Fuel3D & Sfered Collaborate in New Mirror-Based 3D Scanning System for Custom Eyewear

As you are pushing your undoubtedly quite fashionable spectacles up your nose while reading, you’ll probably agree that the eyewear industry is definitely one in need of the best customization and fitting processes possible; after all, the day is quite challenging when you have difficulty focusing or are forced into a repetitive motion like constant readjustment. The use of 3D printing, offering great potential in the eyewear industry, is a trend that has only accelerated, from 3D printed luxury frames to colorful glasses complementing fashion designs, and far more.

Now, Fuel3D is getting involved in 3D printed eyewear as they collaborate with Sfered, an eyewear technology developer headquartered in the Netherlands and founded in 2012. You may remember Fuel3D as they are one of the leaders in both 3D capturing and imaging, and we’ve reported on them as they’ve been involved in everything from full-face scanning to foot scanning for orthotics. In working with Sfered however, the Fuel3D team has now developed a mirror-based 3D scanning system for making and customizing eyewear.

Definitely more complex than 3D systems for eyewear we’ve discussed previously, Fuel3D’s new 3D scanning technology offers the first 3D scanning system integrated with a mirror. Now in testing at select European optical retailers through the summer, this new system should be made available in the retail marketplace by the end of the year.

 “When people look into a mirror, they relax, straighten up and focus much more naturally than if they are looking into a camera, which means that the scanner collects more accurate data for custom eyewear fitting,” said Peter Tutuarima, CEO, Sfered. “We have worked closely with the team at Fuel3D to bring this new scanning system to market and we are looking forward to demonstrating the benefits that next-generation facial scanning can bring to the custom fit process.”

Key product elements of this new system created by Fuel3D and Sfered include:

• Precise facial scanning that allows opticians to collect all metrics required for fitting of eyewear and production of custom fit eyewear in a single scan.
• High-speed 3D capture that collects facial data in 0.1 seconds, allowing data capture of: pupillary distance; nose bridge width; facial width; and distance to ear (for glasses’ arm length data)
• Access to a wide range of frame data held in Sfered’s frames database, allowing opticians to virtually fit frames to customers for an enhanced customer experience.
• An open platform that allows frame manufacturers like monoqool to upload their catalogs for virtual fitting of frames.

Being shown off this week at SILMO, visitors from around the world are able to catch a glimpse of the technology—along with much more—at the world’s largest eyewear tradeshow being held in Paris September 23-26. Sfered is demonstrating the new system at SILMO in collaboration with 3D printed eyewear firm, monoqool.

 “It is in our DNA to be innovative and this new scanning product can helps the whole eyewear industry to benefit from our innovation,” said Allan Petersen, CEO, monoqool. “Customized eyewear is a great tool for independent opticians and optometrists as they increasingly compete with the large chains.”

Headquartered in Denmark, monoqool is known in their realm as a pioneer due to their 3D laser printed polyamid frames which can be completely customized. They will be the first to use the new scanning system with their own unique products.

Should you be fortunate enough to be in Paris this week and at SILMO, you can catch the new system in Hall 5 at booth E059. Discuss further in the 3D Scanning for Custom Eyewear forum over at 3DPB.com.