Plastic injection-compression multi-cavity molding of flash-free
improved-cleanliness thermoplastic spectacle lenses (16) are suitable to
be robotically dip hardcoated. Special spring-loaded (25, 26) molds
having variable-volume mold cavities are used in an injection-compression
molding process to form, without parting line flash, pairs of a wide
range of differing optical power of polycarbonate Rx spectacle lenses
(16). These pairs have special molded-on design features which are
specially suited for full automation, starting with a novel way for
ejection out of the mold into a takeout robot which is integrated via
full automation with subsequent dip hardcoating. A molded-on tab with
each pair of lenses is specially suited for manipulation by SCARA type
robot. This combination produces micro-clean hardcoated paired molded
lens made entirely within a single continuous cleanroom air enclosure
surrounding the lenses, without any human operators therein, nor
requiring any cutting or trimming of the molded paired lens or runner
system before hardcoating, nor use of Freon (tm) CFC nor aqueous cleaning
protocols before dipcoating.