Product Innovations and Complex Prototypes

Expanding a Premium Product Line

After the release of a new magnetic goggle lens interface, Smith Optics was looking to expand their I/O Mag premium product line with an XL size that would accommodate people wearing glasses. This required adapting the magnetic attachment and mechanical release to a larger lens and split the overmolded frame for over-the-glasses compatibility.

Innovative Lens Design

Next, Smith partnered again with Sherpa on the design for manufacturing (DFM) of their new 4D Mag goggle. This product featured an innovative new lens design with a unique lower curvature to improve user field of vision. Ambitions to set new customer expectations with this new lens type were high, and in-house engineering resources to meet the launch timeline were limited.

Our team quickly integrated with theirs to work within their established product development framework. While maintaining their design language and aesthetics, we delivered new insights around their commonly used interfaces that allowed for part count reduction and cost minimization.

End-Use Quality 3D Printed Prototypes

To prototype the product innovations, we used our Carbon 3D printer. Because of the goggle’s complex overmolded elastomer frame, they were difficult to prototype with conventional means. Our team decided on custom mixtures of FPU and EPU resins to match durometer of the molded TPU part. These elastomer-printed parts could even be bonded and cured to rigid FPU and RPU substrates. The result: highly useful, complete representations of the final product that could be directly tested and evaluated.

Impressed with the quality of the work, Smith Optics immediately engaged our team for the next effort during their high-demand design cycle. Together, we finished production in advance of their seasonal launch.