DEVELOP3D - Technology for the product lifecycle

Clark’s has a rich heritage from its foundation in the 1825 by two brothers in Somerset.

Interesting story out of Z Corporation today. According to the company, shoe manufacturing organisation, Clarks has “transformed its development process to release better, more stylish shoes earlier in the fashion life cycle,” by adopting the company’s ZPrinters.

For those of us in the UK, Clarks is the stuff of legend. Saturday morning, being dragged up the shops with your mum, hoping to get the school shoes you wanted (Clarks Commando’s anyone?), but coming away with the sensible ones you had to have.

Headquartered in the UK, the global company has removed weeks – and in some cases, months – from the design process by digitizing prototyping with help from Z Corporation 3D printing technology. While the story is solid, one thing I take exception to is the comment that “Traditionally, shoemakers use paper sketches, factory-manufactured samples and design reviews to move concepts toward production.” Frankly, that’s not been the case in mass production of footwear for decades and those involved in the industry know that shoe design and preparation for manufacturing is a science, a very very complex one. If you want to know what sort of technology is out there, take a look-see at the Crispin tools from Delcam.

That aside, it’s clear that shoe design has been a key market for many of the rapid prototyping vendors - particularly when it comes to sole design, where look is just as important as feel and function.

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