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To illustrate this complexity, Allan Rasmussen, creative director of ProDesign International, outlines some of the general production steps ProDesign adheres to and how cost is a factor along the way:


Frame design: Hand-drawings and/or 3D drawings.

Selection of designs: Some designs require special production methods, for example if you have complex geometries the price between methods can be huge. Already at this stage, you have to judge if the design is special enough to charge a higher price.

Feasibility study with suppliers: Here we would decide to go with titanium, aluminum or stainless steel, depending on construction, weight and market potential. The difference between raw material prices from stainless steel to titanium is a factor of 1 to 3. We also have to consider technique versus quantity—pressing is expensive in tooling, while CNC is less expensive but on the unit price this will be reversed.

Technical drawings in 2D AutoCAD

Color Proposal: You can choose to go with standard extruded materials or with tailor-made expensive handmade block acetate materials. The price difference between those acetate raw materials can be factor of 1 to 8. For the metal colors, you can chose between mono-colors or combination of several, some even custom colors. On metals, you can choose to use the cheaper spray colors or go for electrolytic coloration, printed colors or even PVD for best adhesion. Price difference factor of 1 to 8.

Prototyping

Technical evaluation of prototype: Quality, finish and comments seen from the viewpoint of an optician and the labs. Here we decide if we should spend extra money on techniques that make glazing and mounting easier for the optician.

Second set of technical drawings in 2D AutoCAD: Changes decided after seeing prototypes.

Second set of prototyping

Review and note changes, if any, to design, quality, finish etc.

Tooling: Model specific tooling is more accurate but also more expensive than modifiable toolings.

Tooling sample: The first products made by final tooling.

Color confirmation samples: A full set of prototypes in each color.

Changes to colors Second set of color confirmation samples, if needed

Selection for production

Estimation of quantities needed

Purchase order

Production start

Raw material order: Acetate sheets, titanium or stainless steel sheets or rods, etc.

Parts orders if not processed in-house, i.e. hinges, rimlocks etc.: Choosing standard versus special made components can be a price factor of 1 to 10.

Pressing, cutting or molding the materials: This alone normally has 80 to 100 production steps.

Parts assembling: Here the metal parts would be welded.

Quality Control: The more quality control the higher the costs.

Laminations, if any: This will bring up the price.

Tumbling: Three times is ideal. Less tumbling is cheaper, but results follow the price.

Hand polishing

More quality control

Plating for metal products: Nickel-free plating is more expensive.

Coloration for metal products

Additional quality control

Printing done on temples and demo lenses

Assembling: Nosepads, endtips and demo lenses are added.

Adjustment

Final quality control

Packaging