3D printed glasses are a real opportunity in the consumer AM space, with a growing number of players bringing unique solutions to the market. In Germany, YOU MAWO takes advantage of technology to inject a greater degree of individualism into eyewear. The company, whose name means “Your Magic World”, uses a combination of EOS SLS 3D printing and Manor House finishing solutions for its custom frames.

Before 3D printing, the process of creating personalized glasses was prohibitive. According to Sebastian Zenetti, Managing Director and Sales Manager at YOU MAWO, the measurements alone could take up to two hours. And that’s not to mention the time and cost of making unique frames using conventional manufacturing. Digital manufacturing processes like 3D printing remove this barrier, making bespoke and on-demand eyeglass frames a reality.

The YOU MAWO eyewear solution emphasizes simplicity. The company uses existing camera hardware in iPhones and iPads to capture facial scans in under 20 seconds. From there, the company’s pre-designed frames are adjusted to fit the client’s face while retaining the original character of the design. The custom frames are then 3D printed on an EOS SLS 3D printer and then undergo post-processing using DyeMansion’s Print-to-Product workflow.

The combination of SLS 3D printing and DyeMansion’s finishing solution results in high-quality, skin-friendly frames that are 30% lighter than conventional plastic glasses and adapted to the wearer’s face. The frames can also be personalized with different colors. Today YOU MAWO offers 15 different color options, although more are on the horizon thanks to DyeMansion Color Matching. It’s also worth noting that 3D printed frames aren’t just coated – they’re dyed using DyeMansion’s DeepDye coloring process, which absorbs paint deep into the room, minimizing the aesthetic effects of scratches and scratches. daily wear and tear.

“One of the biggest challenges was a scalable and repeatable process,” explained Zenetti. “This was the main part of the development over the past few years and where DyeMansion was one of the most important partners to make it happen. Not just for us, but for the entire industry.

Beyond personalization, 3D printing also offers YOU MAWO a degree of agility that would be impossible with conventional production methods. This has advantages on the production side – with shorter product development times – as well as for opticians, who can benefit from less inventory through rapid production and on-demand.

“For YOU MAWO, the key to success lies in 3D scanning, data, analytics, AI and innovative software,” said Zenetti. “From new designs to the personalization and digitization of eyewear. Today, the eyewear company works with more than 800 business partners in 20 countries, selling its 3D printed eyewear through a network of select opticians.