Optical Lens Machining Order for Tool-Independent Shape Settings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current machining protocols for optical lenses are not standardized and are specific to individual machining machines, making them inflexible and unusable if the machine's tools are changed, leading to increased machining cycle times and tedious information entry for opticians, especially when dealing with complex lens shapes.
Innovation Solution
A new standard communication protocol is developed to generate machining instructions that are independent of specific machining machines, allowing for the breakdown of lens shapes into 'objects' that can be machined using various tools, determining the optimal machining order to minimize tool changes and reduce cycle time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard communication protocol is implemented, then adaptability and versatility improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal communication protocol that enables machining instructions to be used across different machining centers and machine models. The protocol defines standardized data structures and communication formats that are model-independent, allowing a single instruction set to control multiple different types of machining equipment without requiring machine-specific adaptations.
2Productivity
If machining instructions are stored in memory for reuse, then productivity improves, but adaptability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic machining instructions that can be automatically adjusted based on the actual machining center being used. The system retrieves stored instruction templates from memory and dynamically adapts them to the specific machine's capabilities and parameters, allowing reuse of proven machining sequences while maintaining flexibility to accommodate different machine configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The protocol enables automatic modification of machining instruction parameters based on the target machine's characteristics. When instructions are retrieved from memory, the system automatically adjusts parameters such as tool diameters, speeds, and feeds to match the actual machining center being used, ensuring optimal performance without manual reprogramming.
3Manufacturing precision
If lens shape is divided into objects for machining, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lens shaping process into distinct machining objects or features that can be independently defined and processed. Each object represents a specific geometric element of the lens contour that can be machined separately, allowing for precise control of each feature's dimensions and tolerances while maintaining overall lens accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for generating settings for machining an optical lens (L1). According to the invention, this method includes steps consisting in: a) acquiring a file characterising the shape (F1) to which the optical lens must be machined in order to allow it to be fitted in a spectacle frame, b) decomposing said shape into a plurality of distinct objects, including an exterior envelope (7) inside of which all the other objects (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) are located, c) determining a machining order in which to machine said other objects, and d) generating the machining settings depending on said machining order.