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Lens Finishing Equipment for Any Size Need
DAC Technologies™ is now the main U.S. distributor for the National Optronics product line of edgers, tracers and blockers. This innovative equipment was designed primarily around a patented dry-cutting technology. All National Optronics equipment is reliable, efďŹ cient and extremely user-friendly. Call us for more information.
www.dactechnologies.com 800.800.1550
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& IDEAS
FOR THE LABORATORY PROFESSIONAL
MAY 2018
PRODUCTS
OpticalLabProducts.com
O P T I C A L
L A B
P R O D U C T S Business • PG 2
Understanding
DATA MINING
To Improve Business PG 6
Management • PG 10
News • PG 15
GIVE YOUR LAB THE
ULTRA ADVANTAGE • • •
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Essential products for every lab. Superior coatings for all substrates 44R: The fastest, most reliable automated coating machine
www.ultraoptics.com
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BRAND NEW FROM YOUNGER OPTICS!
Low-light daytime situations twilight
shade
cloudy
partly cloudy
mostly sunny
direct sun
intense sunlight NuPolar® Infinite Gray™ polarized lenses are lighter when they need to be, and darker when the wearer needs it most! The darkness of the lens is controlled with a new UV-responsive photochromic technology that offers a wider range of light absorption than many polarized photochromic lenses. Contact your Younger rep to find out more!
Polarized At All Times High Efficiency Polarizer Photochromic: UV-responsive ~35% to ~9% Transmittance
NuPolar is a registered trademark and Infinite Gray is a trademark of Younger Mfg. Co.
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BY JIM GROOTEGOED
CONTENTS
MAY 2018
OPINIONS 02 03 04
Rollins on Marketing In the Lab One-to-One with Michael Walach
FEATURES 06 10
Data Driven Checking it Twice
RUNDOWN 12 15
New for the Lab News
EDITORIAL STAFF VP, EDITORIAL | John Sailer • JSailer@FVMG.com PROFESSIONAL EDITOR | Jim Grootegoed • JGrootegoed@cox.net EDITOR | Cara Aidone Huzinec • CHuzinec@FVMG.com ART DIRECTOR | Megan LaSalla • MLaSalla@FVMG.com CONTRIBUTING WRITER | Eric Rollins • EricRollins@Comcast.net PRODUCTION & WEB MANAGER | Anthony Floreno • AFloreno@FVMG.com
BUSINESS STAFF PUBLISHER | Terry Tanker • TTanker@FVMG.com EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | Shawn Mery • SMery@FVMG.com VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING | Debby Corriveau • DCorriveau@FVMG.com
www.Facebook.com/OpticalLabProducts www.Twitter.com/OLP_Magazine www.Linkedin.com/company/Optical-Lab-Products
OpticalLabProducts.com
SPENDING MONEY & TIME THE RIGHT WAY
S
o, what did I miss? We recently attended The Vision Council’s semi-annual premier event, Vision Expo, held at the Javits Center in New York City that brings together all aspects of our vision community. If you attended, you can stop reading now. If you weren’t there, you missed:
Lab-only meetings on items such as California’s Proposition 65 and the first legal filing against a retailer; changes to IRS regulations on business deductions including the elimination of most entertainment charges; a 20% deduction of qualified business income (QBI) for Pass-Through-Entities (limited liabilities, partnerships and S-corporations); methods to save significant monies on shipping and the opportunity to network with your fellow labs and exchange: “What stuff have you seen on the exhibit floor that’s neat?” Additionally, there was all the new CNC equipment you need to stay competitive and finance companies to help you buy stuff you can’t afford; everything from new fining and polishing pads to help productivity to tabletop edgers that almost run themselves and domestic and foreign lens companies offering lens designs you may want to promote and of course, fellow lab folk at all those booths asking questions or complementing the vendors
on their products that you’ve never heard of while locked up inside your four walls chasing jobs. You also missed planning meetings on procedures and standards for software, lens marking, government and regulatory affairs, where if you participate, you can actually have an input on your future. Vision Expo also held informative meetings on fashion trends to plan on, both from a technical “how can I edge that lens” to here’s an opportunity to market a new product to my customer; background on ANSI and ISO standards and an amazing statistical background on our industry on trends: what’s hot — or not. The Lab Division also offers information on their marketing and communications consulting program, sales and customer service training, plus lab performance benchmarks and a variety of other services. All in all, these are resources to help your business become more efficient and profitable. For everyone, the next meeting will be Sept. 26-29 in Las Vegas. Please do yourself a favor and plan on attending as it’s also the official Laboratory Division (formerly OLA) meeting. You really cannot afford not to attend. It’s an investment and not a cost. Disclaimer: this is not a paid commercial.
