Seeing and hearing the world through 3-D printed products
Three-dimensional printed fashion may be an unaffordable stretch for some consumers, but 3-D printed fashion accessories and health products have already become mainstream.
The eyewear and hearing aid industries are excellent examples — the eyewear industry hasn’t seen much innovation since Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals. Mass-designed frames, which take into account general, rather than specific, profiles of customer faces, are still the norm in the industry. The argument goes that custom eyewear, which requires significant investment in effort and resources, is expensive and time-consuming.
With its focus on custom creations and innovative materials, 3-D printing could change that.Startups and established eyewear players alike are experimenting with 3-D printing to streamline manufacturing processes and innovate with new materials.
If things go well, the eyewear industry might soon follow the hearing aid industry, in which approximately 90% of the world’s hearing aids are made using 3-D printers. The technology has streamlined manufacturing processes and cut down development times. More importantly, it has enabled the customization of hearing aids at a level that was previously unimaginable.
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