The sunglasses you wear go through an entire process before coming into their shape. In fact, a lot is going around behind sunglasses manufacturing. And the combination of art and engineering finally turn raw material into wearable sunglasses.
So, what do they do to make each part of your sunglasses? And how each component plays a vital role in making your sunshades comfortable and long-lasting? Well, stick to this article to know all these exciting details about sunglasses.
Components of Sunglasses with their Functions
1. Frame
Most customers ignore other parts of the sunglasses, and they only focus on the frames because they are the gist of the sunshades. Frames come in different materials, sizes, colors, and shapes, giving sunglasses a distinct style and aesthetic. The sunglasses frames are divided into three main types.
- Half-rim Frames: The half rim frames cover the half part of the lenses.
- Full-rim Fames: The full rim frames covers the entire lens, leaving zero space.
- Rimless Frames: Rimless frames have open lenses on both sides, and hinges are inserted within the lens. These types of sunglasses are popular but have no durability.
Frame Function: Frames secure your lenses from falling with the help of a tiny nylon cord known as “Supra.”
2. Lens
Lenses are the essential components of your sunglasses. These are clear pieces of different materials through which you can see. Most lenses are further treated to assure the wearers’ eyes are safe from harmful ultraviolet rays.
Lens Function: Lenses are the essential components of your sunglasses. These are clear pieces of different materials through which you can see. Most lenses are further treated to assure the wearers’ eyes are safe from harmful ultraviolet rays.
3. Nose Pads
Nose pads or hump pads are small circular objects found on both sides under the sunglasses’ bridge area. Depending on the frame style, nose pads have different types. Also, good-quality nose pads are hypoallergenic and easy to adjust.
Nose Pad Function: Nose pads’ primary purpose is to snug fit sunglasses and prevent them from slipping from the wearer’s face.
4. Pad Arm
The pad arm is the part that connects the frame with the nose pads. It extends from the rim and keeps nose pads firm in their place. Depending on the style, some frames don’t have pad arms.
Pad Arm Function: The purpose of a nose arm is to make sure that nose pads don’t slip from their position, so whenever the wearer wears sunglasses, the fit seems natural and familiar on the nose.
5. End Piece
The pad arm is the part that connects the frame with the nose pads. It extends from the rim and keeps nose pads firm in their place. Depending on the style, some frames don’t have pad arms.
End Piece Function: The end piece holds frames and secures them from falling.
6. Temple
Also called legs or arms of the sunglasses, temples are long-stick-like components found on both sides of the frame, extending over the wearer’s ears. Temples are available in numerous lengths to fit different head sizes.
Temple Function: Temples hold the frames and allow the sunglasses to stay fit on the wearer’s face.
7. Hinges
Hinges connect end pieces on each temple with the frame. They are of three types:
- Spring Hinge: Spring hinges are manufactured using a spring, permitting the frame temples to press the wearer’s head firmly.
- Barrel Hinge: Barrel hinges are commonly found in sunglasses. They are made with interlocking pieces of the interior part of the frame, joint together through small screws.
- Interlocking Hinge: Interlocking hinges are almost the same as the barrel hinges. These hinges are common in plastic frames. However, they are molded directly on the frame.
Hinges Function: Hinges help in the opening and inward closing of the temples.
8. Lens Rims
Rims or lens rims are part of the frame, and they allow accurate lens fitting into the frame.
Lens Rims Function: Lens rims provide a proper form to sunglasses and seize lenses in their place.
9. Bridge
The bridge is the middle and slightly curved part found between the two lenses. There are different types of bridges, including:
- Regular Bridges: Comes with a second-bar over the top
- Keyhole Bridges: To fit smaller and flatter nose
- Saddle Bridges: Used in heavyweight sunglasses
Bridge Function: Bridges support 90% of the total weight of sunglasses. The bridge bump makes room for the upper area of the nose as the sunglass rests on the wearer’s face. Without it, the frame doesn’t fit the nose.
10. Top Bar
It’s a small bar above the bridge and placed between the two lenses. However, not every sunglass includes this component. Also, this style seems to fade away over time.
Top Bar Function: Top bar additional sustenance to the frames
11. Temple Tips
You can find this part at the tip of the temples. Some sunglasses frame materials, such as wood and plastic, lack temple tips. But this component is common in metal frame sunglasses.
Temple Tips Function: The earpiece adds comfort, prevents skin discomfort, and relieves the temples’ pressure on the wearer’s ears.
Sunglasses Manufacturing Process
So, how sunglasses are made? The process mainly focuses on three parts.
