LightSpray: Running On Cloud 9
On Running, the Swiss newcomer to performance shoes, has developed a novel technique for creating lightweight footwear that they have dubbed LightSpray. The technique, as detailed by Global Triathlon Network, involves 3D printing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) directly onto a high-impact sole. This creates not just a lace-less upper, but also a hybrid in-sole and sole with much less material, both unique features of the Cloudboom Strike LS. The efficiency reduces weight for the wearer and waste (up to 75%, according to On) – and the entire shoe could be deconstructed for recycling. While there are direct benefits for On Running in the current shoe manufacturing paradigm, the ability to print shoes in minutes could change the landscape, allowing for completely different distribution models in the very near future.
Assignment Idea: Innovation at the Speed of Print
Description
This activity challenges students to explore how innovative manufacturing techniques like On Running’s LightSpray process could transform product design, sustainability, and supply chains. Students will dive into the case of the Cloudboom Strike LS, a high-performance running shoe created with a 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) upper and hybrid sole, examining how this radically minimal and recyclable design could disrupt traditional models of production and distribution.
Analyze the LightSpray manufacturing technique. Investigate sustainable materials and modular design. What types of products, systems or service models use a similar rapid-manufacturing approach? Reflect on the social, economic and environmental implications of mass-customizable, recyclable goods. Consider how rapid digital manufacturing can reshape distribution, consumption, and design.
Working in teams, students will research and brainstorm based on the needs of the community of focus. Depending on the course, objects can be sketched or modeled and can be included along with the findings in a presentation to the class and group discussion of which has the most impact and why. A “winning design” could then be 3D printed and donated to a low income resource center.
Subject Areas
Art, Engineering, Industrial Design, Marketing, Sustainability
Deliverables
- technology breakdown: using an infographic or slide deck, explain how LightSpray works, highlighting key materials, manufacturing steps and sustainability outcomes
- product or service concept: create a concept brief that describes a new product or service that’s minimalist, digital and recyclable – identify the target user, use case and impact on production and/or distribution
- reflection: in a discussion post, provide your thoughts on how 3D manufacturing might affect tradtional industries, what the logistical challenges might be and how these innovations might affect local communities