How computers are involved in productions

Now a days there are a lot of things that are computerized. For example production of lenses and production of contact leses.

Mainly computer are involved because there is a necessity of precision. If lenses are not precise then it is going to be a huge problem for the patients.

Here below I have described the lens production steps for contact lenses:

• The lens starts our as a polymer disk, this disk can be in various colours
  
• Then the data of the prescription of the particular patient is fed into the computer
• A computer cuts the polymer disks into the desired shape
• The disk is shaped using a dimond edge cutter
  
• The disk itself rotates at about 6000 rotations per minute
• Then the disk is polished
• The thick ness of the disk is measured with a gauge
• The diameter is also measured
• Then the lens is put into a balanced ph saline solution.
  
• The lens then expands
• After that they use a meter to measure the optical precision of the lens and the optical power of the lens
• Then it is stored in a container of salt water with silicone and aluminum lids
• This lens now remains sterile till up to 7 years if the seal is not broken
  

A few facts about "how contact lenses are made": They can produce up to 1000 lenses per day and it takes only about 15 steps to do so.

In the olden days glasses used to be a symbol of geekdom. They used to be thick and bulky but in the modern times it is not so.

Here below I have described the production steps for glasses:

• The computer takes the prescription and then milling machines shape the plastic creating the concave and the convex end
• Then the lenses are polished
  
• They put protective film on the convex side
• Then they measure the precision with something called the lensometer
• After that the lenses go through a 15 stage automated cleaning.
  
• Anti reflective coating is also applied, up till now the lenses are completely round in shape too
• Then a computerized machine cuts the lenses to the desired shape of the frame.
  
• If they are normal glasses then the lenses are just popped in, but if the are "ultra light" glasses or atleast that's what the "how its made" people call it then holes are drilled in through the lens. This too is done by a computerized machine and after that the frames is fitted in.
  

Source: My notes, and of course the "How it's made" video!

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