Apparatus for generating ophthalmic products from blanks and a method of operating same

An apparatus for generating surface configurations in blanks, comprising:

• rotating means for rotating a blank about an axis of rotation;
• a cutter tool for cutting a desired surface configuration onto the rotating blank;
• first moving means for effecting relative movement between said cutter tool and the blank in a first direction oriented parallel to said axis of rotation of the blank;
• second moving means for effecting relative movement between said cutter tool and the blank in a second direction oriented transversely to said first direction;
• and
• digital electronic means connected to said rotating means and to said first and second moving means for supplying control signals controlling the angular displacement of the blank with respect to a reference plane containing the blank and controlling the relative movement between the cutter tool and the blank along said first and second directions, such that the relative movements between said cutter tool and said blank along said first and second directions and the angular displacement of the blank about said axis of rotation are all proactively controlled independently of one another without any one of said relative movements and said angular displacement being dependent on a different movement or angular displacement of the cutter tool or the blank, by means of control signals supplied at regular time intervals.