National Optronics 7E General Discussion

**fjpod** · 10-19-2005, 06:43 PM

Would like to start a general discussion about this edger. Maybe share some problems and solutions. Overall, I really like the edger. The 4T tracer, and the blocker are fast and accurate. The edger is great on size, shape, bevel placement, axis. The drilling is better than I expected with a very intuitive interface.

Gotta keep a sharp blade though. If not, you will have axis, and A/R crazing problems. Blades are cheap though.

Polishing can be less than optimal and hard to control. Could use some help here. Tech support is good, but polish seems to need constant attention...unless I'm doing something wrong.

**Bev Heishman** · 10-24-2005, 06:43 PM

How old is your edger? We have one also. We did do the upgrade though to the ES.

**fjpod** · 10-24-2005, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Bev Heishman

How old is your edger? We have one also. We did do the upgrade though to the ES.

I have the 7E. It edges, grooves, polishes, safety bevels, and drills. I don't think there is an ES model except for the 6ES. Anyway, I've had it for just under a year. Are you getting perfect sizing on metal frames on the first cut? Are there any tricks to this?

**EyeManFla** · 10-25-2005, 03:42 PM

I have a 6e model # 1004 (the fourth machine made.) We recently had to make a choice between upgrading to the 6es or go to the 7e.

Basically, I was told by three people that I trust who work with the machine to wait at least a year before going to the 7e.

**thewolf** · 11-30-2005, 10:04 AM

I have a 7e also. The only time I have a size problem is cheap square frames. I am having a problem with the blades not lasting very long. I am using the coated blade and only getting about 1500 cuts before it turns poly. I think I get 5 cuts before it turns Hi-index. Anyone have any ideas for this one.

**fjpod** · 11-30-2005, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by thewolf

I have a 7e also. The only time I have a size problem is cheap square frames. I am having a problem with the blades not lasting very long. I am using the coated blade and only getting about 1500 cuts before it turns poly. I think I get 5 cuts before it turns Hi-index. Anyone have any ideas for this one.

We've had the 7e for about a year now. Overall we love it. In regard to the blades...we decided long ago to ditch the so called "long life blades" that were supposed to get up to 3k cuts. We were only getting 700. The life of the blade depends greatly on the materials you cut. If you cut CR-39 all day, you can probably get 6k cuts, but when you are doing a mix, the blade goes dull a lot sooner, and you start to get problems like axis rotation and/or AR crazing.

We've gone back to the "disposable" blades. We get the full claimed 300+ cuts, and when you figure the cost of $10 per blade, you actually come out ahead compared to the 3k blades. We look at it this way...a blade is 10 bucks. If you ruin one A/R high index progressive, how much have you spent?
Actually changing the blade frequently insures you have a sharp cutting surface when you do tough jobs.

You just have to be a little careful when replacing these to seat the blade properly and the same way every time and you will have no problem with sizing and polishing..

**jofelk** · 12-02-2005, 07:27 AM

WE use the 6Es machines with coated blades in a wholesale lab. We change blades every 3000 cuts and have no problems with lenses turning. It is ideal to cut down thick poly and 1.67 to slightly larger than ED before final edging. We have and old Weco, with poly wheel and round metal pattern, set up for roughing down problem lenses. A little time spent on this procedure ensures a quality job.

**fjpod** · 12-02-2005, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by jofelk

WE use the 6Es machines with coated blades in a wholesale lab. We change blades every 3000 cuts and have no problems with lenses turning. .

WOW! What mix of materials are you cutting? Do you think the turning down of thick lenses on another machine is what keeps your blade sharp for so long?

**thewolf** · 12-02-2005, 02:33 PM

I think cutting down lenses might help. The poly and hi-index with a lot of decentration is the stuff that turns. Too much vibration I think.

**2Quyen** · 12-02-2005, 03:38 PM

How small on the B measurement can you groove? It's claimed 20 mm but has anyone done this on their 7E? Also what is the minimum edge thickness can it groove? Can it groove a 1.8 mm edge thickness or thiner?

How about drilling? Once you've traced the rimless lens, do you just call up the data menu where it has the drill points and just let it go?

**jofelk** · 12-02-2005, 04:18 PM

Our mix of materials would be the average of many accounts combined. You should use the proper edger setting for your material. It is also wise to set up user defined settings for materials you are having trouble with. I set up a material called "1.67", changing the cutter motor speed, the rate of feed and rotation speed. Call Optronics for help. We have cut and grooved 20mm B. We have found some grooves at this size to be troublesome, the probe falls off or the groove moves front or back.

**fjpod** · 12-02-2005, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by jofelk

Our mix of materials would be the average of many accounts combined. You should use the proper edger setting for your material. It is also wise to set up user defined settings for materials you are having trouble with. I set up a material called "1.67", changing the cutter motor speed, the rate of feed and rotation speed. Call Optronics for help. We have cut and grooved 20mm B. We have found some grooves at this size to be troublesome, the probe falls off or the groove moves front or back.

We do use all the "special" settings for tough lenses. We get the full 300 cuts on the 300 cut blades, but on the 3k blades, we're lucky to get 700. We probably do 35% poly and high index.

Maybe you are doing better because you crib down you thick polys and hi-indexs. I don't have a spare machine to do this.

We have slowed down the lens feed rates and rotation speeds, but we have not altered the cutter motor speed as Optronics does not recommend this. Have you slowed it down for for tough lenses?

Have you found that the groove width is very narrow at the top and bottom of the lens and wider at the corners?

**Rheaopt** · 12-05-2005, 10:05 AM

I setup a special setting in our 6e just to crib lenses. I turned the feed rate and lens speed down and left the cutter motor high. This works well, all though it does and some extra time to the process, but it solves the axis rotation.

**thewolf** · 12-08-2005, 09:44 AM

I reset the AR Hi-index with a slower feed and rotation. that works most of the time. What do you do about lenses that are too thick. I tried probing the lens first and that worked untill I updated the software. Now it dives in to fast and turns it anyway.