3D printers have been around for a few years now, steadily improving, capable of using more and more materials to crank out almost any physical object that you desire (even food), but now it looks like you’ll be able to pop out a brand new pair of shoes too. Thanks to Stratasys’ new Objet500 Connex3 3D printer, which uses rubber and plastic as materials, you can print off almost anything that needs to be flexible – that means you could be seeing some interesting designs down the catwalk soon!Stratasys’ Objet500 Connex3 3D printer has been dubbed the world’s first multi-material full-colour 3D printer, which means you’ll be able to print all sorts of malleable objects from helmets to shoes, and even potentially a pair of brightly coloured wellies in any hue you can think of. That’s thanks to the printer’s use of cyan, magenta and yellow colours, just like in your inkjet printer at home, and it can combine the base materials of rubber and plastic to make its printed goods varied in flexibility and rigidity – and even transparency and opacity if needed. The printer also features “triple-jetting” tech, which combines droplets of three base materials, and reduces the need for separate print runs and painting.
How 3D printers will change your life
The company, which now also owns the MakerBot range of printers, has said that the printer would benefit designers and manufacturers as a huge timer saver – but it does come at a hefty price. The printer itself rings up around $330,000 (£200,000) – so you might want to wait for companies to start printing their own shoes instead of making your own. The printer launches today, but the flexible colour printed materials won’t be available to buy until further in the year – your multi-coloured wellies might have to wait until the summer for festival season.
