From Salvage to Space

Lenses have two components: diameter and focal length. Prior to the computer, manufacturers would order a slew of different lenses for the machines they were inventing, using trial and error to find the right component. As a result, Edmund’s 300-page, semi-annual catalog has a large number of matrices of off-the-shelf components’ detailed charts for each kind of lens showing diameter, focal length and price in hierarchical order. With each new customer request, gaps in the matrices were evaluated, manufactured and added to inventory, so Edmund now has about 6,500 SKUs, a virtually insurmountable repertoire of product for a potential rival to compete against.