Hardware Podcasts

Reinventing Kids’ Eyewear with Additive Manufacturing…and a Touch of Disney Magic

Additive Snack · 18 May 2021 · 42m · Episode 1

What this episode covers

Katie Brandeau, Chief Product Officer at Fitz Frames, and founder Heidi Hertel explain how they disrupted the children's eyewear market by combining 3D printing with a face-scanning app to create fully customized, durable glasses. They detail the transition from Disney R&D to hardware, highlighting the development of a non-breakable snap-fit hinge and a proprietary scan-to-print workflow that enabled an 11-day product launch for protective eyewear during the pandemic. The episode offers guidance on assessing additive manufacturing viability, emphasizing that companies must redesign products from the ground up for AM rather than simply substituting processes, focusing on high customization, small batches, and complex geometries.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Fitz Frames, EOS, Disney
Products
iPhone, Fitz Protect Frames
Tools
AR Kit
Also
Katie Brandeau, Heidi Hertel

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