A new ART (Alloy Replacement Technology) machine being tested at the Richland Hills facility could represent game-changing original equipment manufacturer technology.
New Richland Hills facility tests and employs latest technology
A new distribution facility in Richland Hills (San Antonio) began operations in 2014 and has the capacity to double in size as HVHC's Visionworks and Davis Vision brands continue to grow.
Starting with a "clean sheet" design approach, Richland Hills was able to leverage the latest technologies to maximize throughput, quality and productivity in a new, state-of-the-art operation. At the start of the manufacturing process, the backside of the lens is machined using the latest digital processing technology. Efficient and environmentally sound technology allows a "cellular" manufacturing environment with closer spacing of equipment to minimize work in process, and increase throughput and speed-of-work back to the customer. By utilizing lasers to micro-engrave the backside of lenses after they are optically machined, Richland Hills is capable of producing any of the newest-style digital backside progressive lenses.
Richland Hills has also partnered with key vendors to pilot and test new technologies. For example, it was recently chosen as the North American beta test site for new Alloy Replacement Technology (ART), an industry first, which uses environmentally friendly materials in conjunction with automation and advanced technologies like vision systems to more precisely locate the block on the lens to improve quality and accuracy of the final product in lens processing. Being on the cutting edge in industry-changing technology provides a high degree of quality and productivity for HVHC customers.
Richland Hills was designed to grow with HVHC. Currently one production cell is being utilized; however, when fully built out to three, Richland Hills will ultimately have the capacity to fabricate over 70,000 pairs of glasses per week.
