Title: Development of the personalised manufacturing system framework for freeform vari-focal lenses and its implementation and application perspectives

Authors: Shangkuan Liu; Kai Cheng; Liang Zhao

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK ' Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK ' School of Mechanical-Electrical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150006, China

Abstract: Due to the complexity of freeform surfaces, the design and manufacturing of vari-focal lenses are much more challenging compared with traditional ones, further imposed by the unique personalised requirement and stringent ultraprecision manufacturing capability. This paper presents an integrated e-portal driven manufacturing system approach for precision design and manufacture of personalised vari-focal lenses in a highly competitive manner. The e-portal driven system mainly operates with three integrated functions, including: (i) uploading and processing the prescribed ophthalmic lens information; (ii) modelling and analysis of the corresponding freeform surfaces and generating the 3D lens model; and (iii) ultraprecision machining of the freeform surfaced lens component accordingly. The modelling and analysis of the freeform surface in light of the personalised customisation data and generating the lens model for follow-up ultraprecision manufacturing accurately are the kernel of the e-portal driven manufacturing system, which is the focus of the research and development as presented.

Keywords: vari-focal lenses; e-portal for manufacturing; freeform surfaces; design modelling and analysis; personalised manufacturing system; digital manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMS.2023.132022

International Journal of Mechatronics and Manufacturing Systems, 2023 Vol.16 No.1, pp.1 - 21

Received: 03 May 2022
Accepted: 11 Oct 2022
Published online: 06 Jul 2023 *

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