Danish shoe manufacturer Ecco, ViscoTec and a 3D printer manufacturer are jointly developing a process for the additive manufacturing of midsoles from a heat-cured two-component silicone.
3D printing of silicone midsoles.
Viscotec
According to Ecco, the challenge lies in producing customised 3D printed midsoles in an additive manufacturing process. Personalised shoes have always been the epitome of footwear. However, the cost, expertise and time required to manufacture them have made them available only to a fraction of society. This is about to change: Ecco's idea is to manufacture customised midsoles using 3D printing technology to provide each customer with the ideal comfort and fit. This meant the approach had to be completely rethought in order to coordinate the process with the material properties.
A far more comfortable fit
Together with a 3D printer manufacturer, a solution has been developed using a two-component silicone and ViscoTec's print head. Developed by Ecco, QUANT-U is a three-step process that begins by measuring the customer's feet with scanners and wearable sensors. The data obtained is then evaluated using a sophisticated algorithm and optimised for the individual customer by means of a simulation. Textures and patterns are adjusted so that midsole geometries can be optimised for each customer and his/her specific activity. The resulting 3D printed midsoles are personalised based on the wearer's unique orthopaedic parameters, and allow a much more comfortable fit than conventional soles.
The 3D print of the two-component silicone acts as an ideal counteraction to the high mechanical stresses that occur in everyday life, as the unique properties of the silicone combine with the algorithmic design of each midsole. Ecco is convinced that it will also be able to produce personalised soles in large quantities.