Focusing on sports shoe production, DSM and HP invest in multi-material 3D printing technology for shoe uppers

Focus on multiple materials3D printingTechnology company Voxel8 recently announced that it has received Series B financing. Investors including DSM and HP have already established3D printingBusiness companies, among which DSM Venturing, the investment arm of DSM, is the lead party in this round of financing.One of the reasons why Voxel8 attracts investment from DSM and HP is its multi-materials for the digital manufacturing of sports shoes.3D printingTechnology, this round of investment will be used to accelerate Voxel8 footwear/textile3D printingTechnological development.

Multi-material for shoe upper production3D printingsystem. Source: Voxel8

For mass production of shoe uppers

Voxel8 has always focused on multiple materials3D printingTechnology, early focus on electronics3D printingIn the field, in 2018, it launched a multi-material for the digital manufacturing of shoe upper parts3D printingTechnology ActiveMix®, recently launched a multi-material specially developed for the production of high-performance sports uppers and textiles3D printingSystem-ActiveLab® digital manufacturing system.ActiveMix® technology integrates material extrusion and material injection3D printingTechnology for the digital production of polyurethane parts for shoe uppers, where the3D printingThe head is responsible for depositing the polyurethane material, and the inkjet printing head is responsible for printing a unique full-color pattern between the polyurethane printing layers. The material extrusion head can realize the programmable control of the material, geometry and mechanical properties of the polyurethane parts of the shoe upper, and the color inkjet technology enhances the customized manufacturing capabilities of the shoe parts of the ActiveMix® technology through color printing.Through this technology, it can be directly on the upper fabric material3D printingPolyurethane logo, text, or functional shoe parts, and can make some special shoe uppers that cannot be made by existing technology.

Voxel8’s recently launched ActiveLab® digital manufacturing system is also a multi-material3D printingThe machine is specially developed for the production of high-performance sports shoe uppers and textiles. It has advantages in shortening the design cycle, reducing the delivery time, and reducing the costs related to labor, molds and logistics. Voxel8 said that the system can meet the needs of mass production.

Pieter Wolters, managing director of DSM Venturing, the investment department of DSM, commented on the investment that Voxel8 is an excellent complement to DSM’s product portfolio, and the multi-material digital manufacturing platform is expected to generate strategically significant footwear and sportswear markets for DSM great influence.

3D printingSports shoes have become a consumer product that has come into the eyes of the public. Internationally renowned shoe manufacturing brands such as Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, New Balance, etc.3D printingSneakers with midsole.At the same time, well-known domestic shoe manufacturers Peak and Li Ning are also actively trying3D printingTechnology, and develop related products.

3D printingThe technology is used by major sports shoe brands at home and abroad. It is not just to provide blessings to the brand or new product launches.3D printingThe logic behind the use of technology in the production of sports shoes is to meet the needs of small and medium batch production and rapid iteration of new products, and to flexibly respond to the needs of the consumer market. In addition, as a typical digital manufacturing technology,3D printingOutstanding performance in realizing complex sole structure, reducing labor, and improving automated production capacity.

picture:3D printingshoe.

The upper manufacturing technology involved in this investment by DSM and HP is in addition to the midsole3D printingIn addition, another project that is expected to be mass-produced3D printingapplication.my country’s material companies Wanhua Chemical and Peak Sports need to manufacture shoe uppers and soles3D printingCooperation has been established in the field of materials. Wanhua provides three different grades of3D printingTPU shoe material: TPU filament, TPU powder, TPU coating and adhesive. Wanhua Chemical and Peak Sports have recently demonstrated that they fully pass TPU 3D printingPrototype shoe-“The Next”, the upper of this shoe is through the use of fused deposition3D printingTechnology made.

International sports shoe manufacturer Nike is also applying an additive manufacturing technology for shoe uppers called SDM (Solid Deposit Modeling). Reebok has used the additive manufacturing technology of shoe outsoles and upper parts-Liquid Drawing (liquid direct writing) to manufacture Liquid Floatride Run running shoes. This technology directly manufactures upper parts through a pneumatic extrusion process and a polyurethane material provided by BASF. .

(Editor in charge: admin)