Traditional craftsmanship with state-of-the-art technology
The 3D-printed glasses of the future with individual customization
Description of the component:
At YOU MAWO, traditional craftsmanship is combined with state-of-the-art technology to create real added value for the customer. For example, individual & sustainable 3D-printed glasses based on a 3D scan are produced exclusively for the respective customer. YOU MAWO benefits from a scalable and reproducible post-processing method and a wide range of colors.
The idea:
SebastianZenetti, Managing Director and Head of Sales at YOU MAWO, explains:
Why 3D printing? "One of my co-founders used to work for a medical company and they used 3D printing for medical devices. That was really inspiring. So he came up with the idea of producing eyewear from this polyamide using selective laser sintering. In the beginning, we didn't start a company, it was more of a hobby. My co-founder's brother has Down syndrome and we thought that with SLS 3D printing we might be able to adapt his glasses to his face. We just tried it out and it worked. It fit better than anything before and the frames were so durable. It was a game changer for us. Because we realized that we could really offer people a benefit."
Challenges:
Sebastian Zanetti went on to explain:
"The idea itself was actually a no-brainer, but we didn't expect how difficult the development would be. The fit is difficult in two ways. We have the atomically perfect fit and the aesthetic fit. All the different parts have to work together. And on the other hand, the glasses are something we wear on our face 12 hours a day, 365 days a year. UV light, sweat and various cosmetics affect the material, coloring and finish all day long. 3D printing technology is amazing, and I'm sure it will change the way we think about our industry, and what we're doing right now is just the beginning. But it's been a long road to get there. Frames may look like simple 3D-printed applications, but in the end we have three parts and they all have to fit together perfectly."
Solution:
Ready for real customization and series production thanks to industrial technologies! Sebastian Zenetti, Managing Director and Head of Sales at YOU MAWO, explains:
"We really started with the basics, such as what kind of production technology is the best. After a while, it was clear that we would work with SLS. We said, let's go to the company that develops this type of technology, namely EOS. We got in touch with them and immediately had supporters on our side. They really helped us to move forward with our application. So we found the right production technology, but that's just the first step. The next step: we needed the right finishing technology. A good surface treatment and coloring to turn the parts into a product.
With the help of DyeMansion's print-to-product workflow, we achieved a whole new level of quality. One of the biggest challenges was, of course, a scalable and reproducible process. This has been the main part of the development over the last few years and DyeMansion has been one of the most important partners in achieving this. Not just for us, but for the entire industry. DyeMansion's technology is state of the art, and I don't know of any competitor of ours that is doing really well that isn't using DyeMansion technology.
One of the biggest benefits we have for the end user, the frames are really durable. They are 30% lighter than conventional plastic frames. The second big advantage is for our opticians. On average, opticians have more than 3000 frames in stock, maybe even more."
Conclusion:
Welcome to the future of eyewear: customized 3D-printed eyewear based on a 3D scan, developed and produced in Germany - made possible by DyeMansion's post-processing technology - opens up completely new possibilities for eyewear design. The glasses are already available from around 750 opticians in over 20 countries.