NAPERVILLE, Ill.—The Satisloh Users Group (SLUG), consisting of about 150 optical lab executives and technicians, met here from July 14 to 17 to attend SLUGFest 2010. The meeting, hosted by lab equipment makers Satisloh and National Optronics, provided attendees an opportunity to learn about the companies’ latest digital surfacing and finishing technology. Keynote speaker Tom Koulopoulos, president of the global think tank Delphi Group, discussed innovation strategies, and lean manufacturing expert Paul Clipp examined how labs can benefit from continuous improvement initiatives.

At the opening night reception, Steve Sutherlin of Sutherlin Optical (l) chats with hosts Larry Clarke and Ian Gregg of Satisloh North America.	During their tour of Expert Optics, (l to r) Paul Faibish of Plastics Plus joins Hilaire Van der Veen of Shamir, John Barry of Soderberg and Mike Rybacki of Seiko/Pentax to watch while Satisloh’s Ian Gregg demonstrates the company’s integrated topography measurement software	In Expert Optics’ OBM Lab, Satisloh’s Gregor Pavel explained how the Nucleo Deblocker uses a blast of high pressure water to deblock the lens.

The highlight of the meeting was a tour of Expert Optics in nearby Shorewood, Ill., which just completed installation of a new Satisloh On Block Manufacturing (OBM) lab. The lab’s production line includes digital surfacing, AR coating and edging. The edging component will be integrated into the line by year end, making it the first true “no-touch” Rx manufacturing line in the industry. ■ ■

Satisloh brought the SLUGFest attendees to the Chicagoland Speedway for the Richard Petty Driving Experience. Marty Bassett of Walman Optical prepares to take a few laps around the track with a NASCAR driver behind the wheel of a racecar.	Bob Niemiec of Eye Care Centers of America, left, catches up with Satisloh chief Beat Siegrist.	Bob Pommier (l) and Greg Ruden of Expert Optics welcome Ken Mittel of Hirsch Optical to their new Satisloh OBM (On Block Manufacturing) Lab.

—Andrew Karp,

akarp@jobson.com