www.3ders.org

Aug 24, 2015 | By Alec

Regular readers won’t need to be reminded that 3D printing is becoming an excellent tool for artistic expression, something we are reminded of constantly. However, some artistic expressions are more unusual than others, and we here at 3ders.org rarely look at shoes and see art. However, Nike has now created exactly that, by combing their iconic KD8 shoe with 3D printing and ferrofluids to create a mesmerizing and constantly changing work of art. It can be found in Niketown NYC in New York City.

As you can see above, this fascinating Kevin Durant shoe is a mesmerizing black, covered with an awkward set of spikes. But that’s not all. The real magic can only be captured in a video (below), as the shoe itself is filled with a small mechanism covered in magnets, which moves up and down inside the shoe. While that itself isn’t so spectacular, it becomes something fantastic when placed above that strange pool of black fluid. That goo is ferrofluid, that strongly reacts to the magnets inside the shoe, causing it to move up and down alongside the mechanism in a spike fashion.

This cool fluid is obviously the key to this work of art, but isn’t something particularly new. It was invented way back in 1963 by NASA scientist Steve Papell, with the original function being magnetically-powered rocket fuel. That is possible because ferrofluid becomes strongly magnetized when in vicinity of a magnetic field. Key are very tiny magnetic particles that have been suspended in carrierfluids and are especially coated to prevent clumps from forming. Though suitable for a very wide range of applications – including mechanical and electronic, being used in speakers and switches – it is also a particularly popular artistic material for obvious reasons.

And that is exactly what Nike has used it for, in collaboration with designers Guild. They created this display by 3D printing a large replica of the KD8 shoe – printing was done in two halves which were later combined. As you can see for yourself, the printing quality is remarkable. It looks just like a shoe. This was subsequently mounted on this cool display with pool. The shoe itself was filled with a small track and loaded up with a pair of very powerful neodymium magnets – which are capable of carrying up to 180 pounds in weight.

The effect is complete when the pool is filled with this ferrofluid, which instantly reacts to the magnetic pull and starts to (seemingly magically) move up and down alongside the shoe, corresponding to the movement of the magnets. So why use 3D printing for this, instead of an actual shoe? That’s really the only problem with the ferrofluid used: it evaporates quickly and leaves an oily residue behind. That’s why a 3D printed plastic shoe was used, as it is easier to clean or replace.

However, this does little to diminish the coolness of this project. If you want to see it in person, you can head over the Niketown in New York City, where a crowd will doubtlessly be gathered around it. As this is a promotional campaign for the shoe, visitors are encouraged to post it all over their social medias of choice.

 

[Gizmodo]

Posted in 3D Printers

 

 

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