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

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

Titomic Netherlands Secures Strategic Funding to Advance Cold Spray 3D Printing Technology

Titomic Limited, an Australian company specializing in cold spray additive manufacturing, has received €800,000 in funding from the Netherlands' 3D Print Kompas program.... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Titomic Netherlands Secures Strategic Funding to Advance Cold Spray 3D Printing Technology

3D-Printed Insects Help Scientists Map the Limits of Mimicry in Nature

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a method to 3D print life-sized, color-accurate insect models for biological research. The team, led... read more »

Environmental

University of Hong Kong Scientists Explore Growing Organs with 3D Printing Technology

Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) are working to combine 3D-printed respiratory tissue with lab-grown organoids to create functional airways for... read more »

Bioprinting
University of Hong Kong Scientists Explore Growing Organs with 3D Printing Technology

SHINING 3D Unveils EinScan Rigil with Tri-Mode Scanning for Pro-sumer Flexibility

SHINING 3D has launched its newest flagship 3D scanner, the EinScan Rigil — touted as the world’s first 3D scanner featuring Tri-Mode operation... read more »

News
SHINING 3D Unveils EinScan Rigil with Tri-Mode Scanning for Pro-Level Flexibility

ETH Zurich 3D Prints Recycled Plastic Structure for Swiss Ice Cream Shop

ETH Zurich students have completed a 3D-printed ice cream shop in the Swiss Alpine village of Mulegns. The project, called Gelateria, was designed... read more »

Construction
ETH Zurich 3D Prints Recycled Plastic Structure for Swiss Ice Cream Shop

Hugo Launches 3D Printed Loafers with Zellerfeld

Hugo, the younger brand under Hugo Boss, has partnered with 3D printing company Zellerfeld to create a fully 3D-printed loafer. The shoe is... read more »

Fashion
Hugo Launches 3D Printed Loafers with Zellerfeld

3D Printed Resin Combines Rubber Flexibility with Plastic Strength, Surprising Scientists

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a 3D printing method that can create objects with both soft and hard... read more »

News
3D Printed Resin Combines Rubber Flexibility with Plastic Strength, Surprising Scientists

LPE Supports Queen’s Propulsion Laboratory with 3D Printed Rocket Engine Chamber

Students at Queen's University Belfast have developed what they describe as Ireland's first student-built liquid rocket engine. The Kelvin Mk.1, named after Belfast-born... read more »

3D Printing Metal
LPE Supports Queen’s Propulsion Laboratory with 3D Printed Rocket Engine Chamber

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 Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • 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
  • 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