Italiano 
After a prototype has been developed, the next stage is production. Giving shape to an idea and then mass producing it are two key processes when creating an industrial design product. To grow, you have to be ahead of the game.
Glasses are the ultimate expression of aesthetics and functionality, so a combination of artisan expertise and industrial processes is needed to produce them.
As well as being able to take a drawing and turn it into an object, you also need to be able to mass produce a large number of components using a variety of different processes, while respecting deadlines, delivering consistently high quality and keeping costs within budget and waste to a minimum.
We discussed this with Fabio Bavaresco, technical designer at Pinoptik, the specialist manufacturer of optical frames and sunglasses. Fabio runs this well-established business from Quero, Belluno, which was established 50 years ago by his parents, with his sisters Monia and Ketty. What puts Pinoptik ahead of its competitors is its ability to understand its clients’ needs and turn them into reality: «We’re the first stage in the process of turning an idea into an actual finished product».
It’s not as easy as it sounds though, says Fabio: «It can be risky because if you say you’ll do something, the client expects it. Lots of companies don’t want to take risks, so just say “It can’t be done”. But if you want to grow your business, you have to be willing to give it a go».
Putting the pieces together
Of all the top accessories in the fashion world, eyewear has high aesthetic and technical value. It demands extremely precise and innovative solutions because designers are always coming up with new ideas.
Pinoptik acts as a liaison between designers and their ideas and the specialist manufacturers who make the components. It has clients all over the world: Europe, America, Canada, Asia, Taiwan, to name but a few: «Our core business is metal glasses. We design and develop customised eyewear for wholesale brands».
Familiar with every stage in the creation of glasses, Fabio knows how the pieces are put together. There’s something rather magical about turning an idea into an object: «Most of our clients are small businesses which produce unusual, trendy eyewear. We help them develop their ideas. They come to us with a rough sketch on a bit of paper and we take it from there».
«We develop the prototype and then draw up the technical specifications. More complicated components and processes are outsourced to specialist suppliers. Then we assemble all the parts using either laser or electromagnetic induction soldering and the glasses are ready to be shipped. We work on every aspect of the design to deliver the finished product».
A partner you can trust to find the right solution
What do you look for in a production partner? «They must be dynamic and competent. When there’s a problem, they must be able to come up with the solution. We have chosen D.F.: when I have a problem, or need to commission special components or processes, they always have the answer».
«Their motto “Innovation Spirit” sums them up perfectly. Anyone who says “Sorry, it can’t be done”, hasn’t got this spirit. Design should be allowed to express itself, even if it challenges convention. You have to run with an idea and cultivate it. That’s the only way you can do something different, push boundaries and raise the bar».
From the prototype to mass production
Producing a prototype is just the first step. Next you have to decide how to mass produce it. «A major US client came to us for glasses which had a milled metal front of different thicknesses and a distinctive faceted pyramid pattern. We had to cut into a 3 mm nickel silver metal sheet to create a three-dimensional effect with 45° and 30° angles. We produced the prototypes and dealt with the small orders in-house. But when the client started placing larger orders, I gave the work to D.F. because, as they are specialised in cold moulding, they suggested the most efficient production process and built special moulds».
Identifying the most efficient production process is crucial: «By partnering with D.F., we have been able to execute a large number of complex projects. I would never have been able to do it with the machinery and systems I had initially envisaged for small batches. They know what to do because they are used to dealing with complicated projects and complex processes and parts, even with large production runs, serializing production and delivering consistently high quality within budget and on time».
«When I have a problem, or need to commission special components or processes, D.F. always has the answer. Their motto “Innovation Spirit” sums them up perfectly. Anyone who says “Sorry, it can’t be done”, hasn’t got this spirit. Design should be allowed to express itself, you have to run with an idea and cultivate it. That’s the only way you can do something different, push boundaries and raise the bar».
Fabio Bavaresco, Pinoptik owner and technical designer
WE GIVE SHAPE TO YOUR IMAGINATION
We love it when someone comes to us and says «We have an idea» because that’s when the creative process begins. There are no rules, no blueprint to follow: by combining our technical expertise with your ideas, we come up with the winning formula for your product, and the result often exceeds all expectations.
Our ENGINEERING department is the extension of your technical office and is there to guide it in the development, prototyping and manufacturing of your product.
