Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi explore how Nebraska Furniture Mart’s new optical center, featuring the innovative Yuniku Design Center, is revolutionizing the eyewear industry with custom 3D-printed glasses frames.
Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM), owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, has recently launched an innovative optical center featuring the Yuniku Design Center. This cutting-edge facility offers customers the ability to create custom 3D-printed glasses frames, revolutionizing the retail eyewear industry and bringing it back to brick-and-mortar.
Nebraska Furniture Mart: A Retail Giant
Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM) is a well-known name in the retail world, boasting an extensive range of products from furniture and electronics to appliances and flooring. Owned by Berkshire Hathaway, NFM has established itself as a leader in providing quality products and exceptional customer service. In addition to its wide array of offerings, NFM also houses several notable retailers, including Apple, Bose, and Samsung, further enhancing the shopping experience for its customers. The Nebraska Furniture Mart store in Nebraska spans 450,000 square feet. Other locations include Dallas, Texas, and Kansas City, Kansas.
The Apple VisionPro and 3D Printing
Apple, a pioneer in technology and innovation, recently launched its Vision Pro product that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world, through goggles. We have covered how Stryker is working with Apple on using the Apple Vision Pro for medical and surgical purposes. Apple has explored the use of 3D printing in various aspects of its other product development as well. One notable example is the 3D printing of prototypes for its devices, allowing for rapid iteration and refinement of designs. Additionally, Apple has utilized 3D printing to create custom-fit ear tips for its AirPods, ensuring a more comfortable and secure fit for users.
Bose and 3D Printing
Bose, renowned for its high-quality audio products, has also embraced 3D printing technology. The company has used 3D printing to develop custom-fit earphones, providing users with a personalized listening experience. By leveraging this technology, Bose can create earphones that conform perfectly to the unique contours of each user’s ears, enhancing both comfort and sound quality.
The Yuniku Design Center: A New Era in Eyewear
The Yuniku Design Center at Nebraska Furniture Mart’s new optical center represents a significant advancement in the eyewear industry. At the heart of this innovation is a sophisticated face-scanning device that enables the creation of custom-designed glasses frames tailored to each individual’s unique facial features.
Yuniku: Pioneers in Custom Eyewear
Yuniku, a collaboration between Materialise, a leader in 3D printing for eyewear, and Hoya Vision Care, a global provider of optical solutions, has been at the forefront of developing custom eyewear solutions. The company was established with the goal of combining advanced technology with personalized design to create eyewear that meets the unique needs of each customer.
Face Scanning Technology
The face-scanning device used by Yuniku employs advanced 3D scanning technology to capture detailed measurements of a customer’s face. This data is then used to design frames that are precisely contoured to fit the individual’s facial structure. By creating frames that are custom-made for each person, Yuniku ensures a level of comfort and fit that is unmatched by traditional eyewear.
Benefits of 3D Printing in Eyewear
One of the key advantages of using 3D printing technology in the production of glasses frames is the reduction in the need for extensive inventory. Traditional eyewear retailers must stock a wide variety of frame styles, sizes, and colors to meet the diverse needs of their customers. In contrast, Yuniku’s approach allows for on-demand production of frames, significantly reducing the need for large inventories.
Additionally, 3D printing technology streamlines the manufacturing process, reducing production time and allowing customers to receive their custom frames more quickly. This efficiency not only benefits the customer but also reduces waste and lowers the overall environmental impact of frame production.
Superior Fit and Comfort
The use of 3D scanning technology ensures that each pair of glasses fits the wearer’s face perfectly. This custom fit enhances comfort and prevents common issues such as slipping, pinching, or pressure points. By providing a tailored fit, Yuniku’s 3D-printed frames offer a superior level of comfort and functionality compared to off-the-shelf eyewear.
Materialise and 3D Printing
Materialise, one of the key partners in Yuniku, is a company renowned for its expertise in 3D printing technology. Materialise has been instrumental in advancing 3D printing applications across various industries, including healthcare, automotive, and aerospace. In the context of eyewear, Materialise’s cutting-edge technology enables the precise and efficient production of custom frames.
Materialise has been a pioneer in the field of 3D printing for over three decades. The company’s expertise extends beyond eyewear, encompassing a wide range of applications. For example, Materialise has developed innovative solutions for the medical field, such as patient-specific surgical guides and implants, which are created using 3D printing technology. In the automotive industry, Materialise’s 3D printing capabilities are used to produce lightweight and complex components that enhance vehicle performance and efficiency.
AI and Custom Design
Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role in Yuniku’s design process. The AI-driven software analyzes the data captured by the face-scanning device and generates a custom frame design that perfectly fits the customer’s facial features. This intelligent design process ensures that every pair of glasses is optimized for both comfort and aesthetics.
The Research & Development Tax Credit
The now permanent Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit is available for companies developing new or improved products, processes and/or software.
3D printing can help boost a company’s R&D Tax Credits. Wages for technical employees creating, testing and revising 3D printed prototypes can be included as a percentage of eligible time spent for the R&D Tax Credit. Similarly, when used as a method of improving a process, time spent integrating 3D printing hardware and software counts as an eligible activity. Lastly, when used for modeling and preproduction, the costs of filaments consumed during the development process may also be recovered.
Whether it is used for creating and testing prototypes or for final production, 3D printing is a great indicator that R&D Credit-eligible activities are taking place. Companies implementing this technology at any point should consider taking advantage of R&D Tax Credits.
An “Eye-Opening” Experience at Nebraska Furniture Mart
The introduction of the Yuniku Design Center at Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM) marks a significant step forward in the eyewear industry. By offering custom 3D-printed frames, NFM is providing its customers with a unique and highly personalized shopping experience. This innovative approach not only enhances comfort and fit but also demonstrates NFM’s commitment to embracing cutting-edge technology.
The Yuniku Design Center at Nebraska Furniture Mart’s new optical center is a testament to the transformative potential of 3D printing and AI in the eyewear industry. By leveraging advanced face-scanning technology and the expertise of Materialise and Hoya Vision Care, Yuniku is setting a new standard for custom eyewear. As NFM continues to evolve and expand its offerings, customers can look forward to even more innovative and personalized solutions in the future.