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OPINIONS
Rollins on Marketing
DATA MINING
to Improve your Business
We should be data driven in all of our intiatives, both internally and externally.
By Eric Rollins
S
ome years ago, I accompanied our sales rep into the office of an optometrist for whom our lab did 100% of the work. He was an engaging and forward-thinking gentleman with a lot of drive. The purpose of our visit was to talk about increasing anti-reflective treatment sales, although we didn’t reveal that purpose in advance of the visit.
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After exchanging some pleasantries, I asked him if he knew his percentage of AR. He proudly exclaimed: “We have almost everyone in AR. We’re over 95%.” I had to let a little air out of his balloon at that point. I had brought along his lens utilization statistics and said: “I think you are going to be surprised because your numbers are actually 41%, which is still a good number.” He almost went ballistic! He wanted to immediately confront his opticians and read the riot act to them. Luckily, I was able to calm him down pretty quickly. One thing that tends to be true in business: If you don’t actually know the numbers,
you think the numbers are pretty good. This issue of Optical Lab Products is devoted to data mining, which is of key importance to be successful and profitable as a lab. We have great advantages with the computer systems that are available today, we just need to USE them! The data we should be examining every month (if not more often) includes the numbers for our labs, as well as the numbers for our customers.
the laboratory environment. We should be data driven in all of our intiatives, both internally and externally.
While data mining may sound boring, it should be at the apex of our marketing and manufacturing decisions. The data should direct our conversations with our customers and our improvement plans within
Eric Rollins is a veteran of the optical retail, frame and lab industries. His firm, Rollins Consulting, LLC, consults with the three Os to improve profitability. Email him at EricRollins@Comcast.net.
And a final thought: Google, one of the largest tech companies in the world, got there and STAYS there by data mining. They are said to know more about you than you do. So know the numbers! That will help you move to the top of your world.
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&WHITE
In The Lab
OPINIONS
IN BLACK
As spring finally arrives (in some parts of the country, at least!), hopefully our May issue helps you hit the “refresh” button on how you analyze and ultimately, realize your business’s bottom line.
R
unning a business effectively is, in itself, a tough business. From keeping employees content and customers even happier to learning about new products and ways to streamline production procedures and rectifying the occasional crisis: the list goes on and there’s a lot to manage. Enter data mining, a quite timely topic (ahem, Facebook!); but data mining itself need not be nefarious. Knowing your numbers and identifying trends — and making sense of them — can set a profitable business apart from
an average one. OLP spoke to several labs who value this data: By utilizing the full capabilities of their lab management software systems, these labs have extracted metrics and successfully translated them into real dollars and sense. The lab business is a hectic and busy one (gotta get those jobs out on time!), but as one of my sources at Digital Eye Lab told me: “Every manufacturing operation needs the ability to pause for a moment to critically think about the process and the bigger picture.”
Another management housekeeping item you may want to add to your spring cleaning to-do list: good-old checklists. While less complex or high-tech than data mining, checklists can provide insight into problems within a lab that may not be obvious. Customizable to specific areas of the lab, checklists also aid in fostering communication within and between departments, another key factor that shouldn’t be overlooked when trying to help your bottom line. In addition to these features on management methods to
By Cara A. Huzinec proactively help your business, this issue breaks down some new equipment we saw at Vision Expo East in New York, plus all the industry news you may have missed.
Cara Huzinec is Editor of OLP. CHuzinec@FVMG.com.
DIGITAL VISION TAKES OUR CUSTOMERS TO THE NEXT LEVEL DVI
Do you feel stuck at your lab with manual workarounds? Do simple tasks seem harder than they should be? DVI's flexible software and responsive support helps you take command of your lab's processes. Our guiding principle is to empower customers of all sizes to run their labs efficiently, in a way that makes sense for them. Our industry leading system provides tools to streamline, automate, and integrate all aspects of your business. Our consulting partnership ensures you're never left wondering what to do next. As an independent company focused solely on the optical lab industry, our only agenda is your success. Phone: 503.231.6606 Fax: 503.231.4943 6805 SE Milwaukie Ave. Portland, OR 97202
www.thedvi.com
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Q&A ONE TO ONE:
Q: What is your industry background? A: In 1971, after a concert
that I produced in Toronto with jazz and classical pianist Keith Jarret, Keith and I went to dinner where I met Steve Cohen, president and founder of CC Systems. At that time, Steve was the sales manager at Monarch Optical, a lab and frame distributor in Toronto. Since I was producing only about eight to 10 concerts a year, Steve thought I had a lot of spare time during the day and suggested I work for him as a sales rep. After negotiations and the opportunity to lease a convertible sports car – at age 23 – it was hard to refuse! Steve and I consequently purchased an optical shop but sold it shortly after because we believed the emergence of plastic lenses was going to cause the industry to take a different direction. Soon after, I took over lab production at Plastic Plus in Toronto, and was faced with enormous technological challenges that plastic labs were dealing with at that time. It wasn’t easy, but we eventually succeeded, and most importantly, I learned a lot. I then moved on to become general manager of Coburn Canada, created the
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MICHAEL Walach From concert producer to sales rep to lab owner (and a native of the Czech Republic), Michael Walach of Quest Vision Care Specialty Lab in Largo, FL, has seen it all. In this interview, Walach tells OLP his reasons for opening a lab to produce specialty lenses and why he’s investing in 3D lens-printing technology.
