By Andrew Karp
Group Editor, Lenses and Technology

GERMANTOWN, Wis.--Satisloh North America is introducing a new series of surface generators this week at International Vision Expo West that allows labs to produce lens surfaces in a variety of formats, including freeform.

The generator, called the VFT, offers full all-format processing so labs can economically generate freeform surfaces. Its patented FastProcessing method speeds up processing by diameter reduction, pre-edging, and generating in only one cycle prior to fast tool turning. Then the fast-tool turning axis processes a ready-to-polish surface that is ready for fast, flexible-tool polishing.

“All-format processing means the VFT is capable of high-production toric surfacing as well as any freeform surface,” explained Kurt Atchison, director of sales for Satisloh North America. “The surface coming off is absolutely ready to polish, and we foresee no fining of any kind on any material coming off of VFT, including poly.

Satisloh will offer two version of the VFT. The VFT Ultra, which will be exhibited at Expo, is for high production labs, 90 lenses per hour cut to polish toric, 60 lenses per hour free form. The VFT Compact, which Satisloh will debut at the Optical Laboratories Association show in November, is designed for smaller labs and also for any sized lab that wishes to put in a specialized free form production cell, 40 lenses per hour cut to polish toric, 30 lenses per hour freeform.

“What is unique is that for a similar price to its closest competitors, the VFT Ultra can produce 50 percent more lenses per hour in cut to polish toric and up to four times as many lens per hour in freeform,” said Atchison. “In addition, the VFT Compact produces 30 lenses per hour freeform or about twice as much as the nearest, large volume competitor and at about half the price. Current freeform-capable generators on the market produce an average of 15 lenses per hour.

“Our advantage occurs by making a generator that is only slightly more expensive than a [Satisloh] VPRO, but is more than four times as productive on freeform lenses than a higher priced competitive machine,” he noted.

According to Atchison, the VFT’s proprietary fast tool technology moves faster and with less mass over the lens, resulting in increased speed capability. In addition, the technology has virtually zero form error. This form accuracy is critical when producing sophisticated progressive lens surfaces.

The VFT Ultra will also be the first freeform generator with an autocalibration feature. “The calibration process on existing systems is tedious and very complex, said Atchison. “Now, the VFT will allow a simple five-minute automated process to calibrate completely. Perfect calibration is a must for sophisticated lens designs such as backside progressives.”

The VFT Ultra will be available with automatic loading; the VFT Compact will be manual load only.