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Thread: How to create undercut channel in eyeglass frame to hold plastic tube

  1. #1

    How to create undercut channel in eyeglass frame to hold plastic tube

    I was wondering what techniques you would consider to be cheapest for the production of the following rather complex product:


    A frame for an eyeglass with tubing for oxygen therapy patients. I would need a normal eyeglass frame with a channel to pressfit the tubing in the channel (so the whole channel is an undercut).


    The channel should follow the red line (sorry for the messy drawing):


    The tubing looks like this:


    It's just a straight part of this tube that should fit in the undercut channel. I know that additive manufacturing is an option, but this is of course very expensive for larger quantities.


    Is there any other manufacturing technique you would recommend?


    Thank you very much!


    Jeroen

  2. #2
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  3. #3
    I couldn't find how to edit my original post so:

    I was wondering what techniques you would consider to be cheapest for the production of the following rather complex product:


    A frame for an eyeglass with tubing for oxygen therapy patients. I would need a normal eyeglass frame with a channel to pressfit the tubing in the channel (so the whole channel is an undercut).


    The channel should follow the red line (sorry for the messy drawing):
    image.png

    The tubing looks like this:
    image (1).png

    It's just a straight part of this tube that should fit in the undercut channel. I know that additive manufacturing is an option, but this is of course very expensive for larger quantities.


    Is there any other manufacturing technique you would recommend?


    Thank you very much!


    Jeroen

  4. #4
    Technical Fellow Kelly_Bramble's Avatar
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    Those O2 tubes are not small I would explore forming/molding the tube itself into the frame piece.

    It would be smaller, potentially more attractive.
    Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

  5. #5
    Associate Engineer
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Posts
    2
    I would 3D print the frame with an internal channel. Volume production is another matter.

    3D printing is not "expensive" for volume production, it is slow.

    This is usually dealt with by having many printers working in parallel. That can get expensive.

    Here is a new technique that could reduce the number of printers and operators greatly!



    Last edited by garyboyco; 03-05-2020 at 12:49 AM.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Kelly Bramble View Post
    Those O2 tubes are not small I would explore forming/molding the tube itself into the frame piece.

    It would be smaller, potentially more attractive.
    Hi Kelly, the tube needs to be changeable for hygienic reasons. So I'm afraid that this is not an option.

    @Garyboyco, so you think 3D printing is indeed the way to go?

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