By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : April 16, 2021 11:31 am
Covestro and orthopedic service provider GeBioM are supporting orthopedic shoemakers in the production of customized insoles using 3D printing using Covestro's thermoplastic polyurethane Addigy FPU 79A.
Covestro and orthopedic service provider GeBioM are supporting orthopedic shoemakers in the production of customized insoles using 3D printing using Covestro's thermoplastic polyurethane Addigy FPU 79A.
In addition to producing lasts and trial shoes, they now support orthopedic shoemakers in the production of custom insoles using 3D printing. A new Addigy FPU 79A thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) from Covestro is used in the form of filaments. Together with Danish printer partner Create it REAL, the companies offer a novel and sustainable solution for the digital production of shoe insoles.
"Our new TPU plastic and a printer developed specifically for this application make it possible to print very soft structures. The material and printer were harmonized during development to achieve a perfect result," explains Lukas Breuers, 3D printing expert, Covestro.
"With the help of the automated software solution, soft and hard structures can be combined in a shoe insole, achieving a level of customization that was previously virtually impossible," added Breuers.
In addition to functionality, the development of the material also focused on its ecological footprint, as Marcel Domenghino, Managing Director of GeBioM says, "It was important to us that the new solution also allows for improved sustainability. Currently, the production of insoles also generates large amounts of waste. Moreover, the insoles themselves are hazardous waste after use. With 3D printing, we now enable our customers to produce in a waste-free manner by using only the material that is needed for the insoles."
Covestro has been committed to developing innovative material solutions for additive manufacturing products for years and offers a versatile product range under the Addigy brand, including for orthopedic shoe insoles. Just recently, the company also significantly strengthened its 3D-printing portfolio with the acquisition of the Resins & Functional Materials business of the Dutch DSM Group.