Brooks Is 3D Printing the Soles of Sneakers for Better Running Performance
We have all seen adidas’ continued success in the 3D-printed footwear market, and increasingly we are seeing more and more players entering into this field. Brooks Running, for example, has renewed their partnership with HP. In 2017, two companies jointly announced the Genesys shoes, a technology that allows for customization of each shoe by using 3D foot scanning. At the time, HP used its FitStation technology to create a 3D print of the wearer’s foot. Brooks has announced a new 3D-printed running shoe as part of its ongoing collaboration with HP. This new creation, christened Exhilarate-BL, is a flagship of the brand’s BlueLine Lab program and custom-designed according to the runner’s specific needs and data.
The Exhilarate BL running shoe has a midsole that is 3D printed. This provides a comfortable bounce to propel the wearer forward. The shoes can be used as regular sneakers or for monitoring your training. They are actually equipped with sensors that can measure parameters like stride length, speed and other factors related height and weight.
New Brooks Exhilarate BL running shoes
According to Nikhil Jain, Brooks’ director of footwear product line management and BlueLine, leveraging HP’s 3D printing technology has enabled the company’s design team to perfect midsole details to the millimeter, an achievement that would otherwise have been out of reach. Mr. Jain said that 3D-printing has transformed the running experience on the level of the feet. He also said it could bring about even greater optimizations, helping to deliver an ultra-high-performance, high-end running experience.
Brooks also achieved this goal by using less materials in its manufacturing process. Nikhil Jain further emphasized the brand’s commitment to their customers as well, saying, “As a brand rooted in the science that every individual has a unique motion path, we’re just scratching the surface in terms of how we can change the underfoot experience and use 3D printing to deliver a premium, performance run experience with the potential for greater optimization.” Brooks added that exploring the benefits 3D printing could bring from a sustainability standpoint was an important step.
Brooks’ 3D Printed midsoles provide a dynamic and bouncy running sensation
The Exhilarate-BL series is made using HP’s Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing technology. Specifically, MJF is used to 3D-print the shoes’ “3DNA” midsoles, which have been designed to deliver a dynamic yet bouncy running experience. What’s more, these soles have been tailored according to runners’ data, to match specific size groups, guaranteeing optimal cushioning and maximum energy return with every stride. HP conducted independent testing that proved these midsoles return more energy than 90% of all running shoe midsoles on the market.
The 3D-printed middlesole offers runners unrivalled propulsion, bounce and bounce.
These 3D-printed shoes are available in limited quantities as part of a “test and learn” program, available to Brooks Wear Testers and Brooks Run Club members who synchronize their wearable devices with the Brooks platform. Brooks can collect vital data about runners using these wearable devices. This includes stride length, running cadence and other important factors. You can learn more in HP’s press release HERE or check out Brooks Running’s website HERE.
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*All Photo Credits: Brooks Running