Customizing 3D printable midsole 3D models [Source: Ergono3D]

What software do you use to create custom 3D models for 3D-printed footwear?

There’s been a huge increase in interest in 3D-printed shoes. Recently, we’ve seen several new services dedicated to printing custom footwear, as well as multiple filament providers now selling filament specifically made for printing shoes.

In 3D model repositories, we’re now seeing plenty of highly unusual 3D printable shoe designs. Some of these are slightly customizable, but many are not. It’s possible to resize these 3D models in slicing tools, but there’s no guarantee they will actually fit your feet.

That’s the magic of 3D-printed shoes, however: the idea is to scan/measure your feet and then produce footwear that precisely matches them. This should provide the most comfortable shoes possible, and this is one reason we may see a shift towards custom footwear in the future.

If you have a 3D printer and “shoe filament”, all you need is a custom-sized 3D model to fit your feet.

But how do you get such a 3D model? You can measure your feet, but then what?

While we haven’t yet seen an easy way to generate full custom 3D models of shoes, there is now a service that can do this for midsoles. Midsoles are the part of the shoe that touches your feet inside the shoe itself, and a key part of the comfort equation.

Ergono3D now provides a “from foot to STL” service. Using a guided measurement process that does not require a 3D scanner, they can then generate a 3D model that includes:

• Balanced arch height
• Adaptive arch length
• Midfoot support
• Supportive heel cup
• Optimized rear foot control
• Guided forefoot posting

As you can see, midsoles are a lot more complex than you might imagine. The generated midsoles from Ergono3D involve complex lattice sections for flexibility and support. It’s not as simple as just making a midsole shape. This is why you can’t really achieve a proper custom midsole on your own.

Ergono3D targets clinics and labs, but their software can also be used by individuals. It’s available as a subscription service with these levels:

• Starter plan (AU$70 / US$49) 10 midsole generations during a three-month period
• Standard plan (AU$200 / US$140) 50 midsoles

They offer customizable plans with varying amounts of credits and terms by negotiation. In addition, there is a “Preview plan”, which allows for five midsole generations — but no download capability. They do offer an optional AU$10 / US$7 one-time download, however.

At that price, it just might be worth it for makers looking to make a set of 3D-printed midsoles that can be used in several pairs of shoes. Remember, your foot does not change when you swap shoes — just print more of the same 3D model.

That leads us to the next question, which is choosing the material to print the midsole. There are a great deal of options, ranging from TPU to foaming filaments. However, Ergono3D recommends TPU 85A, TPU 90A, and TPU 95A, depending on your personal hardness preferences.

Let’s get printing our midsoles!

Via Ergono3D

By Kerry Stevenson

Kerry Stevenson, aka "General Fabb" has written over 8,000 stories on 3D printing at Fabbaloo since he launched the venture in 2007, with an intention to promote and grow the incredible technology of 3D printing across the world. So far, it seems to be working!

View all of Kerry Stevenson’s posts.

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