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Description of the component:
While sneakers are becoming increasingly popular, the shoe industry is confronted with trends such as individualization and sustainability. The "Coral Runner" is a shoe concept by Singaporean designer Shun Ping Pek, who lives and works in Tokyo. It shows how 3D printing using polymer sintering can meet these challenges. In order to optimize the shoe in terms of material consumption and individualization, voxeljet AG printed two design iterations using its high-speed sintering technology (HSS).
Challenges:
The design of the "Coral Runner" is inspired by the natural growth of corals. On the one hand, it was about the metaphorical parallel: the shoe should grow out of a powder bed, similar to how corals do in the wild. On the other hand, design and functionality were to harmonize with each other. The geometry is as simple as it is complex: while the overall design of the shoe is kept as simple as possible, the complex tube structures serve as reinforcements on the surface and at the same time as a profile on the sole of the shoe. As a result, the entire shoe consists of just one single element; without seams, glue or fastening elements. 3D printing is the ideal manufacturing process for such a complex design, as conventional production using injection molding would have been very costly and time-consuming. This resulted in a steep learning curve for both the designer and voxeljet. Evaluating the maximum wall thickness was one of the biggest challenges. The aim was to ensure sufficient flexibility of the shoe while at the same time reducing the weight and the material required.
Solution:
The shoe was printed using a newly qualified thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for the HSS process. This TPU was chosen because it has various exciting properties. It can be very soft and elastic, but also very hard and dimensionally stable. With the help of HSS technology, these properties can be specifically influenced in all three dimensions and thus adapted to individual running and load profiles. This can be achieved either through geometric solutions such as grid structures in the midsole or through the targeted control of the binder in the powder bed. In this way, soles can be provided with firmer properties in high-stress areas, such as those required for soccer boots, while other parts of the midsole can be designed to use less material. Another major advantage of 3D printing is the tool-free, on-demand production of components. With the "Coral Runner", every design iteration could be realized in just a few days. The data is quickly processed on the computer and can be immediately transferred to the printing system so that the product can be in your hands as quickly as possible. Properties can be tested, the design can be re-evaluated if necessary and the final product can be optimized in terms of the material required. Beyond the footwear industry, this also offers companies that manufacture orthopaedic shoes or insoles the opportunity to use 3D printing to develop products that are highly customized to the needs of their customers and patients.
Conclusion:
The study shows several advantages of 3D printing for shoe production. Additive manufacturing makes it possible to develop products faster and at the same time customize them to the individual needs of customers. It also opens up new geometric possibilities that can help to reduce material consumption in production. With the scaling and automation of the technology, it will be possible to use 3D printing in series production in the future.