3D printed housing continuing to progress.

[martin-w 3,235]

 

[n4gix 4,947]

Fascinating to see the progress being made in this emergent technology.

[birdguy 3,943]

It's very impressive.  But when are they going to print consumer goods like shoes and T-Shirts and light bulbs?

Noel

[n4gix 4,947]

Noel, why would you even want concrete shoes, much less a t-shirt? 😁

I do recall that there is a cafe in Spain that sells 3D printed food!  

[Fielder 3,671]

A new use for seawater plastic? Café de Plástico may win an ecological award!

[birdguy 3,943]

Is all they print with concrete?  Can't they print with any other material?

Noel

[188AHC 2,138]

Why would they print with anything else? 

[dmwalker 603]

21 minutes ago, birdguy said:

Can't they print with any other material?

Here is a quotation about Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE):

" Just one step away is the fashion industry, which has been flirting with 3D printing for a while now with 3D printed dresses and shoes. Up until recently, it was doomed to using exclusively rigid materials. It’s now possible to print flexible elements that are durable enough for use in footwear design or in stage costumes, for example."

Another soft plastic is Thermoplastic Polyurethane but it seems to be unsuitable for footwear.

[martin-w 3,235]

11 hours ago, birdguy said:

It's very impressive.  But when are they going to print consumer goods like shoes and T-Shirts and light bulbs?

Noel

 

3D printing is huge these days Noel. And yes, you can 3D print shoes... Adidas make them. You can also buy your own desktop 3D printer to print in a number of plastics, graphene infused plastic and carbon fiber infused plastic.

3D printing is done with metals too these days, and  engine parts for cars, jet engine parts and even rocket fuel tanks are 3D printed.

Lightbulbs would require metal 3D printing and glass 3D printing, both of which exist. Modern lightbulbs are LED's but the glass outer bulb could be printed I would think.

3D printing clothes...

https://www.sculpteo.com/en/3d-learning-hub/applications-of-3d-printing/3d-printed-clothes/

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2022 by martin-w

[dmwalker 603]

10 hours ago, martin-w said:

And yes, you can 3D print shoes... Adidas make them

They all seem to have just 3D printed midsoles and the uppers are at least 50% recycled plastic.

The only fully 3D printed shoe I could find was the Cryptide Sneaker:

[birdguy 3,943]

Dugald, I would have named it the Centipede Sneaker.  I wonder if they would be more comfortable for people like myself who suffer from arthritic feet.

Noel

[dmwalker 603]

I don't know if the Adidas 3D printed ones would be any better than their regular ones but they are all designed for running so maybe not suitable for you. A podiatrist would know. I have different foot problems than you and I had a podiatrist custom make insoles which helped considerably. When I buy new shoes, I have to try them with the insoles in otherwise the shoes may be too tight.

1 hour ago, birdguy said:

I would have named it the Centipede Sneaker.

More likely the Bigfoot Sneaker because the manufacturer says "As its name suggests, the sneaker is inspired by so-called Cryptids – mythical creatures such as Bigfoot or Loch Ness that may or may not exist. “If you wear this shoe, you will leave traces like a cryptid would do."

They are said to be comfortable but the main feature is that you can cause a commotion by leaving shoeprints around your neighbourhood:

 

[birdguy 3,943]

They certainly would leave an interesting footprint.

Noel

[n4gix 4,947]

12 hours ago, birdguy said:

They certainly would leave an interesting footprint.

Noel

That is one truly UGLY pair of shoes!  💩

[birdguy 3,943]

2 hours ago, n4gix said:

That is one truly UGLY pair of shoes!  💩

Yeah, but ugly in an interesting way.  I wouldn't wear them to the senior prom, but I think I might like a pair.  Bu then my friends always said I was weird.

Noel