optical superstore The Rim & Eyeglass Company, and wrote computer lens layout software “SUPERFLOW,” now with more than 850 lab users in the U.S. and abroad. I designed and manufactured a line of lab process microprocessor-controlled instruments, received lens utility patents in the U.S. and abroad, and went public with the Walach Lens. In 1991, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Eastern Europe opened for business and I started a 600-jobs-per-day lab and frames distributorship in Poland called Spectrum. After eight years in Europe I was back in Florida and resumed production of microprocessor-controlled lab process instruments and other innovative products for the optical industry. I continued to consult for numerous U.S. and foreign labs and optical manufacturers, including Zeiss, DAC International and PixelOptics. In February 2004, tired of all the new air travel regulations, I decided to do something that didn’t require travel: I opened Quest Vision Care Specialty Lab in Largo, FL.
Q: Why did you decide to open a lab
that produces specialty lenses? A: After years of work with
labs supporting my lab program, solving production problems, improving the lab production process and designing lenses, I felt I was professionally well-rounded and qualified to do the lab shtick once again, only much better. Coincidentally, at that time major changes started taking place in the lab industry: the free-form lens processing revolution was here, which caused a major change in how prescription lenses were processed. Most significantly, the new free-form technology was perfectly suited for automation. What that meant to me was that with automation, labs would be able to produce lenses with significantly better cost efficiency and rigidly defined production ranges. Also, with automation, the manual skills of lab technicians will no longer be necessary and with time it will become a scarce commodity or virtually extinct. So I thought: ‘What will happen to that fraction of 1% of the outof-range prescriptions that will be out of production range for the new automated free-form
labs?’ Considering the daily lab production numbers, it appeared to me that a small specialty lab business would allow me to utilize my knowledge, skills and experience and live in perfect symbiosis with big and small labs around the world — like the Remora fish. I thought of seriously visually impaired people whose quality of life could benefit from custom crafted specialty lenses who would otherwise be left without help to struggle with their daily existence. And today, I am happy about it and professionally fulfilled.
Q: What specific services does Quest provide wholesale labs? A: We are unique in that we
offer 18 lens forms and any custom lens form that Rx or vocational needs might call for, plus more than a dozen of vocational lenses and any custom vocational lens based on the requirements, such as adds of +20 D or more, channel prisms, laser filters, Rx lenses for telescopes, custom bifocals, trifocals, quartofocals or quintofocals, negative addition lenses, meridional anisekonia corrective lenses,
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and many other that I don’t even know how to spell. The bottom line is, and we are proud of it, in over 14 years in the specialty lens business we have never refused a prescription order.
Q: How many jobs per day does Quest produce? A: At this time we are doing an average of 80 to 100 prescription jobs per day.The challenge is that more than 50% of them have to be surfaced more than two times and generally we have to get pretty creative.
Q: Quest uses equipment from which companies? What Lab Management System do you use? A: For organic lens production,
we have four DAC International RXD generators (plus one on standby) and NSLP polishers, our own specialty lens LDS software, our own specialty lens circular curve layout software, two OPTEK generators for conventional surfacing and 20 fining and polishing heads. We use a combination of Coburn and OWC spherical and toric lapcutters with digital conversions, a LaserOp LensMark laser, the MEI EZ Fit with Shape Finder, Santinelli Me 1200 edgers with Ice 900 and LT 980 tracers, modified National Optronics edger and tracer, Ultra Optics coater, plus a large number of custom jigs, custom pads,
custom gauges and, most important, a Coburn Hand Pan that is in use 12 hours a day. For mineral lens production, we use Satisloh’s Toromatic – CNC and Coburn cylinder machines. Whenever we can, we use Innovations software (from Ocuco), which I find to be the most reliable and versatile.
