3D printed shoes? Ladies?

[ChrisFL]

I'm not a woman, but I am highly interested in the future of 3D Printing.

The company 3D systems now has 3D printed shoe designs that you can print overnight...here's a link to them


http://www.3ders.org//articles/2013...ownload-shoes-you-can-3d-print-overnight.html

So the idea that you can print or design your own shoes is amazing...

What I'm wondering is, if the shoes are basically hard plastic, would you still wear them if they have a good design? I know some women will wear shoes that are uncomfortable because they look good. I don't understand this and can't imagine how hard it is to wear high heels

Thoughts?

 

[lizabu]

If they're cute I'm wearing them.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Nope...I can't.

I show my age with shoes. I need my shoes with my custom orthotics.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

No I wouldn't wear them

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[HM]

I think having a shoe that is completely hard plastic is unrealistic. You need some sort of "give" in the shoe to be able to walk and move in them.

Those look cool though (and I don't wear heels).

 

[mom2rtk]

Shoes have to be evaluated as a mix of form and function. If they are made from hard plastic, I just don't see any way they would ever be comfortable enough to be more than a novelty.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

There's a reason that chick is carrying those shoes and not wearing them...

 

[ChrisFL]

I will mention that there are other flexible materials that are being used on consumer 3D printers, but they're relatively new.

Those materials might be more comforable if built correctly....lots of experimentation going on in the field and its VERY exciting!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Nope, probably as comfortable as wooden clogs, minus the soft upper leather.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I work with a 3D printer in our digital fabrication studio, and not only would those shoes be incredibly uncomfortable, but 3D printing takes a lot of time and work to not only print but design and program (it's a more accurate and perhaps easier way, depending on design, than constructing by hand) - those shoes would be incredibly expensive.

*Today* the average person would not be able to print and design his or her own shoe. Everything has to first be fabricated digitally and then programmed so that it can print. It's not just time consuming, but requires knowledge of digital fabrication programs and 3d printers. It's not like an inkjet that you can just hook up to your computer and hit "print."

The first successful 3D printer was made in the 1980s, and we've had 3D printers at my university since around 2007. There have been several attempts to create 3D printers for domestic use, but that won't be a reality for probably another 10 years (maybe 5 with the speed at which technology now advances, but those would still be very expensive and not a possibility for the average household).

 

[TheAviator]

If you post a pic of flats I'm guessing you will get a lot better positive results on this board There seems to be a very high anti-heel demographic here for some reason.

 

[Schmeck]

Those shoes are all ugly! Yuck to all plastic shoes - and the smell that comes with them, ewww...

Now, if they could do a fabric/leather cross, with cushioning and not so much chunk, maybe.

 

[ChrisFL]

I work with a 3D printer in our digital fabrication studio, and not only would those shoes be incredibly uncomfortable, but 3D printing takes a lot of time and work to not only print but design and program (it's a more accurate and perhaps easier way, depending on design, than constructing by hand) - those shoes would be incredibly expensive.

*Today* the average person would not be able to print and design his or her own shoe. Everything has to first be fabricated digitally and then programmed so that it can print. It's not just time consuming, but requires knowledge of digital fabrication programs and 3d printers. It's not like an inkjet that you can just hook up to your computer and hit "print."

The first successful 3D printer was made in the 1980s, and we've had 3D printers at my university since around 2007. There have been several attempts to create 3D printers for domestic use, but that won't be a reality for probably another 10 years (maybe 5 with the speed at which technology now advances, but those would still be very expensive and not a possibility for the average household).

I agree and disagree.

I don't know if you're aware, but there is a rapidly rising home consumer 3D printer market right now. Most of them are "hobbyist" type, but some are definitely more "average consumer" based.

There are places like thingiverse.com where people can download tens of thousands of models that people have uploaded to print out.

Yes, it does take some knowledge of settings, but things are getting more automated all the time.

