How practical is it to make eyeglass frames using 3D printing?

First of all I wear my own designed and 3d-printed frames since last October. So yes, it's absolutely possible to design 3d-printable eyewear! I've been thinking and researching this subject about 3 years now, so I have quite good understanding. read more

Current 3D printers are definitely capable of printing eyeglass frames. A talented designer could model any frame design you wished, including ones with a custom fit for each wearer. The following video is proof of concept. I downloaded STL files from Thingiverse, and made them on a MendelMax RepRap 3D printer in just a few minutes. read more

Offset those curves and attach the offsets to the opposite surface of the frame. Use the control points to make sure the offset curves are also tangent to the surface. Use the frame egdes as profile curves for 2 rail sweeps to build the surfaces of the arms. Join the surfaces and fillet the edges to your desired shape. read more

With all these possibilities, the question is, is it just a matter of time before the really big eyewear producers get into the 3D printing games. But the best part about 3D printing is that it does not take millions to make a good product that people will want, just a good idea, executed well and the ability to respond to every specific demand. That is exactly what 3D printing is all about. read more