industrial focimeter

[essegn]

Could someone advice me some industrial focimeter ?
We use Zeiss Humphrey so it needs to be similar..

[shanbaum]

I don't think that you can call the Humphrey equipment "industrial"... at this point, I think that about the only producer of inspection gear that deserves that description is Automation and Robotics out of Belgium. Although - they may have some competitors now; I caught a glimpse of something at MIDO but didn't have time to look more closely.

[fagin]

So what makes a precision instrument "industrial" ? The ability to drop it on the floor? We use a whole brace of manual focimeters, as long as they are checked every now and then, and zeroed every time against a known lens, there is no problem.

[shanbaum]

The only authoritative source I can think of in which to find an objective definition stated for the term would be a dictionary. One of Webster's definitions is, "used in or designed for use in industry; heavy-duty." One could argue that, given that definition, if it's used in industry, it's "industrial." But personally, I would say that "industrial" is properly used to describe equipment affording the ability to survive a relatively severe or constant duty cycle, without failing, losing precision, or requiring excessive recalibration. Some people might include a capacity for automation, but I do not; I think that automation may be as useful in a low-volume context as well as a high-volume one. Not connecting automation with the term "industrial", I have no problem with a manually-operated device having being labeled "industrial" (even though a manually-operated device would, I think, be difficult or impossible to automate, at least, to fully automate).

Ability to survive falls probably has little to do with most optical manufacturing equipment in use today.

[morinput]

I would agree that the machine by A+R is without a doubt the best industrial machine for finish layout and blocking if a lab's budget and volume can justify it. For a more manual device particularly for finish dotting the humphrey cannot be beat, the advantage to this machine is the dotting mechanism is far more reliably accurate and robust.
As you probably know it's not being made anymore but there are plenty around on the resale market.

[shanbaum]

If it's pre-finishing focimetry you're interested in, I'd say that the current state of the art combines this with blocking, even in less elaborate units than the A&R machines - for example, the Visionix unit (not sure of the model designation, but Gerber Coburn sold it as the "Dimetrix") and the Weco Verifier, both of which are widely used, and both of which measure power and block most types of lenses.

That is to say, dots may be a bit passé.

[Barry Santini]

I think this Tomey model comes closest to the Humphrey:

http://www.tomeyusa.com/products_TL5000.html

B

[morinput]

having used both the dimetrix and the verifier pro. they are both good units but too slow and not durable enough for high volume applications. Due to high load/unload times and the fact that the lens tray had a long range of movement a single operator with a humphrey and speede pro blocker could triple production of a visionix unit. I hadn't seen the tomey unit before Barry, that looks promising. The key is always the dotter, the operator tends to slam down on the pin handle and if the pins don't fully swing out before they move downward it will result in the dots being placed to high on the lens.

[Wes]

We have several of the humphries in my lab and use them exclusively for inspection, but they're getting old. We also have several of the tomeys, but they're the 3000 model, not the 5000. The reason we don't use them for inspection is the table. You can either lock it, or not, and when its not locked, it floats all over the place where the humphrey requires a certain amount of pressure to move it. This makes for slow inspection for the tomey when changing from frame to frame and checking for things like vertical imbalance.
Barry, or anyone else with experience with the tomey tl5000, can you discuss whether the new model addresses this, and would be a suitable replacement for the humphrey?
My lab is looking to acquire a few new lensometers for inspection. Something that one could go through several hundred a day with.

[Barry Santini]

My citation of the Tomey unit was based only on specs, and not firsthand experience.

B

[DragonLensmanWV]

I think this Tomey model comes closest to the Humphrey:

http://www.tomeyusa.com/products_TL5000.html

B

I love their new word - "transmissivity".:bbg::cheers:

[Wes]

I think this Tomey model comes closest to the Humphrey:

http://www.tomeyusa.com/products_TL5000.html

B

Thanks a lot Barry. This has what we're looking for.

[WFruit]

If I may ask everyone, why not just get more of the Humphrey's? No, they aren't being made "new" anymore, but VSI has them.....

[Wes]

I'm aware Leo has them, and I brought it up to "the powers that be" here at my govt/military lab. Because of govt procurement issues and warranty/servicing issues, they aren't interested in buying refurbished equipment.
I'd just as soon have the humphrey. ;)

[european]

@Wes , since the TL-5000 is not anymore available i would recommend the TL-3000C ... its cheaper and has the same functionality as the TL-5000

is just for the info ;-)

c.u.