3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / News / Spiked Running Shoe Structure Printed in One Piece
qidi

Spiked Running Shoe Structure Printed in One Piece

October 19, 2021

The Olympics are well and truly over, and regardless of if you like sports or not, it has been a great year for additively manufactured sporting goods news stories.

The 2021 Tokyo Olympics arguably featured more AM sporting products than any other Olympics before, and so the concept of AM sporting goods has gotten a pretty big boost in the public eye.

But just because the Olympics are over, it doesn’t mean that innovation stops, as we are about to see from one runner, who has developed a spiked running shoe with Windform XT material.

Spiked Running Shoe

The new running shoe is designed for professional athletes and is tailored to the users’ needs thanks to the magic of 3D scanning and other technologies.

Before we go into that in more detail, let’s take a look at the shoes in the image below.

Printed spiked shoes
Printed spiked shoes with a custom fit (Image credit: CRP Technology)

The shoes feature a structure which is printed in one piece from carbon fiber reinforced Windform SP material, which is a fairly strong filled polymer used quite a lot in aerospace. Windform comes in powder form, so is printed on powder bed fusion systems.

The single printed part consists of the outsole, the midsole, the pins and the ribbing. The material properties of the Windform material ensure that the shoes are resistant to deformation even for thin parts, which allows for a wider range of customisation.

You can see the ribs and the sole, printed at the same time, in the image below. The spikes are underneath the sole, and are also printed.

spike
Single structure part (Image credit: CRP Technology)

The customisation process begins with a scan of the foot, which is then modeled for biomechanical analysis by computer. The result is a 3D map showing the optimum points to shoe features to provide the best performance for the individual, based on their simulated and computed running needs.

“With this mapping we are able to model the shoe on the individual’s needs in terms of foot structure and athletic performance,” said Miro Buroni, designer of the shoes and avid middle-distance runner.

“Moreover, scanning and biomechanical analysis allow us to understand the best placement of the “traction system” under the outsole, the “pins”.

Apparently, if the structure of a shoe is too loose, this can shift aroudn the foot while running somewhat and can impede optimum performance. These custom fit shoes avoid that by having a strong, composite cage that integrates several components and behaves more like a single part rather than like an ill-fitting assembly.

The upper of the shoe is made from fabric as a separate part, and fits under the cage like a sock.

Single structure part
Single structure part, with spikes visible (Image credit: CRP Technology)

“The spike shoes consist of a sole with midsole and upper,” said Buroni.

“These parts, which are one, under strain become two distinct bodies that generate asynchronous and dissipating movements of the athlete’s kinetic chain. Pleko avoid[s] this occurrence because of the part in Windform SP, which has a sock-like upper inside, almost completely detached from the structure and responsible for protecting the foot.”

There is no word from Buroni as to if and when these shoes will be made available to the public, as they do seem to be in the prototype stage right now.

But he does seem happy with the additional tests and overall design of the product noting that “the design and manufacturing technologies […] made the Pleko track shoes highly innovative, taking the design and planning to the highest level of customization and specialization” and that he was “very satisfied with my 3D printed Pleko”.

That sounds promising then. If that positive note is anything to go by, we should probably expect news of a commercially viable product in the not too distant future. And we will let you know when it does.

adidas strung
Related Story
3D Printed Sneakers in 2021
Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
About the author | Peter Strikwerda
Co-Founder 3DPrinting.com
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Latest posts

Singapore Startup Creates Limited Edition 3D-Printed Collectibles from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Singapore-based startup Unigons has launched a limited collection of 3D-printed Merlion figurines made from recycled plastic bottles. The company produced 60 pieces of... read more »

News
Singapore Startup Creates Limited Edition 3D-Printed Collectibles from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Designer Uses Robotic 3D Printing to Create Dual-Purpose Dog Furniture

Designer Liam de la Bedoyere has developed the Dog Hut Side Table, a piece of furniture that combines a resting space for dogs... read more »

News
Designer Uses Robotic 3D Printing to Create Dual-Purpose Dog Furniture

Scientists 3D Print Solar-Powered Sponge for Seawater Desalination

Researchers have developed a 3D-printed aerogel material that uses sunlight to convert seawater into drinking water. The sponge-like structure contains microscopic vertical channels... read more »

News

Revopoint Launches Major Prime Event 2025 Sale with Up to 40% Off 3D Scanners and Accessories

Revopoint is kicking off its Prime Event 2025 with a series of major discounts on its range of professional 3D scanners and accessories.... read more »

News

Turkish Companies Test 3D Printed Component for Armored Vehicles

MetalWorm and Nurol Makina, both based in Ankara, Turkey, have completed testing of an armored vehicle component manufactured using Directed Energy Deposition (DED)... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Turkish Companies Test 3D Printed Component for Armored Vehicles

McGill Spinout Uses 3D Bioprinting to Create Tumors for Smarter Cancer Treatments

TissueTinker, a McGill University spinout company, has developed 3D bioprinting technology to create miniaturized tumor models for cancer drug testing. The company recently... read more »

Medical
McGill Spinout Uses 3D Bioprinting to Create Tumors for Smarter Cancer Treatments

University of Twente Awarded €13.6M for Research in Circular 3D Printing and Transparent AI

The University of Twente has received €13.6 million in funding from the 2024 NWA ORC program to lead two research projects focused on... read more »

News
University of Twente Awarded €13.6M for Research in Circular 3D Printing and Transparent AI

China’s 3D Printed Micro Turbojet Engine Completes Maiden Flight

The Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) has successfully completed the first flight test of its 3D-printed micro turbojet engine in Inner Mongolia... read more »

Aerospace
China's 3D Printed Micro Turbojet Engine Completes Maiden Flight

Laser-Assisted Cold Spray Technology Enhances Material Deposition Process

Researchers at the University of Cambridge's Center for Industrial Photonics have developed a new additive manufacturing technique called laser-assisted cold spray (LACS). The... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Laser-Assisted Cold Spray Technology Enhances Material Deposition Process

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • QIDI Tech X-Max 3

    • - Print size: 325 x 325 x 315 mm
    • - fully enclosed
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Plus4

    • - Print size: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
    • - print temperature of 370°C
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • Snapmaker Artisan Premium 3-in-1

    • - Print size: 400 x 400 x 400 mm
    • - comes with enclosure
    More details »
    $2,999.00 Snapmaker
    Buy Now

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2025 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing