PLAtform Shoes
PLA & Ninjaflex Sandals
Timeline
2019
4 weeks
Solo project
Skills
Fusion 360, additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, kerf bending, Adobe Illustrator
Goal
Make a 3D-printed shoe that is functional.
My Focus
I aimed to create a 3D-printed shoe that was comfortable, stylish, and easy to customize.
Kerf Bending
Kerf bending is the process of making small cuts in wood in order to create bends. I wanted to apply kerf bending to PLA and design so they can bend similarly to leather shoes.
I prototyped different kerf bending patterns in AutoCAD and laser-cut them on thin plywood, testing designs for flexible wooden sandals. My favorite design was a pattern used for book bindings.
Making PLA Flexible
I created the shoe base in Fusion 360, modeling the shape based on orthotic inserts.
I used the same book-binding pattern in Adobe Illustrator, increased the line thickness, and then imported the pattern to Fusion 360 and applied it to the shoe with an extrude cut.
Testing
The shoe bent successfully while also maintaining stuctural integrity!
The issue with this design, however, was determining a way to attach straps.
Iteration
After filming and reviewing myself walking in regular shoes, I realized the primary point where the shoe needs to bend is towards the ball of the foot. So, my shoe only needed the kerf bending pattern at the front.
I also created a cavity in the design for an orthotic insert. I printed the insert in Ninjaflex, a squishy 3D-printed material.
The straps can be printed in Ninjaflex as well, or purchased at a local crafts store.
The final 3D model, disassembled.
The final 3D printed shoe.
The shoes in action.