Q: Tell us about your partnership with Luxexcel. Why did you seek out this technology? A: Luxexcel decided to part-
ner with us because of the large varieties of extreme lenses that we daily produce to test, broaden and establish the production range and capabilities of their new 3D printing technology. To me, it was a no-brainer to embrace this revolutionary new technology when given the chance. I cannot even imagine what will come out of it; having the new electronics and data technologies and the freedom it gives lens designers to create and produce lenses that are beyond any lens production capabilities existing today.
Q: How have staff been trained and how long did it take to train them? A: Luxexcel is an amazing or-
ganization with a penchant for detail. The 3D printer weighs more than 5 tons so it had to be
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shipped by air in several parts. Everything was planned to the last detail and four Luxexcel experts were here prior to delivery to make sure the Quest space was perfectly suited and prepared for the installation, which went smoothly without a hitch. After the installation and shakedown, we designated three lab technicians to be trained in startup, operation, troubleshooting and emergency procedures. Upon completion of the course, they were tested and if passed, certified. No one without certification is allowed in the room, which has finger-ID access only and a 24/7 camera system that goes to my computer, my iPhone and to Luxexcel’s headquarters in Belgium, its Atlanta office and to designated Luxexcel personnel.
Q: When was it installed? A: It was installed in the middle of February this year.
Q: Tell us about your new Pilot Quatro lens. Why make one for pilots? A: Once a pilot becomes pres-
byopic and uses an addition of + 2D or stronger, they begin to experience difficulties with intermediate range vision, particularly with the upper and lower instrument panels. This happens because not only do they fall into the intermediate vision range but also because of dim cockpit lighting, which
exacerbates the need for this correction. PAL, bifocals or even double D seg lenses do not accurately address the upper instrument panel, intermediate vision needs. Additionally, pilots fly above the clouds and experience uncomfortable glare from the sun through the front windshield. G15 sunglasses may relieve glare but at the same time, they can impair vision inside the dim cockpit and interfere with instrument panels intermediate vision and the near vision. We deal with the windshield glare by implementing a G15 Chemestrie clip. To address above-the-head panel intermediate vision, windshield distance vision, lower panel intermediate vision and near vision correction requirements, the Quatro focal lens is designed with custom power intermediate vision corrections based on the type of plane the pilot flies.
Q: How has the industry changed since you’ve been in the business? A: Some things changed;
some remain the same. Technologically, the industry has changed beyond my comprehension! On the other hand, a lab is a lab. Lab customer service still gets complaints from ECPs because a job was rejected three times and didn’t make it on time as promised. And yes, I still have the Coburn Hand Pan and couldn’t live without it!
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TECHNOLOGY
DATA DRIVEN
Making sense of raw data from a lab management software system can help your lab’s bottom line. OLP spoke with several lab owners/technicians to find out how they use their LMS systems to full capacity – and why. by Cara Huzinec
“LMS is probably one of the bills I get every month that I don’t bat an eye at paying. For what we are getting and the ability to have and use that information, it’s a steal.”- Adam Cherry
F
or many, a lab management system is an invaluable tool. From tracking equipment issues to lens breakage and anything in between, this software can streamline operations and aggregate data to identify patterns that can prove profitable.
CHERRY OPTICAL, INC., GREEN BAY, WI
“There are a number of different ways to dig into the data that you have,” said Adam Cherry, president. “The first tool you need is software that makes it doable.” Using a software system from The DVI, Inc., that is easy to use, provides data organized in a way that’s “basically like an Excel format” and pivot charts to spot trends, helps the lab look for production trends. “We’re in manufacturing, so we want to identify an issue with a machine, a product, a lens, a coating or whatever it might be,” he said. “We also analyze defects so we can pull up how many we have supplied and how many have had a defect.” Another advantage of analyzing this data has been for marketing purposes. Cherry said the lab routinely makes complementary lenses for its customers. The results were eye opening when the lab pulled the data from these orders – style, material and treatment – and compared that to what these same customers were actually ordering for their own customers.
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“The top progressive lens wasn’t even in the top 15 of what they were ordering,” he said. “The ECPs don’t see these patterns; they know what they’re selling. So using data on the sales side to find sales patterns enables us to point out to them discrepancies in what they’re wearing and what they’re actually dispensing. We share this information in a positive, business-building way to help them figure out better ways to communicate with patients.” Cherry said not using an LMS to its fullest capability is a liability to any lab. “It’s really a powerful tool for us,” he added. “If you don’t have the ability, you’re running blind. Once a machine or lens has proven itself to be defective or in need of repair, that’s easy, it’s broken. But it’s all about being proactive in learning what to look for to correct the problem before it becomes a crisis. LMS is probably one of the bills I get every month that I don’t bat an eye at paying. For what we are getting and the ability to have and use that information, it’s a steal.”
