Apr 22, 2016 | By Benedict
Maine-based footwear 3D printing specialist Cobbler Technologies has unveiled its new Atomized Particle Deposition (3DAPD) 3D printing process. 3DAPD is able to functionally grade multiple materials in real time, enabling “on-the-fly material mixing”.
3D printed footwear manufacturers have been stepping up to the plate lately, with New Balance releasing a limited run of the incredible 3D printed Zante Generate running shoe last Friday, and Under Armour delivering its own 3D printed sneakers a month before. But when it comes to 3D printed footwear innovation, it’s not all about the big sportswear names. Cobbler Technologies, a 3D printing startup situated in the shoe manufacturing Mecca of Maine, has been quietly working on a high-tech manufacturing solution which could revolutionize the way that additive manufacturing is used to create footwear. The company closed on a round of equity financing from Boston investors on Monday, after also winning seed financing from the Maine Institute of Technology and $25,000 from the Scratchpad accelerator pitch contest.
Cobbler Technologies has already produced a number of high-quality 3D printed shoes, but according to a recent press release from the startup, its latest technological innovation could take its operations to a whole new level. Atomized Particle Deposition, or 3DAPD, uses high-velocity gases to turn raw materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state into very fine droplets, which are then deposited as an “atomized spray”. The dedicated Cobbler 3D printer, built to perform this new process, can then deposit customized layers of atomized material in three dimensions, with fine particles producing a smoother surface finish than is possible with most existing consumer 3D printing technologies. The multiple nozzles of the 3D printer can extrude multiple raw materials from industrial reservoirs, enabling on-the-fly material changes between layers.
Cobbler Technologies believes that its new 3D printing process can offer numerous advantages to footwear manufacturers, and is currently open to forming partnerships with a range of footwear brands in order to bring 3DAPD-produced shoes into the mainstream. 3DAPD enables users to print foams, rubbers, and plastics, as well as advanced polymers, giving footwear companies near-unlimited material possibilities when designing new and innovative products. Use of the Cobbler 3D printer also enables footwear manufacturers to manufacture special edition shoes in smaller quantities, without the high costs that tend to be associated with small production runs.
Cobbler Technologies currently devotes all of its efforts to the optimization of 3D printing for the footwear industry. The “Philosophy” section of its website states: “3D printing is a broad field with many players and many different needs. We do not try to be everything to all people. We have chosen to do one thing and do it well: Multi-material 3D printing for the footwear industry.”
Despite its philosophy, however, Cobbler Technologies is becoming more open-minded about the prospect of moving beyond footwear, given the potential versatility of its 3D printing technology. “Cobbler is focused on developing a 3D printer for the footwear industry and its unique needs. However, we are investigating potential strategic alliances and partnerships in additional industries, in order to commercialize our technology,” said Peter Klein, chairman of Cobbler Technologies.
“Lots of shoe manufacturers use 3D printers, but only to make prototypes,” Klein told the Portland Press Herald. “Ours is designed to be integrated into the manufacturing process. We have 25 different layers of materials that we can change on the fly without interrupting the manufacturing process.”
Although the work being carried out by footwear brands like New Balance, Under Armour, and Nike is undoubtedly exciting for the 3D printing industry, the emergence of new and independent businesses provides some much-needed competition in the field. With such a small number of huge corporations monopolizing the running shoe industry, it’s hard not to root for startups like Cobbler Technologies in the race for 3D printed footwear success. Let’s hope that the new 3DAPD technology can give the company enough of a spring in its step to carry it over the finish line.
Posted in 3D Printing Technology
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