FRAME ENCLOSURE MATERIAL STUDIES
2018
This project illustrates how electronic eyewear is envisioned. The study was to understand how the enclosure design could look
and how the merge of the acetate material and the making method affects each other.
Bringing Back
Traditional Material
Into Smart Glasses.
Acetate is a commonly used material in eyewear, however it is not used as a frame in smart glasses (in 2018), because electronic enclosures are usually manufactured by injection mould and it is extremely difficult to inject mold acetate. Recommended and conventional way to produce frames with acetate is to mechanically cut out the shape from cured sheets of block acetate.
Acetate has richness in finish surface compared to other plastics. The material is known for durable and flexible (when heated) characteristics, which allows the frames to be bent and adjusted for a better fit.
Because it is such a miss to not have acetate used as frame material, acetate was explored to make frame enclosures. Through experimentation, restraints were found in the making between material and the design.
Goal Of The Enclosure Design
1) Fittings are compact that electronics will not be broken easily as they are safely enclosed.
2) Using CNC to precisely cut acetate and form an enclosure case with 2mm thickness.
Parts Inside The Frame
Process Of CNC
Cutting and Forming: The frames are cut to shape using computer controlled mills according to the design input.
Problems Faced With CNC
Because the electronics need to be integrated in the frame, inner surface needs to be cut to provide space. Usually a bracket is enough for the support when cnc cutting frames. but for this process, as the inner surface is cut, there is less weight support, which shakes and could lift the material board. This leads to milling the wrong spot and ruining the piece.
CNC cut with brackets. Circle indicates faults.
First CNC Cut Trial
Process1: Glasses frame parts are drawn digitally and placed on flat surface of acetate board.
Process 2: Brackets are drawn to prevent parts from flying off during cnc.
Because each side of the surface is not flat, each surface needs to be cnced.
Process 3: In order to flip the acetate board and place it to cut correctly, four holes are made onto both the acetate board and the secure base where the rods are placed for placement fittings.
Process 4: After the board is flipped and second round of CNC begins, a problem rises due to a lot of material already been taken out; despite of brackets placed for support, the part lifts up during CNC and cuts away part of the frame.
Second Trial CNC
On the second trial, instead of brackets, few thickness of thin layer is left out on the contour of the outer shape.
After the CNC cut, the shape is cut with a jeweler’s saw.
