online course - LEVEL: All

3D printing online course


This is THE online course for anyone who wants to print wearable shoes, but is not able to join us in Barcelona for the classes at our own lab. This is a beginner course that is also suitable for people that do not have any 3D design experience yet. But of course, you can also join if you do have 3D design skills and make your project even more better!

This online workshop consists of the recordings of 3 live online workshops in which we will teach you how 3D printing (FDM) works, how you can design for it, how to choose the right printer and adjust it to your needs, and how to slice your model for the best quality and speed.

Please note that this is NOT a 3D modeling course. You can either print a model you have already modeled yourself, or we will provide you with a 3D model to print. If you still need to start learning how to do 3D modeling, this is actually a great course to start with, because once you understand how 3D printing works, it becomes so much easier to design for it, rather than the other way around!

We will use very affordable 3D printers  - that range from 200 to 500 euros - so you can purchase the printer of your choice and print your own shoes.  The printer is not included in the course price, since we know everyone will have different preferences and some of you might already own a printer or have access to a printing lab. Upon registration you will get access to a list of recommendations for printers, so you can check which ones are available in your area and for your budget.

Of course we will also advise you on materials, so you can understand which filament is best for your design. In the course we will use Filaflex and Foamy by Recreus.

This course is sponsored by:

It is always a great feeling to be able to print your own designs, whether it is for prototyping or for actual wearing, like the ones you see in this picture.
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Course format

In three video classes of three hours each, we will explain all the ins and outs of how to 3D print wearable shoes. The classes are as informative as possible, but some things we can only demonstrate online - such as the slicing and the printing - and you will have to replicate them yourself. Printing takes practice!

You will have access to the classes for a full year and you will also be able to send us your questions. If we see that there are many questions we will plan live update calls to help you to the best of our abilities.

Course Content (only accessible for participants)

What do you need to join this course?

These things are not included in the course price!

Computer

  • Laptop or desktop - a tablet might not be powerful enough - either PC or Mac
  • Mouse

3D printer

FDM 3D printer that works with filament and has direct drive, or you should have access to such a printer. We will share a list of suitable 3D printers when you register. When in doubt if your printer is suitable, just send us a description, brand and picture at info@footwearology.com

3D Printing Material

We recommend Filaflex 82A and Foamy by Recreus, but we will give you a full overview of materials in the course, so you can purchase what you need in time for the printing.

Software

In this course we will be showing you various slicers and they are all free to use. We will do most of the exercises in Cura though.

Cura
Prusa Slicer
Ideamaker
OrcaSlicer

We can provide you with a few different 3D shoes to print. These are all models that we have printed before and will work. You can scale them to your size if you want.

Please note that making high heels is not recommended in this course, since it takes a very specific approach and will usually have to be combined with more traditional shoemaking methods!

Course Schedule

Class 1: Design for 3D printing

  • How does (FDM) 3D printing work?
  • What type of printer is suitable for footwear?
  • How can different aspects of the printer affect the end result?
  • Why would you want to 3D print footwear?
  • What are the main opportunities and challenges when designing shoes that need to printed?
  • What are the best materials for printing footwear?
  • How can you keep your materials in good condition?

Class 2: Preparing your printer
and basics of slicing

  • How to prepare your printer for printing?
  • How to change the nozzle?
  • How to level the print bed?
  • What is slicing software?
  • Which are the most used FDM slicers for printing footwear?
  • How can slicing determine the aesthetics and properties of your print?
  • How to calibrate your printer?
  • How to experiment with different settings for walls and infill?

Class 3: Slicing and Printing

  • How to slice your shoe model?
  • How to adjust, create or block supports?
  • How to create different slicer settings for different parts of the shoe?
  • How to prevent retraction issues?
  • How to best attach your model to the bed?
  • What are common issues that could lead to failed prints?
  • How to remove supports and clean up your prints?

Examples

The different textures that you see in 3D printed shoes are not necessarily created in 3D modeling software. The real magic of 3D printing happens in the slicer that allows you to tell the printer which parts you want to be smooth and which should show the infill structure. In the images below, only the texture shown on the right (or the bottom image, if you see this on your phone) is made with 3D modeling, the rest is all done in the slicer.
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Understanding where your 3D model might need supports, and what kind of supports, is an essential aspect of 3D printing. In the course we will not only teach you how to create or block supports in your slicer, but we will also focus on how to prevent them! If you understand how to design for 3D printing, you could create models that require minimal to no supports and print much faster.
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Printing is not perfect. It can happen that your print fails and then you find "spaghetti" like you see below, or lots of blemishes, or you notice that your filament got stuck in some way. In the course we will go over several common issues that can happen and how to prevent or solve them.
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Meet your instructor

Nicoline van Enter

Nicoline van Enter is one of the founders of Footwearology and Footwearology Lab. She is a world-renowned technology forecaster and visionary thinker, working for tech builders and brands around the world. She has been printing wearable shoes since 2012 and has been consulting with several brands that make printed footwear, such as Feetz, Zellerfeld, Fused Footwear and Adidas.
Nico will be assisted by our in-house 3D printing team.
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Footwearology is the only academy for footwear professionals. We enable you to gain the knowledge that will get you, and the companies you work for, ready to create and embrace a better future. All our courses take place online and/or in our LAB in Barcelona, Spain.

Besides teaching, we do research and consulting, focusing on redesigning the entire footwear supply chain by directly connecting technology suppliers, creatives and social media platforms.

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