If you own a pair of running shoes, then you are probably familiar with molded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), which is the soft, flexible foam that makes up the layer between the inner and outer soles. It is okay stuff, but the support it offers is pretty mundane, and it tends to break down to an uncomfortable state after a couple of hundred miles of use.
With this knowledge in mind, shoe company New Balance joined up with 3D printing company Formlabs a couple of years ago in order to develop something better, something that would last longer and provide wearers with a more supportive experience. Thanks to that cooperation, the two are releasing TripleCell, a shoe whose sole is made of a proprietary photopolymer called Rebound Resin.
Formlabs developed a unique new process in 3D printing for the project, via a process called low force stereolithography. After a design is loaded into the printer, highly intricate patterns are drawn in liquid Rebound Resin before curing under a special light, which results in a hardened 3D shape. These patterns are made of a detailed lattice which provides different amounts of support to different parts of the foot as needed, all in one seamless, flexible piece.
The first shoe in the TripleCell lineup will be a re-release of its classic 990 Sport with the upgraded sole for $185, more supportive and durable than the original version. It is expected that two more models with this technology will be released within the next year.
