Traditional craft meets 3D printing: Bits Shoe and XYZ Shoe by earl stewart

Traditional craft meets 3D printing: Bits Shoe and XYZ Shoe by Earl Stewart

Jun.5, 2013

Designer Earl Stewart has recently designed a few different types of shoes using 3D printers. The 'bits shoe' was made of a Selective Laser Sintered nylon sole with leather pieces on top. The designer first made three-dimensional scans of the feet to ensure a perfect fit. The leather piece is laser cut and then perforated before stitching. The last step is to combine the 3D printed sole with the top.

This is a nice combination of traditional craft & modern rapid manufacturing techniques. Check out the "Bits Shoe" in the gallery below.

Stewart investigates also the utilization of rapid manufacturing techniques to create flexibility & rigidity in a single seamless form. All his design process uses accurate 3D scans of the feet, and the sole is designed in collaboration with a podiatrist to ensure comfort, stability & alignment are for the benefit of the individual.

Along with understanding the biomechanics of the foot, Stewart's another shoe design, XYZ shoe, also considers cultural & biological values that are important for the individuality of the user. Using the Multi Material 3D printer from Objets Connex Stewart printed the XYZ shoe in just one piece.