Luxexcel offers 3D printer for making ophthalmic lenses

The Luxexcel AM system uses inkjet technology to produce ophthalmic lenses.

"Why 3D-print ophthalmic lenses?" the European machine builder Luxexcel asked.

Here’s the company’s answer: “3D printing allows for unique, customized lens designs, which is what prescription eyewear is all about. In addition, with 3D printing you will be able to finally add ‘smart’ to prescription lenses and (add prescription lenses) to all these AR and VR goggles that are coming out.”

Notable, too, is that additively manufacturing lenses consumes 80 percent less raw material than grinding them, Luxexcel estimates. (Some of the used material in subtractive manufacturing can be re-used, however, such as the heavy-metal alloy block that holds the lens during processing in the grinder and polisher.)

The Luxexcel VisionEngine is based on inkjet 3D printing. It builds lenses droplet by droplet from a liquid that the company sells. Small droplets are jetted to build the required lens shape. The 3D printing process creates a lens surface that’s smooth enough to require no post-processing, the company reports. This is made possible by applying extremely small droplets at a high delivery rate and allowing them to merge before curing.

Luxexcel, which is based in The Netherlands and has offices in Belgium and the U.S., claims it’s the only company in the world that sells equipment able to 3D-print ophthalmic lenses. It currently limits sales to ophthalmic laboratories.