TORONTO--CC Systems hosted its annual User Group Meeting here on Aug. 24 and 25, drawing over 60 attendees representing 27 labs and six suppliers. Representatives of leading equipment manufacturers, including Randy Baldwin and Isaac Altit from Gerber Coburn, Chip Heavican from DAC, and Bruno Carissimi from OptoTech, educated attendees on how direct surfaced lenses are processed, the differences among the various systems and the different capabilities achieved using optional accessories.

Pictured at CC System’s annual User Group Meeting are, left to right, Bernard Michaud, Riverside Optical; Lis Llovell and Michel Page, West Lab and Marc-Andre, Optique Tournesol.

Several lens design suppliers discussed the distinguishing characteristics of their companies’ respective products, including Laurie Badone from Seiko and Ron Kroll from Signet Armorlite. “Bottom line” classes based on real life experiences from wholesale labs already using direct surfacing systems were given by Paul Faibish of Plastic Plus (Satisloh and Seiko) and Mike Walach of Quest Lab (DAC).

Also attending the Toronto gathering were Jamie Peden, Barrie Ophthalmic; Mitch Hirsch, M.H. Optical and Paul Faibish, Plastic Plus.

Stephen Cohen, president of CC Systems, summarized this array of information into simple spreadsheets enabling each lab to evaluate the pros, the cons, the cost and the potential profitability of direct surfacing. Classes given by 10 CC Systems technicians topped off the weekend with in-depth descriptions of new and unique features related to remote ordering, 3D lens viewer, WIP monitoring, outsourcing, frame inventories, direct surfacing integration, customized reports, wrap compensation, coating forms, and automatic job recalculation on receipt of a frame tracing.