ACCULAB, SYCAMORE, IL
Using The DVI’s LMS system, AccuLab reviews data daily to assess times on equipment, calculate bottlenecks and review breakage. “These reports allow us to correct in a real-time manner versus finding out at the end of production that we’re having a problem all day long,” said Chris Brundies, president and CEO. AccuLab pulls data from individual accounts, which also helps them identify problems. “If we see that an account is well under 20% of the national average, that gives us the opportunity to talk to the account and explain that there may be a potential revenue stream that is being overlooked,” he said, adding that this data provides statistics on the average of AR,
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high-index and frame style, such as drilled versus metal. “We use this to help our accounts and ourselves to increase potential and profit, and it also allows us to make sure that our cost of goods in relation to our bottom line is acceptable. If we see a product has a very low ROI, we can reconsider our pricing or sourcing.” While some reports are “absolute everyday reports,” some can be scheduled weekly, biweekly or monthly, and Brundies said using the features of the LMS is an absolute must-do for any lab. “You can use your gut in most cases, but these are hard numbers that do not lie,” he said. “Learn as much as possible and keep digging deeper into the data.”
DIGITAL EYE LAB, HAWTHORNE, NY
At Digital Eye Lab (DEL), process engineer Steven Rivera said the company values data as a commodity. Using a custom LMS system called ABSolution by Applied Business Systems, Inc., DEL has been able to improve tracking of high-level performance metrics such as breakage, re-do’s, customer acceptance, on-time delivery and usage trends. “We incorporate those high level metrics at a more granular level into our daily operations,” Rivera said. “We trend breakage by machines and workstations to detect machine problems as well as to identify procedural gaps where we may need to improve our standard operating procedure or re-train personnel.” Rivera also said data collected from the LMS aids in pinpointing processing issues when involving trays, specifically stacks being pushed to the back of the table. “By identifying this, management is able to adjust behaviors to ensure a ‘first-in/first-out’ methodology,” he said. Overall, he explained data gives a view of the lab’s operation that can’t be seen just by watching from the lab floor. “When you view manufacturing metrics and trends over days, weeks or even months, you start to identify recurring issues,” he said. “It can be difficult to stop what you’re doing, but I would suggest for any lab not using data, to try it by starting slow, even if it’s just one hour per week. Every manufacturing operation needs the ability to pause for a moment to critically think about the process and the bigger picture.”
FEA INDUSTRIES, MORTON, PA
Being proactive is the name of the game at FEA Industries. William Heffner, IV, FEA’s director of I.T., marketing and sales, said data analysis and reviewing trends not only fixes problems, but it prevents them from happening.
Adam Cherry Cherry Optical, Inc.
Chris Brundies AccuLab
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“Whether that’s production issues with a machine or helping a customer, being able to track and predict is a very powerful business tool,” he said, explaining that FEA uses Optifacts with custom programs they created to better present and understand its meaning. “Instead of having a shotgun-type approach and just sort of hoping things work, reports and analysis allow us to make much more surgical decisions to get the biggest return for the amount of effort spent,” Heffner said, adding that FEA analyzes everything. “There is so much ‘stuff’ you can get from data off an LMS that it can be overwhelming, especially when you step back and look at all the possible things that can come into play,” he said. One example, he said, is tracking lens surfacing. Tracking the time it takes for a job to get from one station to the next doesn’t seem like much until you really analyze it. Sales data also helps FEA figure out which accounts purchase certain products. “If someone doesn’t buy progressive lenses from us, we know they are sending that business elsewhere,” Heffner said. “Or if they buy a high percentage of a certain type of lens from us, then they may be a good candidate to call if we run a promotion on a certain product or have a new offering in that line.”
PLASTIC PLUS, TORONTO
Using Innovations and LabZilla from Ocuco, Plastic Plus president Paul Faibish said its LMS system works for them in multiple ways, from tracking job orders and breakage to sales data and inventory. “We’re interested in viewing sales and what’s behind the sales, and we have the capability to recommend better products to customers based on their current sales percentages,” Faibish said. “There’s a report that compares a specific account’s usage to industry percentages, and that allows our salespeople to make recommendations based on current usage.” In addition, using reports and dashboards provided by the LMS to constantly track jobs and monitor delivery times helps the lab highlight those jobs that have been at one production step too long. Reviewing dashboards in real time ensures that daily production targets are met. Plastic Plus’s system also provides forecasting to know what goods they will need or how much inventory to have on hand based on what it has used in the past. “Innovations helps us to understand all aspects of the issues before getting out there. That’s a powerful tool,” he said. “We can find out more about our business daily from the data we mine from our system.”
