A collaboration between multiple providers has created a way for shoemakers to quickly produce customized shoe lasts. A shoe last is a 3D representation of a foot, and is used by shoemakers and manufacturers for production of custom footwear.

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The components comprising the shoe are wrapped around the last, ensuring they end up in the correct shape. Lasts must be made from strong materials to withstand the mechanical forces of production, and also must maintain their geometry when exposed to wet materials, like leather, during production.

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For this reason traditional lasts were made from metal or strong woods. Lasts are also used by shoemakers during shoe repair activities, and sometimes even by consumers as a means to maintain the shape of a shoe while in long-term storage. I think I have a couple in my closet doing that right now. Using a personalized 3D printed shoe last [Source: trinckle] But these days customization is the rage, powered by the automation of 3D printing. An increasing number of consumer products are leveraging 3D printing to create products uniquely designed to fit the buyer and no one else. We’ve seen this approach used in […]

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