The Challenge

A designer required a physical, flexible prototype of a footwear concept to evaluate scale, volume, and ergonomic fit. Using traditional manufacturing for a one-off footwear sample is cost-prohibitive and slow, so the goal was to produce a functional 1:1 scale model that mimicked the flex of a finished product.

The Solution

Utilizing an open-source footwear model, this prototype was printed in 95A Shore Hardness TPU. To ensure a clean internal cavity and reduce post-processing time, the print was engineered to run without support structures.

The print relied on a high-surface-area heel adhesion strategy to maintain stability throughout the vertical build. While 95A provided the structural integrity needed to test the "last" (the shape of the shoe), the physical testing revealed that a softer material would be required for the next phase of development to better simulate the compression of a production sole.

Key Features

Material: TPU (95A Shore Hardness)
Print Method: FDM
Support Strategy: Supportless geometry with enhanced bed adhesion
Design Source: Open-source footwear model
Application: Ergonomic fit-testing and volume verification
Iteration Insight: Identified 85A TPU as the target material for "v2" to improve tactile realism

The Result

The prototype successfully provided a low-cost, high-fidelity model for the client to perform immediate fit-testing. By producing this in-house, the client was able to skip expensive tooling and move directly into material-feel iterations, significantly shortening the R&D cycle.

TPU Footwear Prototyping: Fit-Test Model