Steven Rivera Digital Eye Lab
Bill Heffner FEA Industries
Paul Faibish Plastic Plus
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Pure power u HSC Modulo XTS Because throughput matters
Redifining acceleration
M
With HSC Modulo XTS, SCHNEIDER has accomplished a quantum leap in highspeed cutting, creating the fastest generator in the market.
I w t e e
The heart of the machine is the new and extremely powerful XS-motor, redefining acceleration in ophthalmics. The generator’s machine base has been designed to be extra rigid to withstand the extreme forces exerted. Combined with high-frequency drive technology, a new milling spindle, and intelligent algorithms, an ingenious generator is formed. A sophisticated swarf management system efficiently keeps the work space clean.
T fi c le E t
The result: The best lens in the shortest time – Full stop.
L c
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er unleashed CCP Modulo S Because quality matters
Modulo: The Original
Faster without limitations
Individually, the new Modulo machines create a whole new class of power and capability. When integrated in the one-of-a-kind Modulo system, they enter a new dimension of performance and boost efficiency and throughput to unprecedented levels.
The powerful and reliable CCP Modulo S puts quality first without compromising flexibility. Now fitted with high-speed handling systems, top quality has become even faster. This powerful combination keeps breakage and cost per lens at an absolute minimum, producing excellent results even with knife-edged lenses.
The fully-integrated lens production system was first launched in 2012 and pioneered what is now called Industry 4.0. Today it is an integral part of lens production worldwide with installations in Europe, Asia, the USA, and Australia with more than 35 million lenses produced.
Perfectly suited to cover basic everyday needs and highly sophisticated specialty jobs alike, this jack of all trades polishes the widest range of curvatures, any material and any process without limitations. Premium quality, full flexibility, faster than ever.
Learn how virtually any lab, including yours, can benefit from Modulo! Contact us now! Phone: +1 (972) 247-4000 Email: info-us@schneider-om.com
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MANAGEMENT
CHECKING IT TWICE
Checklists are a Customizable Method to Pinpoint Problems and Solve Them. by Shannon Swaim
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hecklists for managing optical labs is a great way to prioritize and stay focused on goals.
As in most manufacturing industries, having a safe and productive environment would be the first item of importance along with quality assurance, which is just as critical. The challenge of creating an effective checklist is staying focused and not making the process more complex than it needs to be. Keeping these goals in mind while looking to improve the overall environment - along with being thorough — will make a good starting point in devising a checklist.
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These lists ensure all departments and managers are aware of problems, changes and improvements that are made on a weekly basis, in addition to how they have affected their departments and the results. Lab managers can start evaluating processes in different departments by creating standard operating procedures (SOP’s) for training purposes. Begin by creating a checklist that focuses on every step made in order to ascertain which needs improvement — and do this prior to writing SOP— to prevent making changes to them in the future. For example, when I evaluated the surfacing department,
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I noticed it had tool racks for surfacing/polishing machines located in the middle of the department, which faced both the finishing and no-glare areas, a setup that caused employees to go from one department to the other to get around the equipment — a walk that was almost the width of the entire lab.
The challenge of creating an effective checklist is staying focused and not making the process more complex than it needs to be. Keeping these goals in mind while looking to improve the overall environment — along with being thorough — will make a good starting point in devising a checklist.
Making improvements or changes to an area has to be done with precaution. Employees can have difficulty adapting to change but may be more willing to accept changes if they are aware of and are part of the process. This can also result in better communication between departments and foster a positive, open environment. Making copies of checklists and posting them in each area ensures all employees are aware of any changes. It’s also a good idea to create a column for comments and suggestions, which promotes involvement. Shannon Swaim is a former process control/quality analyst at Walmart Optical in Crawfordsville, IN.
By using the data already collected from the checklist, I created various diagrams of the area that would show whether changing the tool setup would positively or negatively affect the quality, safety, or productivity of the area. At the end of the analysis, the diagram and checklist proved a change would be positive: By rearranging the tool racks in alphabetical order and lining them up vertically, a much-needed walkway was created, eliminating unnecessary steps by all three departments. This small change also allowed the tool range to be seen by the employees who picked the tools, making them easily located and accessed. Overall, it eliminated extra steps from the process and data collected showed an increase in productivity from 30% to 33%. The point? Seemingly small changes can have a huge effect. Creating a checklist for other departments can be done by using the same format, layout, and basic setup in Excel, a common and useful program for tracking your data. Being thorough and detailed is key. As you begin the process of making the list, having a clear understanding of every step made will help you categorize positions in your area. If you’re new to the business, I suggest tracking a job from start to finish, noting each step.
