| Autor: |
Gwamuri, Jephias, Wittbrodt, Ben T., Anzalone, Nick C., Pearce, Joshua M. |
| Rok vydání: |
2014 |
| Předmět: |
|
| Zdroj: |
Challenges in Sustainability, 2, 1, 30-40 |
| Druh dokumentu: |
Zeitschriftenartikel<br />journal article |
| ISSN: |
2297-6477 |
| DOI: |
10.12924/cis2014.02010030 |
| Popis: |
Although the trend in manufacturing has been towards centralization to leverage economies of scale, the recent rapid technical development of open-source 3-D printers enables low-cost distributed bespoke production. This paper explores the potential advantages of a distributed manufacturing model of high-value products by investigating the application of 3-D printing to self-refraction eyeglasses. A series of parametric 3-D printable designs is developed, fabricated and tested to overcome limitations identified with mass-manufactured self-correcting eyeglasses designed for the developing world's poor. By utilizing 3-D printable self-adjustable glasses, communities not only gain access to far more diversity in product design, as the glasses can be customized for the individual, but 3-D printing also offers the potential for significant cost reductions. The results show that distributed manufacturing with open-source 3-D printing can empower developing world communities through the ability to print less expensive and customized self-adjusting eyeglasses. This offers the potential to displace both centrally manufactured conventional and self-adjusting glasses while completely eliminating the costs of the conventional optics correction experience, including those of highly-trained optometrists and ophthalmologists and their associated equipment. Although, this study only analyzed a single product, it is clear that other products would benefit from the same approach in isolated regions of the developing world. |
| Databáze: |
SSOAR – Social Science Open Access Repository |
| Externí odkaz: |
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