The South American firm MVD Frames are utilizing 3D printing to create superb, natural designs in eyewear whereas serving to the atmosphere on the identical time.
Posted on January 28, 2019
by
Chris Morgan
Based mostly within the vibrant metropolis of Montevideo, Uruguay, our April 2019 Hackers of the Month are creating a brand new mannequin of manufacturing, fashion, and sustainability for eyewear with their start-up firm, MVD Frames.
Andres Roppa and Alberto Menestrina are each long-time product engineers who come from an industrial engineering background. Their first publicity to 3D printing was round 2002 when a university journey took them to the wind tunnel at an engineering facility that was evaluating the facade efficiency for a future constructing; the dimensions mannequin was created utilizing stereolithography.
A number of years later in 2011, they each began taking part in design contests for 3D printing sponsored by Shapeways and Materialise, in addition to others. Additionally right now, Alberto was working full-time at a product design studio that targeted on electrical units and used fast prototyping each day. As a result of there have been no industrial grade printers in Uruguay on the time, the design information needed to be despatched to Brazil for printing!
In a considerably completely different timeline for many of us, they had been in a position to minimize their tooth on SLS (selective laser sintering) additive manufacturing processes however then moved on to smaller scale FDM (shaped deposition modeling) processes to create their extremely fashionable MVD frames.
The place did the inspiration come for the MVD Frames enterprise mannequin? Andres explains, “We’re rethinking methods to make eyewear, and why we should always make it within the first place. We develop merchandise which have extra which means for the consumer… when it comes to the consumer and never the business, shifting away from mass manufacturing and consumption.”
The result’s nothing in need of superb. Utilizing primarily guide sharpening methods, Andres and Alberto create gorgeous eyewear at a fraction of the price of high-end designer labels. The explanation behind this hands-on method speaks volumes, “Our venture revolves across the thought of mixing digital with pure, so we’re utilizing hemp and espresso crammed PLA amongst different composite filaments from 3DFuel and different manufacturers to repeatedly take a look at new choices. We need to reveal how these supplies may be mixed with our design method to realize high-end high quality merchandise that may meet robust necessities.”
Using 3D printing has allowed them to develop and fabricate fashions shortly to validate their product concepts. The flip round time in with the ability to troubleshoot and reprint flawed designs has tremendously diminished their improvement time in creating new concepts and merchandise.
“Our eyewear is born out of the digital period, however with a home made contact that makes every body distinctive. So, we mixed new applied sciences, like 3D printing, with pure supplies and guide processes to create an progressive manufacturing methodology.”
“We design high-quality frames inside a multisize idea, with the consumer in thoughts, making a stronger and longer lasting bond. Our collections adapt and evolve organically with out leftovers, as a result of that’s how nature does it, and that’s the way it must be.”
Why did they select eyewear? “Eyewear is the right product to enhance with 3D printing. Take customization, for example; small scale manufacturing, assembly particular consumer wants, and many others. For now, we’re concentrating on consolation and match whereas utilizing extra sustainable supplies. However some enhancements usually are not that seen as a result of they’re associated to processes taking place backstage. As an example, our lens supplier could be very excited to search out that many points which might be associated to lens becoming and different lenses/body processes may be solved shortly and based on their wants. There are inherent issues with standard injected and acetate frames, that we are able to keep away from because of the fabric and expertise.”
What’s it about 3D printing that makes this design so intriguing? “In addition to the eyewear itself, which we design by profiting from the inherent advantages of additive manufacturing, we’re consistently utilizing the expertise to unravel particular day by day points on different processes we want. We print custom-made templates for laser engraving eyewear elements for example, amongst different fast options to assist in meeting. These options are easy, nothing fancy, however they’re so fast and low price, which is good for us at this level.”
“We hope to make extra comfy, higher becoming eyewear for the consumer. We deal with making every design and assortment a bit extra superior when it comes to profiting from additive manufacturing. This method has additionally helped different eyewear startups for which we now have developed designs with particular necessities. Other than eyewear, we did some design and printing for human and animal orthosis and technical aids. This was a facet venture that Alberto was main with one other crew.”
One other good thing about utilizing 3D printing of their manufacturing is the collaboration issue. It has allowed them to attach with international purchasers on a number of tasks. It has opened a brand new approach of working, making enterprise alternatives out there to them that might have been not possible to implement 10-15 years in the past.
As is clear of their design and manufacturing course of, they hope to see 3D printing dramatically cut back the environmental affect of manufacturing, and never simply one other medium to create much more ineffective plastic devices – they usually consistently critique themselves on this metric as nicely!
For now, Andres and Alberto need to broaden their eyewear designs by collaborating with different manufacturers, whereas taking the time to be sure that individuals are educated within the design, conceptualization and accountable use if 3D printing expertise. A measure of their success appears to lie of their notion that the human facet of 3D printing is what must be upgraded as a result of the expertise is already getting cheaper and simpler to make use of extraordinarily shortly.
We look ahead to seeing much more designs and the world domination of the 3D printed eyewear market by Andres and Alberto! For extra of what MVD is as much as, you may go to their web site right here:
www.mvdframes.com
