New Balance打造3D定製釘鞋底板研發 | New Balance 3D Printing Builds Custom Track Shoes

New Balance打造3D定製釘鞋底板研發

美國知名鞋類運動品牌New Balance已由設計導向的製造，進而發展3D列印釘鞋底板的定製，該項新產品採用EOS(Electro Optical Systems) 光電系統技術，將精英運動員的足腳踢射模式個人化。

使用專有的程序來收集來自New Balance跑者在競賽中的模擬數據，以及先進的演算法，其後用於將訊息轉換成優化的設計，藉由EOS技術的使用，可在製造過程中如虎添翼。

生物力學數據是讓運動員佩帶一個測力板、鞋中的感應器，及動作捕捉系統採集而來。這有助於確定腳到測力板的關係，每一踏步都會建立一個3D向量圖。

New Balance曾與高性能材料製造商Advanced Laser Materials合作，該公司為EOS家族成員的一部分，開發專有的尼龍混紡材料。釘鞋底板逐層內置在EOS系統中，使用尼龍粉末再搭配特定的雷射條件，得到最大的工程性能。

“藉由附加製造，我們定製的釘鞋底板可依照需求生產，流暢地調整我們的製程，符合不同尺寸和寬度，以及更新設計，無需資金持續的投入在注塑模型上面”，New Balance創新中心業務經理Katherine Petrecca表示。 “納入了附加製造的釘鞋底板，也讓我們實現比傳統製造方式減少5％的重量。"

---

New Balance 3D Printing Builds Custom Track Shoes

Engineers and shoe designers at New Balance Athletic Shoes Inc., Boston, are using 3D printing to make shoes for elite runners (professionals and Olympians) in hopes of improving their performance. The company uses an EOSINT 395 3D printer from EOS to custom-build spike plates, the bottom part of the shoe that contains a pattern of spikes to give runners more traction as they run. The machine creates parts out of plastic using a proprietary nylon powder and laser sintering.

The first step in the process is to collect biomechanical data on a specific runner using several different tools. Video capture, for example, lets researchers create a three-dimensional force-vector diagram of the runner's feet as they hit the surface of a force plate while running. Pressure sensors inside the runner’s shoe provide pressure data as the runner’s feet hit the ground and lets the researchers determine how the feet are interacting with the shoe. High-pressure values, for example, indicate an area of the foot that is important during that phase of the foot strike.

Armed with this data and some parametric modeling software, New Balance designers calculate the best spike pattern, how large the spikes should be, and how they should be oriented. After the final design is cleaned up, it gets converted to an .stl file and sent to the printer to build the spike plate. The printer lets them build spike plates that could not be economically made using traditional manufacturing processes. Designers usually provide runners with several spike plates to test and then vary the fit, stiffness, and design depending on the length of the race the runners are facing, along with their personal preferences. Currently, the 3D printer makes four spike plates at a time in five to six hours.

One Olympic runner, Kim Conley, wore her custom spike plates when she set personal records in 3,000- and 5,000-meter races, and during her best international performance--the 2013 World Track Championships. She credits her success to the shoes’ improved traction while reliving pressure on the outside of her feet. The shoes are also 5% lighter than traditionally made track shoes. For competitive runners, even a small weight reduction can make significant changes.

The goal at New Balance is to refine the 3D-printing process so that the company can offer custom-built spike plates or tread patterns to everyday consumer-athletes and possible expand to shoes for sports other than running. However, the repetitive foot motions used in running don’t carry over to other sports in which participants quickly change directions, pivot, back-pedal, or shuffle side to side. These motions would need to be closely studied to determine what performer data needed to be collected and how to analyze it.

Source: machinedesign