Objet (now merged with Stratasys) is known for multi-material printing, mixing rigid and flexible materials in single prints. But as the Rapid Prototyping Lab Manager of Reebok, Gary Rabinovitz, pointed out, flexible full-color printing is still a limitation. At least, it was.
Okay, I’m not color blind; I can see that that’s just white. But I am a visionary, so I can also see that it will be multicolored very soon. This isn’t from Objet either, so I suspect they’ll have their own version released shortly. This TPU 92A-1 laser sintered material is from Materialise, and maybe I’m connecting dots where I shouldn’t, but I don’t think it’d be too much of a stretch to say that this may be a related technology to what they’re using for the HeartPrint Flex service. I don’t know. I do know that this is an awesome material; it’s certainly the most dynamic material I’ve seen come out of a 3D printer. So far it’s “the only 3D Printing material that combines:
- Durable elasticity
- High tear resistance
- High resistance to dynamic loading
- High abrasive resistance
- Snappy response
- Good temperature range (-20°C to 80°C)”
Also you can run over it with a truck! Reebok and Nike could definitely use this in shoes. It will be a little while before this type of material makes it to home 3D printing, but when it does, expect more than stretchy bracelets.
Download a datasheet with TPU-92A-1 properties.