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NEW For the Lab
LEXCE EDGER, DEBLOCKER AND DRILL FROM SANTINELLI
Introduced at Vision Expo East, the LEXCE all-in-one edger, blocker and drill from Santinelli International is equipped with 5-axis drilling and automated autoclamping 3-D tracing, plus a multi-function shape modification (shape editing), drill hole imaging (tracing with hole detection), grooving and a high-definition CAD blocker. LEXCE also features a step-by-step Wizard for beginners and a professional mode for experts. For more information, contact Santinelli International at 800.644.3343 or Sales@Santinelli.com.
VISION EASE COPPERTONE POLARIZED LENSES IN PPG TRIVEX
VISION EASE’s Coppertone polarized lenses are now available in PPG Trivex material, providing durability and chemical resistance. Lenses block 100% of both UVA and UVB rays and eliminate more than 97% of blinding glare. Coppertone Trivex lenses come in semifinished single vision gray and brown and can be used with all sun and ophthalmic styles, including rimless and wrap. For more information, contact VISION EASE at 800.328.3449 or Info@ VisionEase.com.
UVPROTECT CLEAR LENSES FROM ZEISS
Introduced at Vision Expo East and available last month in the U.S. and Canada, UVProtect offers complete protection in a clear, organic material. According to Jens Boy, president of ZEISS Vision North America, UVProtect is the first clear lens to offer complete UV400 protection and will come standard in all ZEISS plastic lenses. For more information, contact Carl Zeiss Vision, Inc. at 866.596.5467 or ZEISS.com/UVProtect.
NEW 2018 OP-TAG AND LABEL CATALOG FROM ARCH CROWN
Arch Crown’s 2018 catalog contains 40 pages with more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed and custom-printed Op-Tags and labels, including a full line of bar code technology products and Poly-Lam thermal transfer computer string and barbell-style tags. Arch Crown’s bar code packages include everything needed to print and scan bar codes. For more information, contact Arch Crown, Inc. at 800.526.8353 or Info@ArchCrown.com.
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NEW For the Lab MEI’S EZMARKER UV TBA
Designed to apply visible logos to all types of plastic lenses, MEI’s EZMarker UV TBA utilizes electronically controlled axes to ensure accurate positioning and correct focal distance of the lens. A solid-state laser system engraves perpendicular to the lens to create a resolution higher than 600 dpi. The EZMarker UV TBA features automated loading and unloading and can be easily integrated into existing equipment lines or combined with MEI’s stackers and destackers. For more information, contact MEI at 847.357.0323 or Info@MEISystem.com.
IOT AMERICA’S INMOTION DRIVING LENS
IOT’s inMotion lenses aim to increase comfort while driving during the day and reduce night myopia, according to the company. Utilizing IOT’s proprietary Digital Ray-Path technology, inMotion lenses offer wearers sharp visual acuity while decreasing visual fatigue for comfortable driving in all lighting conditions. For more information, contact IOT America at 877.414.7809 or IOTAmerica.com.
KODAK KOLORUP LENSES FROM SIGNET ARMORLITE
Designed with a unique range of sun filters to enhance color vision outdoors, KODAK’s KolorUP sun lenses use a proprietary in-mass tinting technology that brightens color recognition and provides color consistency while reducing glare. In-mass tinting also enables easy viewing of digital devices outdoors. KolorUp lenses are available in three tint choices: gray, brown and gray-green. For more information, contact Signet Armorlite, Inc. at 800.759.007 or KodakLens.com/Pro.
PROGRIP II COMBO PAD FROM DYNAMIC LABS
Dynamic Labs’ ProGRIP II Combo Pads provide secure adhesion to hydrophobic coating with a one-step blocking process and are easily released from all coatings and lens materials. Available in the most common shapes, ProGRIP II Combo Pads are offered in rolls of 500. For more information, contact Dynamic Labs at 888.339.6264 or Info@DynamicLabs.net.
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GIVE YOUR LAB THE
ULTRA ADVANTAGE
SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY NEED.
GET IT RIGHT. EVERY TIME.
essential products for every lab.
coater, offering the best coating yields in the market.
Superior coatings for all substrates and
• UV-XBT scratch-resistant coating offers unmatched adhesion to all lens substrates • AST-1 scratch-resistant coating is the hardest coating in the optical industry • ClearView is specially formulated to offer the
The 44R is the fastest and most reliable automated
• Capable of running lenses Off or On the Block to best fit your lab’s coating needs • 125 lens-per-hour throughput • Best process technologies for the lowest breakage rates
best lens preparation before backside coating • ConsisTint will eliminate white spots and blotchiness for your tinting department Ask Ultra Optics about our other chemistry offerings.
