By Denis Langlois
Less than two years since its inception, Toronto-based Specsy has added a second frame material to its collection of 3D-printed, customizable eyewear.
The “digital concrete” line was launched in late September at Vision Expo West in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Our ‘digital concrete’ frames are made from nylon. The 3D printing process that we use to produce our digital concrete line is called Selective Laser Sintering. It essentially utilizes a laser to fuse nylon based on the specs of each custom frame,” Ashley Barby, Specsy’s chief operating officer, tells Optical Prism magazine.
The new material is incredibly durable, impact-resistant and lightweight and is available in a rainbow of colours, including red, orange, yellow, forest green, cobalt blue, purple, black and white.
“After extensive research and development, we are thrilled to be introducing new materials and innovations to the optical field,” says Milan Madhavji, Specsy’s chief technology officer.
“Specsy will change the way that consumers approach frame design and comfort, by creating a custom one-of-a-kind frame that not only possesses superior durability capabilities, but also weighs significantly less than a typical acetate frame.”
Specsy provides optical professionals with a retail-ready app to design custom glasses tailored to the patient’s aesthetic preferences and technical requirements. The Specsy retail app uses augmented reality, allowing patients to design frames on a live image of their face. By utilizing 3-D facial scans and a digital design process, Specsy provides optical professionals the opportunity to offer a truly custom frame.
The frames are then crafted through state-of-the-art 3D printing. After the eight-hour printing process, the frames spend three days going through a multi-step finishing procedure, while being assembled and inspected by hand.
Specsy launched its first multi-colour plastic resin frame collection in Canada in the fall of 2017. Last spring, the company announced its entry into the United States marketplace.
With the introduction of its new digital concrete line, the company now has its eyes set on offering a custom metal frame in 2019 and other innovative materials in the future.
Specsy says its digital concrete collection pushes the boundaries of customization, durability and weight, previously unheard of in optical frames.
Weighing in at an average of 10 grams, the collection merges cutting-edge innovations in 3D printing technology with superior fit, comfort and durability.
For more information on Specsy, visit specsy.com.
