Futurecraft 4D

2017: Serial production

On April 7, 2017 Adidas announced serial production of sneakers by means of the new 3D method - printing. The startup from Silicon Valley of Carbon became the partner of the German producer of sportswear in this project, Reuters reports.

Adidas is going to adjust mass release of footwear with the sole printed on the 3D-printer. It is going to use Continuous Liquid Interface Production technology which principle is that liquid polymer (polyurethane plastic) is given the necessary form using utrafioletovy light.

Such method, according to developers, allows to create more flexible and strong products. Besides, in a case with footwear such method provides creation of a sole taking into account specific physical parameters of the person, such as body weight and structure of foot.

The Continuous Liquid Interface Production technology is developed by Carbon company among which investors Google and General Electric appear. Adidas is sure that cooperation with Carbon will help to accelerate and reduce the price of production of soles using 3D - printing. In 2018 Carbon will be able to lower time of printing of one sole from one and a half to 20 o'clock minutes, consider in Adidas.

Sneakers which Adidas was going to print on 3D-printers will be called Futurecraft 4D. At first it is going to produce about 5 thousand pairs of such footwear. The first copies will begin to be on sale in 2017, and by the end of the 2018th the company intends to create about 100 thousand pairs. The price of the innovation sneakers is not set. It is known only that the product will be "bonus" so the price will be corresponding.

In 2016 Adidas sold several hundred pairs of sneakers with the sole made on the normal 3D-printer. Their cost was $333. On creation of one pair about 10 hours left, at the same time footwear was bulky and heavy.^[1]

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