Ophthalmic Lens Process Selection for Additive and Hybrid Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of additive manufacturing processes for ophthalmic lenses, combined with traditional techniques, makes it difficult to manually determine and select the most suitable manufacturing process due to the vast variety of available techniques and their combinations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes processors to automate the determination and selection of ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes, considering input data such as equipment capabilities and preference criteria, to efficiently choose between additive and traditional techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual determination and selection of manufacturing processes is used, then human judgment and flexibility are applied, but the process selection becomes difficult and time-consuming due to the vast variety of available techniques and their combinations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual human judgment with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to determine and select manufacturing processes. The system automatically retrieves data about available techniques and combinations, processes this information through computational methods, and generates process selections without human intervention, thereby eliminating the time-consuming nature of manual evaluation while maintaining systematic rigor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the manufacturing system itself to automatically determine and select appropriate processes without external human input. The automated system retrieves relevant data, evaluates available techniques and combinations, and makes process selections independently, freeing human operators from this complex decision-making task while ensuring consistent and repeatable results.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the variety of additive and traditional manufacturing techniques is expanded, then more manufacturing options and flexibility are available, but the complexity of determining and selecting the most suitable process increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex process selection task into distinct automated components: data retrieval about available techniques, data processing through algorithms, and process determination/selection. This segmentation allows the system to handle vast variety of manufacturing options by breaking down the overwhelming complexity into manageable automated steps, where each component processes specific aspects independently before integrating results.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system acts as an intermediary between the vast array of available manufacturing techniques and the final process selection. It retrieves comprehensive data about all available techniques and combinations, processes this information through computational algorithms, and presents determined processes for selection. This intermediary layer manages the complexity by systematically organizing and processing information about diverse techniques before reaching the selection decision.
Data Source
AI summary
This system for selecting at least one ophthalmic lens manufacturing process to be used for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens, the manufacturing including additive manufacturing, includes at least one processor configured to determine in an automated manner, on the basis of a set of input data, at least two ophthalmic lens manufacturing processes differing by at least one manufacturing operation, which can be used for manufacturing the ophthalmic lens. It further includes 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.