Adidas, one of the leading shoe companies in the world, released the new ULTRA4D shoe, which sports a 3D printed midsole.
Adidas is using Carbon 3D printing technology for this midsole, as the two companies have had a long partnership. Over the years theyâve combined their knowledge of shoe design, 3D printing, materials, software and manufacturing to produce a new type of shoe thatâs possible only with 3D printing.
Alberto Uncini Manganelli, adidasâ GM/SVP said on LinkedIn:
âThe first ULTRA4D, available in limited quantities as of today on adidas app. The most advanced midsole technology ‘4D’, resulted from great #teamwork and #collaboration between adidas and Carbon, itâs digitally printed from liquid, light and oxygen. With the primeknit upper invented with the first Iconic Ultraboost model. Innovative, high performing, iconic.â
Carbonâs strategy here is quite powerful: theyâve managed to overcome the challenge of companies being unable to leverage 3D printing with advanced designs because most companies donât know how to produce advanced designs. Theyâve done so by developing advanced software that makes it far easier for clients like adidas to make the complex designs used in products like the ULTRA4D.
One challenge to producing consumer products is the relatively slow pace of 3D print jobs. That could be why Manganelli says there will only be limited quantities of the ULTRA4D available. It may be that if the product is successful, theyâll add more 3D printing capacity to pick up production levels. Speed, though, has also always been a focal point of Carbon’s 3D printing technology, and by now they’re no stranger to consumer products.
Whatâs also interesting is that on adidasâ own ULTRA4D page there is considerable attention paid to the technology behind the shoe, and in particular featuring their partner, Carbon.
Thereâs something fascinating about how they describe the shoeâs creation:
âCrafted With Data. Years of athlete data turned the liquid into solid: A midsole precisely tuned for sportâ
And:
âGrown From Liquid. Worldâs first 3D printed midsole. Bringing thousands of athletes together in one precisely tuned stride.â
Thereâs even a picture of a Carbon 3D printer on the ULTRA4D page:
While weâre quite accustomed to seeing images of 3D printers â I see them constantly all day long â thatâs not the case for shoe shoppers. When was the last time a shoe shopper was presented with a 3D printer?
I suspect adidas is hoping thereâs a bit of magic from Carbon shining on their new midsole, and that may indeed be the case, at least for now. It is a unique product.
However, in the long term other manufacturers could also transform their production into advanced 3D printed models, and at that point the use of additive techniques could become normal. It might not be as novel as it is today.
When 3D printing becomes widespread, it will also become invisible.