BRINGING ADVANCED 3D-PRINTED MICRO-OPTICS TO THE MARKET
The 3DPrintoptixMarket project has successfully brought the next generation of highly customizable, high-end micro-optics to the market. Utilizing a groundbreaking 3D printing process, we manufacture intricate, multi-element optical systems in a single monolithic step—delivering market-leading optical quality at unmatched, competitive prices.
By completely automating key workflows and multiplying production speeds, we have overcome the physical and economic boundaries of traditional manufacturing. We are proud to have paved the way for a new era in the micro-optics industry, enabling innovative solutions across augmented reality, healthcare, and industrial sensing without the need for large minimum purchase quantities.
PREPARING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION FOR THE MARKET
Our 3D-printed micro-optics are successfully integrated into the smart glasses of our project partner Viewpointsystem, delivering tangible benefits to various industrial customers. In the realm of smart glasses, customizing optics to perfectly match diverse facial structures and individual eye characteristics is essential. The unmatched flexibility of our 3D printing process allows us to continuously elevate both the functionality and user experience of these devices at a highly competitive cost. Through our recent advancements, we have successfully miniaturized these components even further while maintaining exceptional optical quality. Furthermore, by completely reinventing our manufacturing approach, we have multiplied our printing speeds, reducing production times to just a fraction of what they used to be.
CUTTING-EDGE 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY FOR “IMPOSSIBLE PARTS"
Our unique 3D printing process unlocks the cost-effective mass production of so-called "impossible parts". We create complex freeform optics that have never been used in comparable applications before, pushing the boundaries of what micro-optics can achieve. Intricate, multi-lens systems—complete with integrated apertures and light-blocking elements— are manufactured entirely in one piece during a single printing step. By implementing the seamless automation of crucial workflows, we have revolutionized a production process that traditionally required multiple machines and tedious manual labor. This not only makes manufacturing significantly faster and more affordable, but also incredibly robust, as the need for mechanical alignment and assembly is completely eliminated.
DRIVING EUROPEAN INNOVATION IN MICRO-OPTICS ACROSS INDUSTRIES
From revolutionary medical endoscopy to next-generation augmented reality, our 3D-printed lenses open up a world of new opportunities for efficiency and technological advancement. The sheer flexibility and unprecedented speed of our production make 3D-printed micro-optics the ideal solution for everyone—from research institutions requiring small batches to major global players looking to equip their high-volume products with customized optical components. We are proud that our entire production cycle, right down to the raw materials, is rooted in the heart of Europe, specifically in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. This guarantees our partners a highly sustainable, resilient production process with secure, short, and easily controlled supply chains.
EXPLORING NEW DIMENSIONS: REDEFINING ENDOSCOPY
Have you ever wondered what the inside of an everyday object like an HDMI plug looks like? With our latest innovation, exploring the unseen has become a reality! We have successfully integrated illumination directly into an ultra-thin fiber endoscope, and the results are spectacular.
But the true value of this technology goes far beyond everyday curiosity. Equipped with a fully 3D-printed, wide-angle 120° objective, this tiny endoscope opens up entirely new horizons for both industrial inspection and medical diagnostics. Imagine navigating the delicate root canal of a tooth or safely inspecting the finest human blood vessels. Because of its microscopic diameter, any potential tissue damage during medical imaging can be kept to an absolute minimum.
What groundbreaking applications do you envision for this technology? We are certain there are countless possibilities waiting to be discovered!
Watch the video below to see our micro-endoscope in action:
Partners
PRINTOPTIX designs, developes and fabricates unique micro-optical components on a scale from 10 µm to 2 mm and on a variety of substrates such as optical fiber tips, image sensors, or LEDs. We offer the whole process - from your idea for a micro-optical part to the finished and optimized product and even series production - under one roof. With over 10 years of experience in 3D-printing micro-optical components, we have developed a deep understanding of the challenges and especially the possibilities in designing and manufacturing micro-optical components and systems.
VIEWPOINTSYSTEM combines pioneering technology development with scientific expertise in vision research. The Vienna-based deep-tech company develops and produces internationally award-winning smart glasses based on eye tracking. The smart glasses are used by B2B customers worldwide for remote support and maintenance, for training and documentation, as well as for research and analysis, among other things. As the inventor of Eye Hyper-Tracking and pioneer of Digital Iris technology, Viewpointsystem's goal is to deepen the interaction between people and the digital world and to make Mixed Reality more intuitive. Viewpointsystem.com
3DPrintoptixMarket has received funding from the European Innovation Council over athree-year period. The European Innovation Council is Europe’s flagship innovationprogram to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough technologies and game changinginnovations under Grant Agreement Number 101113140