Italian eyewear and sports gear company Rudy Project is celebrating 40 years of performance eyewear with the Performance 40, a limited-edition model that combines the brand’s 1985 design DNA with modern production techniques.
Limited to 100 units worldwide and priced at €950, the frame features a lightweight titanium structure produced using 3D printing, allowing lattice designs that reduce weight without sacrificing rigidity.
3D Printed Titanium Lattice Produced with LPBF Technology
At the core of the Performance 40 is a titanium lattice structure produced via Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), engineered for minimal weight and high strength. The openwork design, manufactured with micrometer-level precision, achieves geometries impossible with traditional injection molding. Each frame is assembled in Italy, reflecting the company’s commitment to domestic craftsmanship.
Metal additive manufacturing was carried out by Sisma, a specialist in LPBF systems for jewelry and dental applications. Unlike polymer-based AM, LPBF enables structurally rigid titanium frames suitable for athletic performance.
While LPBF opens new possibilities, the technology has clear limitations. Metal additive manufacturing remains slower and more expensive than high-volume production methods, which makes it impractical for mass-market frames. Design complexity is constrained by build volume and support structure requirements, and post-processing steps such as polishing or heat treatment are still necessary to meet aesthetic and comfort standards. As a result, LPBF is most effective for premium, performance-focused, or limited-edition frames, rather than everyday eyewear production.
LPBF’s Role in Eyewear Design
LPBF removes key constraints that previously limited eyewear design. Injection molding requires expensive tooling and standardized geometries, preventing small-batch production or complex lattice structures. By building titanium layer by layer with high precision, LPBF enables frames that are both lightweight and structurally optimized, making small-series performance eyewear technically viable.
Verified LPBF examples include Altera Stealth’s titanium frames produced with Sisma’s MySint system, and Hoet’s titanium eyeglass frames made using EOS metal AM. Complementing LPBF, polymer 3D printing is widely used for design exploration and small-series production. Materialise and Safilo’s OXYDO Capsule Collection achieved intricate shapes for aesthetic experimentation, while Spectra Additive delivered repeatable small-batch 3D printed frames at an industrial scale.
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Featured image shows Rudy Project showcases its 1985 high-performance eyewear design and its more modern version, the Performance 40. Image via Rudy Project.