That printer mentioned, which is not my favorite, is about $2,000 to buy, many are cheaper than that. Material for those shoes could be had for about $45.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I don't know if you're aware, but there is a rapidly rising home consumer 3D printer market right now. Most of them are "hobbyist" type, but some are definitely more "average consumer" based.

There are places like thingiverse.com where people can download tens of thousands of models that people have uploaded to print out.

So basically, it's going to be like a Cricut or Silhouette machine. Those digital cutters are digital fabrication tools, but are "dumbed down" and marketed to the crafty person... scrapbookers... Martha Stewart types. There will be templates to use and a user-friendly interface, but it won't really be design.... more like "customization."

But, provided you have the knowledge, you could use your own more advanced programs... Rhino w/grasshopper, Maya, 3ds Max and be able to import those 3d models into the user-friendly program to print. (I say this because I've imported .dxfs from AutoCAD into Silhouette to cut... there's a bit of a scaling issue, and you have to do it manually in the program, but it works)

Now maybe there will be a happy medium with a program along the lines of Google Sketch-Up where the user can actually design what they want to print. Importing a Rhino model into Sketch-Up is rarely pretty, but it can be done.

Anyway, I still think these printers are expensive and will be unattainable/unnecessary for the average joe.

 

[merryweather20]

I work with a 3D printer in our digital fabrication studio, and not only would those shoes be incredibly uncomfortable, but 3D printing takes a lot of time and work to not only print but design and program (it's a more accurate and perhaps easier way, depending on design, than constructing by hand) - those shoes would be incredibly expensive.

*Today* the average person would not be able to print and design his or her own shoe. Everything has to first be fabricated digitally and then programmed so that it can print. It's not just time consuming, but requires knowledge of digital fabrication programs and 3d printers. It's not like an inkjet that you can just hook up to your computer and hit "print."

The first successful 3D printer was made in the 1980s, and we've had 3D printers at my university since around 2007. There have been several attempts to create 3D printers for domestic use, but that won't be a reality for probably another 10 years (maybe 5 with the speed at which technology now advances, but those would still be very expensive and not a possibility for the average household).

I had to check the date on your post. The MB Cupcake ran at what $750-$800 bucks? That's exponentially less than my lower middle class parents saved to buy a computer when that became a household item.

As for the design aspect, my grandmother figured out Cad no problem so she could order cookie cutters from shapeways (their cookie cutter tool isn't flexible enough according to her).

 

[JessicaR]

There's a reason that chick is carrying those shoes and not wearing them...

Now, that's funny!

 

[ChrisFL]

So basically, it's going to be like a Cricut or Silhouette machine. Those digital cutters are digital fabrication tools, but are "dumbed down" and marketed to the crafty person... scrapbookers... Martha Stewart types. There will be templates to use and a user-friendly interface, but it won't really be design.... more like "customization."

But, provided you have the knowledge, you could use your own more advanced programs... Rhino w/grasshopper, Maya, 3ds Max and be able to import those 3d models into the user-friendly program to print. (I say this because I've imported .dxfs from AutoCAD into Silhouette to cut... there's a bit of a scaling issue, and you have to do it manually in the program, but it works)

Now maybe there will be a happy medium with a program along the lines of Google Sketch-Up where the user can actually design what they want to print. Importing a Rhino model into Sketch-Up is rarely pretty, but it can be done.

Anyway, I still think these printers are expensive and will be unattainable/unnecessary for the average joe.

I'm not sure I follow you. The 3D printers I'm referring to are full featured, and can print usually 100 micron resolution.

They use the same technology the large stratasys printers used for decades, but once the patent expired, they now have ability to produce them for the home market.

The leader in the field right now is the Makerbot Replicator 2

That's a $2,000 3D printer

As far as software, yes Google Sketchup, Maya, Bryce, Rhino, and several other programs are fine...then they can be imported into a program such as Meshlab (Free) or other free programs to complete the print.