pairs to be mounted on a given frame, and the two lenses of the pair of ophthalmic lenses may not have the same optical function. Therefore, in embodiments, different embodiments of the process of the present disclosure may be applied to the two lenses of a given pair, and factors and / or cost functions may be applied to the two lenses of the pair. In such embodiments, it is possible to present the resulting cost function value for the pair of lenses.

[0166] like Figure 2 As shown in the flowchart of , a method for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens according to the present disclosure, wherein the manufacturing includes additive manufacturing, the method includes a first determination step 20, which first determination step determines at least two different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes that can be used to manufacture the same target ophthalmic lens in an automated manner based on a set of input data.

[0167] In the presence of multiple candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N In a specific embodiment, at step 20, at least two types of manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N Different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes are performed by at least one additive manufacturing site.

[0168] The set of input data is as described above in conjunction with the system for selecting an ophthalmic lens manufacturing process according to the present disclosure.

[0169] The method comprises a second selection step 22 of selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing the ophthalmic lens among the different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes determined during the determination step 20 .

[0170] In a particular embodiment, the selection step 22 comprises a comparison step 220 of comparing at least two cost function values ​​corresponding to the results of applying a predetermined cost function to different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes determined in the determination step 20. The resulting cost function values ​​correspond respectively to the different ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes determined during the determination step 20. These cost function values ​​are defined as described above in conjunction with the system according to the present disclosure. In this particular embodiment, the selection step 22 also comprises a subsequent step 222 of selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process corresponding to the lowest cost function value.

[0171] exist Figure 2 In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the selection step 22 is followed by a generation step 24, which generates instructions for the manufacturing machine(s) of interest based on the ophthalmic lens manufacturing process(es) selected in the selection step 22. N In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the manufacturing machine(s) of interest are located at candidate manufacturing sites 121 to 12 N One or more of .

[0172] Then, in Figure 2 In a particular embodiment, during the manufacturing step 26 , the target ophthalmic lens is manufactured by using one of the ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes selected in the selection step 22 , for example by executing the manufacturing instructions generated in the generation step 24 .

[0173] While representative systems and methods have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that various substitutions and modifications may be made without departing from the scope described and defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens, said manufacturing comprising additive manufacturing, characterized in that The system comprises: at least one processor configured to determine in an automated manner at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes that can be used to manufacture the ophthalmic lens based on a set of input data, the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes differing by at least one manufacturing operation; and at least one processor configured to select at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing the ophthalmic lens among the determined at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes, wherein the at least one processor configured to select the at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used to manufacture the ophthalmic lens is configured to select among the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes based on at least two cost function values, each of the at least two cost function values ​​corresponding to a predetermined cost function applied to a different one of the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes, and the at least one processor is configured to compare the at least two cost function values ​​and select the at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process based on a result of the comparison, wherein the at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes is further configured to determine at least one of a specificity of the determined manufacturing process or a specificity of an ophthalmic lens to be manufactured using the determined manufacturing process, And among them: The values ​​used in the cost function calculation are calculated by the at least one processor configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes while determining at least one of a specificity of the determined manufacturing process or a specificity of an ophthalmic lens to be manufactured using the determined manufacturing process, The cost function is based on the following factors: service factor, sustainability factor, perceived quality factor, thickness factor, lens weight factor and quality level factor.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The system includes a plurality of candidate manufacturing sites, at least one of the plurality of candidate manufacturing sites is an additive manufacturing site, and the determined at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes are capable of being performed by at least one additive manufacturing site of the plurality of candidate manufacturing sites.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The system further includes a database storing at least a portion of the set of input data.

4. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The system further comprises a receiver adapted to receive at least a portion of the set of input data from an external entity.

5. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The set of input data includes a set of lens input data including information related to the ophthalmic lens and a set of manufacturing input data including information related to theoretically available manufacturing processes.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that The set of input data further includes preference criteria provided to the at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to determine at least two different manufacturing processes by the eye care professional.

7. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Each of the at least two cost function values ​​is a value of a predetermined cost function, which includes factors adopted from the following items: expected manufacturing cost, expected manufacturing duration, expected amount of cosmetic defects of the lens, expected type and amount of material consumed during manufacturing, expected weight and / or thickness of the lens, and expected optical quality level of the lens manufactured according to each manufacturing process.

8. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The at least one processor configured to select the at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process is included in each candidate manufacturing site among the multiple candidate manufacturing sites, characterized in that each of the at least two cost function values ​​is a value of a predetermined cost function, and the predetermined cost function includes factors that depend on data adopted from the following: the inventory of additive manufacturing materials corresponding to a given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process available in a given candidate manufacturing site, the inventory of semi-finished lenses and / or blank lenses corresponding to a given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process available in a given candidate manufacturing site, and the manufacturing duration of the ophthalmic lens using the given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process, and / or data related to other lenses or lens pairs to be manufactured within the same time period.

9. A method for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens, said manufacturing comprising additive manufacturing, characterized in that The method comprises: determining, by at least one first processor in an automated manner based on a set of input data, at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes that can be used to manufacture the ophthalmic lens, the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes differing by at least one manufacturing operation; while determining at least one of the peculiarities of the determined manufacturing process or the peculiarities of the ophthalmic lens to be manufactured using the determined manufacturing process, determining, by the at least one first processor, at least one of the peculiarities of the determined manufacturing process or the peculiarities of the ophthalmic lens to be manufactured using the determined manufacturing process, and selecting, by at least one second processor, at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing the ophthalmic lens from among the determined at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes, The selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process comprises: comparing at least two cost function values, each of the at least two cost function values ​​corresponding to a result of applying a predetermined cost function to a different one of the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes, wherein: The values ​​used in the cost function calculation are calculated by the at least one first processor while determining at least one of a specificity of the determined manufacturing process or a specificity of an ophthalmic lens to be manufactured using the determined manufacturing process; and selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process corresponding to a lowest cost function value among the at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes, The cost function is based on the following factors: service factor, sustainability factor, perceived quality factor, thickness factor, lens weight factor and quality level factor.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes can be performed by at least one additive manufacturing site among a plurality of candidate manufacturing sites including at least one additive manufacturing site.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that Each of the at least two cost function values ​​is a value of a predetermined cost function, which includes factors adopted from the following items: expected manufacturing cost, expected manufacturing duration, expected amount of cosmetic defects of the lens, expected type and amount of material consumed during manufacturing, expected weight and / or thickness of the lens, and expected optical quality level of the lens manufactured according to each manufacturing process.

12. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that Each of the at least two cost function values ​​is a value of a predetermined cost function, which includes factors that depend on data adopted from: the inventory of additive manufacturing materials corresponding to a given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process available in a given candidate manufacturing site, the inventory of semi-finished lenses and / or blank lenses corresponding to a given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process available in a given candidate manufacturing site, and the manufacturing duration of the ophthalmic lens using the given ophthalmic lens manufacturing process, and / or data related to other lenses or lens pairs to be manufactured within the same time period.

13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that The method further comprises a generating step of generating manufacturing instructions for at least one manufacturing machine based on one of the at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes selected by the selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that The method further comprises a manufacturing step of manufacturing the ophthalmic lens by using one of the at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes selected by the selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process.

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