- Frames
- Temples
- Lenses
And here’s how each part is constructed.
1. Manufacturing Process of Sunglasses Frames
Step 1: Designing
First, the manufacturer decides the frame’s shape and size through computer software. Once it is done, the design goes to step two.
Step 2: Making a Mold
The die or steel mold is produced, matching the frame’s design. The mold comes with very sharp edges and helps cut the blank frames
Step 3: Material Conversion into Sheets
After the mold is made, the selected frame raw material (plastic or metal) is converted into thin sheets, which are slightly wider than the actual frame size.
Step 4: Creating Blank Frames
The sheets are then heated using special heating equipment until they turn malleable. And then, the sheets are punched with the mold to develop blank frames.
Step 5: Removal of Excessive Material
Blank frames remain part of the sheets but are removed at this stage. Likewise, the lens area is scrapped to remove any extra material.
Step 6: The Carving
The blank frames are then carved through a router blade to refine the shape of the frames. As this process is critical, the manufacturer uses the tools carefully. Otherwise, the entire shape can be disfigured.
Step 7: Smoothing the Edges
Each frame goes through the smoothening process, performed with the help of two machines to eliminate surface roughness. The first machine smoothens the frame’s area that lies on the wearer’s cheek. And the second machine is applied to the part around the nose.
2. Manufacturing Process of Sunglasses Temples
Step 1: Melting the Material
Sunglasses material (plastic or metal) is melted down and turned into thin sheets. This could be a similar material to the frames. On the other hand, even a complimentary material works fine.
Step 2: Punching Temples
The thin sheets are punched into blank temples using a steel die. Why blank? Because at this moment, they are just material shaped into temples and have nothing inserted inside.
Step 3: Filling the Blank Temples
The blank temples are carefully heated until they’re soft enough to let pass a core wire. The core wire is a stainless steel strip inserted carefully inside the center of the plastic temples to strengthen the temple. However, you can skip this step if you’ve got stainless steel or metal temples, as they have a similar nature.
Step 4: Making Slots for Hinges
The front area of the temples is then cut, making room for the hinges.
Step 5: Securing Hinges
Hinges are attached to the frame by heating and melting them. Once they are cool, temples are screwed with hinges.
3. Manufacturing Process of Sunglasses Lenses
Step 1: Adding the Colorant
The colorant is a pigment or any other substance to color any object. So, a colorant is added to the molted lens material or coating the raw lens through the chemical coating.
Step 2: Creating Lens Shape
Molten plastic or glass is cast into a mold to develop a lens in any general shape, such as square, round, oval, etc.
Step 3: Generating Curves
Then, the lens is placed in a “Lens Curve Generator” to carve out its rear side to obtain curves.
Step 4: Shaping the Lens
After making the curves, the lens is put in an edge grinder to trim it in the frame’s shape.
Step 5: Lens Coatings
Then, an anti-reflective coating material is applied to the lens with the help of a vacuum.
Step 6: Inserting Lenses into Frames
Finally, the lenses are inserted into the frames, ending the sunglasses manufacturing process
If you are interested in more sunglasses knowledge and supplier information, welcome to check our other post:
Frequently Asked Questions about Sunglasses Manufacturing
1. Who manufacturers sunglass lens?
Although sunglass lenses are manufactured in the entire world by different big and small companies, the Luxottica Group produces top-notch quality lenses used by some massive brands, such as Persol and Ray-Ban.
2. What type of lens is used in sunglasses?
A sunglass can be manufactured using different types of lenses, such as polycarbonate lens, anti-reflective lens, polarized lens, and photochromatic lens.
3. Where are most sunglasses made?
Almost 95% of sunglasses frames are manufactured outside America. Out of that, 90% are produced in China, with a small portion being produced in India.
4. Can you customize sunglasses?
Yes, you can customize sunglasses with your branding, such as name and logo. However, not every manufacturer offers ODM and OEM services if you want customization in a huge quantity. Contrarily, if you want to customize a single piece, you can choose big companies like, Ray-Ban, as they offer sunglasses customization facility to its customers.
5. Can you manufacture sunglasses at home?
If you have all the safety equipment, machinery, material, and government’s permission, you can manufacture sunglasses at home.
Final Words
Jingsourcing is a leading sourcing company based in China. We are committed to helping importers wholesale and customize products from China at competitive prices. Sunglasses are one of the most common products we source for our clients. If you need help in wholesaling and importing sunglasses from China, please don’t hesitate to CONTACT US.
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