Optek Unity Max

**Leighlee** · 08-27-2008, 12:34 PM

Hi I originally posted this in the general forum, and then realized this might be a more appropriate place, so here goes....

Hi
I need some feed back. Our practice recently ( Jan 2008) opened it's own lab. We bought an computerized Optek Unity Max to do our lenses. We have had problem after problem with this unit. It has been breaking down. It is still under warranty and the Optek people keep telling us that we are the only ones having problems with this device. Does anyone out there use an Optek product, specifically the Unity Max? And could I also get some recommendations for another brand that will do surfacing and lens generating? I don't know much about these but my OD asked me to check and see if anyone has any info.
Thanks
Leighlee

**Leo Hadley Jr** · 08-27-2008, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Leighlee

Hi I originally posted this in the general forum, and then realized this might be a more appropriate place, so here goes....

Hi
I need some feed back. Our practice recently ( Jan 2008) opened it's own lab. We bought an computerized Optek Unity Max to do our lenses. We have had problem after problem with this unit. It has been breaking down. It is still under warranty and the Optek people keep telling us that we are the only ones having problems with this device. Does anyone out there use an Optek product, specifically the Unity Max? And could I also get some recommendations for another brand that will do surfacing and lens generating? I don't know much about these but my OD asked me to check and see if anyone has any info.
Thanks
Leighlee

Hi Leighlee,

This is honestly the first negative story I ever heard about Optek surface equipment. Some of my friends have this equipment and love it. If you are under warranty they should make it right. What kind of problems are you having?

Leo

**Leighlee** · 08-27-2008, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by OpticLabRat

Hi Leighlee,

This is honestly the first negative story I ever heard about Optek surface equipment. Some of my friends have this equipment and love it. If you are under warranty they should make it right. What kind of problems are you having?

Leo

First the motor that controls the X axis malfunctioned and would refuse to move. We got that fixed and now we are having the same trouble with the Y axis.

**Leo Hadley Jr** · 08-27-2008, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Leighlee

First the motor that controls the X axis malfunctioned and would refuse to move. We got that fixed and now we are having the same trouble with the Y axis.

Did they replace the motor to fix it, or did something else cause it?
This does seem unusual, they really have a great reputation.

**Leighlee** · 08-27-2008, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by OpticLabRat

Did they replace the motor to fix it, or did something else cause it?
This does seem unusual, they really have a great reputation.

I am sorry I don't know if they replaced it or just fixed the motor. But I DO know that they wanted to know if we would drive the equipment down to their shop in Tampa, so that they would not have to come up to Middle Georgia and get it. This seemed odd to us.

**Leighlee** · 08-27-2008, 01:18 PM

My lab manager wanted me to also ask if chlorine has anything to do with alloy breakdown?

**Leo Hadley Jr** · 08-27-2008, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Leighlee

I am sorry I don't know if they replaced it or just fixed the motor. But I DO know that they wanted to know if we would drive the equipment down to their shop in Tampa, so that they would not have to come up to Middle Georgia and get it. This seemed odd to us.

HMMM....Maybe they dont have a tech available soon.
If you are under warranty, I would definately get them to replace the motor.

I am not affiliated with Optek in any way but I used some of their equipment and loved it. I am only about 20 miles from them and have recommended some of my local friends to them. I really have never heard of any problems with thier equipment.

Chlorine?
Ive only used it in swimming pools, what are you using it for?

**Leighlee** · 08-28-2008, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by OpticLabRat

HMMM....Maybe they dont have a tech available soon.
If you are under warranty, I would definately get them to replace the motor.

I am not affiliated with Optek in any way but I used some of their equipment and loved it. I am only about 20 miles from them and have recommended some of my local friends to them. I really have never heard of any problems with thier equipment.

Chlorine?
Ive only used it in swimming pools, what are you using it for?

I will find out, but thanks for your help!

**Russ in Texas** · 02-18-2009, 12:46 AM

I know this is an older thread but I thought I'd give my opinion of Optek so perhaps I can save someone some grief. We had their generator and blocker and we had nothing but problems with it. At first they were supportive with tech support but after we kept having problems they really didn't want to deal with us and we had to fix a lot of it on our own. Fortunately, I had a lab guy that was good mechanically and he would order parts and repair it (over, and over, and over).

I had heard good things about them before I bought the system but I wouldn't take one again if you gave it to me. It was a nightmare of remakes. We have had Gerber equipment since then and have pretty much had no problems with it. My advice is to go with Gerber if possible. I'm sure there are some other good brands but I feel comfortable recommending them just based on personal experience.

**Sam Kelley** · 03-27-2009, 11:55 AM

Anyone having problems with new Optek equipment? Please reply or contact me at 352-249-9252

**jameselex** · 06-14-2009, 10:01 PM

We have a new Countour, it works well but always there is little problem here and there, we called them and most of the time can't get anwsers right away.

**Dantech** · 05-18-2010, 05:55 PM

I do all of the maintenance and repair on all of our machines we don't use the unity max we use a gerber eclipse for blocking but we do use Optek surfacing equipment. We have 3 contour max generators and aside from very minor problems i rarely have to work on these machines. We also have 8 Optek finers which need some small adjustments and belt changes from time to time but produce a quality product. As far as I am concerned Optek makes very good equipment, the eclipse and step one blockers we use need work on a fairly regular basis and the parts are generally extremely overpriced. My .02

**RIMLESS** · 12-31-2010, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Sam Kelley

Anyone having problems with new Optek equipment? Please reply or contact me at 352-249-9252

Sam,
Can you suggest an adjustment to correct a gen problem.
We're getting a small type of defect in the center of the lens but only on poly.
It that normal for the contour max or is it a setting issue. The pcd Blade is in good condition. Thanks.

Barry

**Dantech** · 12-31-2010, 05:29 PM

We called them nipples, you can increase your fine time to eliminate these. Or the option i would recommend is updating your software to the new version it compensates to eliminate this problem and also auto calcs and runs the cycles a little faster. We tried the update on one gen and realized we couldn't live without it and updated our other 2.

**RIMLESS** · 12-31-2010, 05:35 PM

We run version 1.9 Is there an upgrade from that??

**Dantech** · 12-31-2010, 06:05 PM

We run v 2.3, with this update you no longer have to use the calculate button unless your making changes, but the biggest benefit is the fact that it leaves a small bump in the center of poly lenses so that portion fines first eliminating "nipples".

**RIMLESS** · 12-31-2010, 06:37 PM

Thanks so much for the help. Happy 2011 !!

**fjpod** · 01-02-2011, 02:24 AM

I know this is an old thread, but...I have an older Optek Profile SL generator as well as finers. Even though I purchased the equipment used, their tech support department services me and answers my questions as if I had bought everything new directly from them.