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LAB
NEW PROP 65
News
WARNING LANGUAGE California recently mandated a change in warning language requirements for Proposition 65, effective Aug. 31, 2018. Products manufactured prior to then remain compliant as long as they utilize the proper warning language in effect on or before Aug. 31, 2018. Some of the changes include the mandate that all warnings must contain a yellow triangle warning image to the left of the warning language in a font no smaller than the height of the word “Warning.” Additionally, chemicals contained in the product must be identified, and changes must be made to the language about product exposure. In March, a California retailer (Urban Outfitters, Inc.) was cited for violating Proposition 65 for allegedly selling sunglasses containing Bisphenol A (BpA), a material used in the manufacture of polycarbonate lenses and on the Proposition 65 list of potentially harmful substances. The Lab Division of The Vision Council has a copy of the new warning language requirements at www.p65warnings.ca.gov.
NAME CHANGE &
“
New Deal For DAC
Garland, TX-based DAC Technologies, formerly DAC Vision, is now the main distributor of National Optronics products in the U.S. The company also appointed Joe Ciochetto president. DAC’s Texas facility will provide customer service and warehousing of all National Optronics spare parts and consumables.
REVISED ANSI Z80.3 STANDARD
For our customers in the lab and ECP markets, this will mean one-stop shopping convenience and consolidated shipments resulting in an enhanced customer experience,” Ciochetto said.
The Vision Council announced last month revisions to the ANSI Z80.3 nonprescription sunglasses and fashion eyewear requirements. The 2018 revision clarifies testing of photosensitive lenses to make requirements consistent with international standards. ANSI Z80.3 excludes products covered by ANSI Z87.1 (industrial safety eyewear), ANSI Z80.1 (corrective prescriptions) and those covered within the ASTM F08.57 committee (products that provide protection from specific sports).
Plastic Plus Opens New Facility Plastic Plus held a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 24 to celebrate the opening of its new facility in Toronto. According to Plastic Plus, the 30,000-square foot lab doubles its lens manufacturing and coating, which utilizes equipment from Schneider Optical Machines, Satisloh, MEI, A&R and OptoTech. The lab is also marking the opening by offering lab tours to industry partners. The first tour was held April 29 during the Ontario Opticians Association’s Inside Optics conference. “We strive to provide the best lens technology possible,” said Paul Faibish, president of Plastic Plus. “This lab is not just for us, but for our clients who believe like we do that independent optical is important and deserves the best products and service.”
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News
SOME OPTICAL PRODUCTS Subject To Proposed China Tariffs
The United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) published a list last month of imported products that it intends to subject to an additional 25% tariff if they originate from China. Included on the proposed list is optical lens grinding and polishing machinery, lens meters, retinal cameras, tonometers, slit lamp microscopes and others. A copy of the complete list can be found at bit.ly/2JgzWfL.
Updated LENS DESCRIPTION STANDARD
The Vision Council’s Lens Division and Lens Product Description Standard Committee (LPDS) announced last month Lens Description Standard changes, with additions to the standard in color and filters. The update to Lens Description Standard v. 2.2 includes the color violet, with a label of VIOn, and the High Energy Visible filter, with a label in HEV. Michael Vitale, senior technical director and Lens Division liaison, said the Lens Description Standard enables lab management software suppliers to select and process prescription lenses and “includes data describing the front surface geometry of non-spherical lenses to enable accurate control of lens thickness,” he added. “This standard replaces the many proprietary file formats used when supplying software vendors with lens specifications in electronic form.” For more information, contact Michael Vitale at The Vision Council at 703.548.2684 of MVitale@TheVisionCouncil.org.
Re
SAVE THE DATE
JUNE 27
IS NATIONAL SUNGLASSES DAY! Show off your shades to mark the importance of proper UV protection. For more information, visit NationalSunglassesDay.com.
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Leybold Optics CCS610T+ Redesigned with a thermal evaporator and more powerful ion source This fourth generation coater has been redesigned - packing more capability into a smaller footprint - while retaining an affordable entry price.
Questions? leyboldoptics.cary@buhlergroup.com 919.657.7100
Innovations for a better world.
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HARD COATING SYSTEM OF CHOICE
LEARN MORE & WATCH THE VIDEO
FASTEST UV HARD COATER ON THE MARKET Coat up to 120 to 130 lenses per hour.
FULLY AUTOMATED Eliminate manual loading, unloading and manual clean up. For those not ready for automation, the Velocity is available in a manual conямБguration.
CONSISTENT CLEANING PROCESS FOR HIGHER YIELDS Ensured by external and internal wash cycles.
5 STATION COATER
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