3D Printing in Orthopedic Footwear Technology

Making custom orthopedic shoes usually takes several weeks - especially because traditional shoe lasts still have to be laboriously made from wood. PROTIQ demonstrates how it can be done a lot faster: With the help of industrial additive manufacturing ( commonly known as 3D printing), individual lasts can be printed virtually overnight and are on the workbench within a few days. The offer is rounded off by a free last configurator that simplifies the creation of 3D data and integrates it into the ordering process.

Combined Expertise

"Cobbler, stick to your last!" For better or worse, shoemakers have still had to stick to this saying in recent years. Because although 3D printing has been a topic in orthopedic technology for some time, the quality of printed shoe lasts has never been satisfactory enough to rival that of conventional wooden lasts - until now. PROTIQ, as a professional in the field of additive manufacturing, has taken on the problem and, together with experienced orthopedic shoemakers, has developed a solution that saves time and still meets the demands of the workshop.

The secret is the plastic TPU, which on the one hand has the necessary properties of wood, but on the other hand is elastic, has a good grip and is extremely light. PROTIQ is working closely with Forward AM, the brand of BASF 3D Printing Solutions, to find the ideal material. BASF's 3D printing division has one of the largest material portfolios as well as comprehensive consulting expertise for all common 3D printing technologies. As part of 3D printing at PROTIQ, the TPU is fused layer by layer with a laser using laser sintering (SLS), which makes it possible to achieve significantly higher precision and robustness than with the more familiar fused deposition modeling (FDM). The result is shoe lasts that can be glued, sanded and stapled in the same way as their wooden counterparts.

Free Last Configurator

But the material alone doesn't make a printed last, of course. Before it can, a custom 3D model must be created to fit the customer's foot. Here, PROTIQ offers a free solution and saves orthopedic shoemakers from having to purchase expensive 3D software. The website provides easy access to the last configurator, which was developed precisely for this application area.

The web application is based on the software system of the long-standing cooperation partner trinckle. The Berlin-based software company specializes in the automation of design processes and, during development, took particular account of the requirements of the orthopedic technicians involved for an intuitive workflow. With the last configurator, foot scans can be uploaded, the lasts modeled as required and dimensions matched. This creates a customized pair of lasts that can be ordered immediately. The lasts will not be needed until later? No problem either! 3D models that have already been created can be named as desired and saved in the customer account: Your very own digital warehouse.

You can find the configurator and more information on the topic here.