Schneider Generator

[Alan W]

I was recently made aware of some technology not easily found in the United States, but seemingly around for a while, that is a three axis generator under the name Schneider. Anyone familiar with it?

[John R]

Is this what you were looking at.> Link <

[Alan W]

Holy bijungas!
It's a lathe!
Wo!
Uh,ohhh . . . . this is computer driven.
Like uhhh . . . . somebody with the right motion control software can . . . . oops.
Is this a paradigm in surfacing or what?

Thanks, John R.

[JRS]

If your reference to 'opps' is related to "with the right software could you cut your own aspheric front/backs, and progressive fronts", then the answer would be yes.

[Darryl Meister]

Yes, for $250,000 and the right programmers, you too can make aspheric surfaces! ;)

In all seriousness, machines like this can do a very nice job of creating complex surfaces (such as progressives), but fining and polishing these surfaces to optical precision is an even greater challenge.

Best regards,
Darryl

[Alan W]

Would you care to commment on the DAC lathe. I am told by reliable sources it is faster.
My biggest hang up is on the issue of soft lap polishing.
But, then, I'm probably still thinking "inside the box" on that one.

[Darryl Meister]

Hi Alan,

Yes, unfortunately soft pad (as well as flexible laps) polishing is one of the few techniques available for fining and polishing complex (or free form) surfaces. Conventional toric surfaces can be fined and polished with hard lap tools on common cylinder machines, which allows the geometry of the surface to be precisely maintained and the surface to be polished to a pristine level. (Well, almost precisely, there is a little error.) However, it is not possible to use hard laps and cylinder machines to fine and polish complex surfaces. Since flexible laps and soft pads can not fine and polish a surface that is too rough, at least to the same degree of quality, it becomes necessary to cut the surface to a very high degree of smoothness. Otherwise, the surface will be somewhat altered during the fining process. If your machine cuts the surface to a high enough degree of smoothness, it is also possible to apply a hard coating directly to it without fining and polishing, since the coating acts as a lacquer that smooths the surface out to a polish.

Best regards,
Darryl

[Alan W]

I used to get slapped, bent, mutilated, kicked, screemed at etc. by my prof if he saw a dust particle when he inspected my work.
If he knew....(he's long gone!) . . . . that all we have to do now is slap a coating over it and "wallah" it's a work of art, he'd have an optihissy!
Come to think of it, I spread a bunch of stuff over the bad paint job on an old car I used to have!
Got it sold!
What'll they think of next?
Thanks "D" . . . I consider this a major lesson since I'm looking at that technology for a project.