Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant OJSC is a dynamically developing company specializing in the production of sights, thermal imagers, NVD, lenses, medical devices and other products. It is part of the Schwabe holding.
Creature
The Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant (VOMZ) is a large enterprise of optical instrument engineering in the north-west of the Russian Federation. The basis for its design and construction was the decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of September 3, 1968 on the organization in Vologda of instrument-making optical production.
On January 4, 1971, the Minister of Defense Industry issued an order to form the directorate of the plant under construction. Since that time, the release of the site for construction began, in the adapted building a workshop for non-standard equipment was organized.
The question of why Vologda was chosen for the construction of an optical-mechanical plant remains unanswered. The city did not have highly qualified personnel (opticians and specialists in the field of radio electronics), there were no trained assemblers and tuners of radio equipment. Specialists were sent from all relevant industry organizations.
From simple to complex
The birthday of the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant is considered 16.10.1971. In fact, the work of the enterprise began in 1972 with the release of the simplest optical products and magnifiers. A year later, a full-fledged assembly workshop was launched, where they mastered the production of components for binoculars, compasses and other components.
In the summer of 1978, the construction of the first stage of the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant was completed. The main production facilities of the enterprise were introduced. VOMZ began to specialize in the production of components for special products. Thanks to the effective assistance of the Leningrad Association LOMO by the beginning of 1982, the plant reached its design capacity in a short time. In the same year, for the successes achieved, the enterprise was named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR.
The transition to the development of new complex products became possible after equipping the enterprise with the latest equipment. Were introduced:
- automatic lines for machining parts;
- expanded fleet of CNC machines;
- assembly and control operations are automated.
The enterprise management system was raised to a new qualitative level , automated computer systems began to be used in the design of products, technological preparation and management of production processes. The plant has developed a modern system of training and advanced training.
Time for a change
By the 90s, the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant had begun manufacturing control systems for armored vehicles. VOMZ also produced a wide range of photo lenses, medical equipment, agricultural equipment and other civilian products. Now in the volume of products manufactured by the plant, civilian goods occupy a rather significant part.
On April 14, 1994, by the resolution of the Vologda Oblast Mayor’s Office, an open type Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant JSC was organized at the facilities of the production association. The years of reform have significantly changed the structure of commodity products. VOMZ OJSC has become a diversified enterprise. In addition to products for the military-industrial complex, it produces a wide range of consumer goods, which are in demand both on the domestic and foreign markets.
With a wide range of modern equipment, VOMZ produces products whose quality is in no way inferior to the best foreign analogues. It should be noted that in 1998 the plant received a certificate of compliance with the requirements of the international standard ISO-9000-96. In 2003, the enterprise quality system was certified for compliance with ISO-9001-2001.
Today, the production is equipped with the latest technological equipment. This provides a quick restructuring of the plant to release new products. Optical production at VOMZ is capable of producing mirrors, lenses, prisms with surface cleanliness from 0 to 6 classes. The company's optical products are divided into two large groups of devices - optical-mechanical and optical-electronic.
Products
Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant specializes in the manufacture of:
- Photo lenses of the Mir series, Jupiter.
- Loop.
- Glazkov.
- Bussole.
- Medical devices.
- Sights of the Pilad series.
- Plank brackets.
- NVD.
- Night, collimator sights.
- Lens and other optical products.
Significant volumes of manufactured goods are exported.
A few years ago, VOMZ presented its latest development - an open collimator sight. The designers and management of the plant came to the conclusion that it has certain advantages over the closed one, and relied on it. The main advantage of the collimator over the optical sight is that it has a large angular field that allows you to quickly aim weapons.
By the way, the new collimator sight is a completely independent development of factory workers. Moreover, the design of the sight is patented. The system provides the possibility of manual smooth selection of the contrast of the grid. Most manufacturers of collimator sights prefer to install a device that automatically selects the contrast between the grid and the background. But, according to the specialists of the plant, automation does not take into account the peculiarities of the shooter's vision and the value that is not always chosen is optimal for certain lighting conditions.