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This video documents an ambitious project to design, 3D print, and test a pair of classy formal shoes for the Formnext trade show, highlighting the numerous design and printing challenges, innovative solutions for insoles and materials, and the ultimate real-world performance and comfort (or lack thereof) of the final product.
The video introduces the ambitious project of creating classy, formal 3D printed shoes, a concept the creator believes is unexplored territory. Existing 3D printed shoes are described as futuristic, simplistic, or strange, unsuitable for formal occasions. The creator commits to wearing these self-designed shoes to Formnext, the world's largest 3D printing trade show, with no backup plan.
Facing a tight deadline of less than three weeks, the creator admits to never having designed a shoe before and being unsure of material durability. The chosen printer is a custom-built machine with a grill plate base, adding to the experimental nature. The initial design approach involves scanning an existing shoe with a Matter and Form 3D scanner and using Fusion 360 with parametric design, which proves challenging for the organic shoe shape.
The creator struggles with the complex curves of the shoe's outer sole, relying on splines, fillets, and deleted faces. After several days, the parametric design approach is abandoned for surface design, a new skill learned over a weekend. The 3D scan is crucial for this new method. The design is refined with parametric elements for holes and optimized for 3D printing. The difficulty of creating a solid body from the complex surface model is overcome by creating separate sculpted parts to fill gaps, allowing for a single solid body. Textures are added for visualization, and the top part is prepared for an experimental 3D print.
Printing begins with an attempt to use the custom grill plate printer at a 45-degree angle, but height limitations force a switch to the Prusa XL for the main shoe parts. The grill plate printer is reserved for insoles. Initial prints of the shoe top in PLA reveal thin walls and excessive stiffness, leading to the decision to use flexible wood filament. Challenges arise with spooling the loose flexible wood and finding optimal print settings. A temperature tower and test pieces are printed, and the outer sole is planned for PETG with rubber.
The creator addresses the insole design by using floral foam to capture foot imprints, which are then 3D scanned. Taping the foam proves difficult, but a successful imprint is eventually achieved. The PETG with rubber outer sole begins printing, using recycled PETG for infill. Flexible wood samples continue to be problematic. A larger holder for loose filament is designed, and a Slunaz FF1R filament joiner is used to combine bundles of flexible wood, enabling a continuous print. The first PETG outer sole print looks good but feels stiff. The floral foam imprint is successfully scanned and converted into a solid body in Fusion 360 using both free and paid methods, with the goal of creating a perfectly fitting insole.
The new outer sole and wooden top are finished and look good together. However, the top shoe is too tight to put on, necessitating design modifications to create more room and allow for lacing. The "brick layer" technique is used for slicing the new shoe design. Another bundle of flexible wood is joined, and a new print starts. The other outer sole is printed on the Prusa.
The creator introduces Ground News, an app and website that aggregates news from various sources, combating bias by showing political leanings and factuality. An example of a Google Street View murder story is used to demonstrate its features, including access to 278 news sources. The platform also covers specific interests like 3D printing. The creator endorses Ground News for its mission to provide richer, less biased information.
Printing resumes, with insoles starting on the grill plate printer, which surprisingly performs well in its new orientation. The first insole print is successful. An experimental outer sole combining soft TPU and ABS fails. The left shoe top progresses well. The wooden top is sanded, but under-extrusion issues lead to printing on a different machine. The insole fits perfectly into the wooden top. A critical setback occurs when the flexible wood shoe top snaps. The creator switches to NinjaFlex TPU, attempting prints on the Bambu Lab, Prusa MK4, and SSV08, all of which fail. The only remaining option is an old, modified Creality CR-10 D1. The creator realizes a previous successful flexible print on the Prusa XL used a different tool, so that is changed. Green TPU is acquired for the outer soles, and a black top is planned. The Creality CR-10 D1 successfully prints an 18-hour NinjaFlex shoe top.
The second insole is printed without issues. The modified Creality CR-10 D1 proves surprisingly capable, printing the entire shoe top. Insole thickness discrepancies necessitate a redesign, leading to another floral foam imprint and print. Removing support from TPU is difficult. The Prusa XL's extruder stops, and the green TPU spool runs out. The Creality CR-10 D1 prints another shoe top. With four days left, the creator tries on the shoe, finding it a tight fit. More modifications are made for room. A brown TPU top is printed out of curiosity. The final plan is for black tops with green outer soles, relying on the Creality CR-10 D1. The creator glues a PETG outer sole to a flexible wooden top as a prototype, but it cracks easily. The night before Formnext, the creator hopes the Creality printer finishes the outer soles. The 40-hour outer sole print on the modified Creality CR-10 D1 is successful, despite moisture in the filament. Gluing the TPU parts together with PC glue proves messy and difficult, deforming the TPU. Shoe spanners and zip ties are used to hold the parts together while the glue sets.
On the way to Formnext, the shoes are still tied up for the glue to set. The creator expresses anxiety about the glue holding up. Miranda joins to document the journey. The shoes are grippy but warm, with sharp edges and poor breathability. The creator takes every opportunity to sit down due to discomfort. They face a long walk to the Formnext entrance. Other attendees react with surprise and admiration, calling them "impressive" and "crazy." One person notes the "old classic 80s car with an electric motor" vibe. The creator admits the shoes are "killing me." Georgia from E3D provides comfortable spare shoes, saving the day. The creator observes other 3D printed shoes for inspiration, noting that none match the classy aesthetic. After 8 hours and 43 minutes, the creator is in pain but makes it back to the hotel, believing that with more time and redesign, great-looking 3D printed shoes are achievable.
"I made 3D printed classical formal shoes because I think that this is the best looking type of shoe and this seems like unexplored territory no one has made shoes like this yet." — The creator
"The catch I never designed a shoe in my life I had no idea if the materials I chose were durable at all." — The creator
"This old reality printer just saved the whole video 40 hour print on a modified seron D1." — The creator
"I'm not bringing spare shoes you got to commit." — The creator
"Is it comfortable? Absolutely not. No, it's they are killing me." — The creator
"I believe that this is going to be a thing give me some more time redesigning them and printing them in one go and we will finally have great looking 3D printed shoes." — The creator
"6 hours in and and John's still going John those look way more comfy than yours you steal some that people." — Miranda
"You know what vibe this gives me this gives me old classic80s car with an electric motor an electric battery that does NA to 16 like 3 that's that's a good that's I love it thanks." — Formnext attendee
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