 PUMA
Andy Chung
Tooling Objet & 3D Engineer,
PUMA
PUMA Compresses Design Time with Objet 3D Printers
Bacground
PUMA's long-term mission is to become the most desirable and sustainable sport-lifestyle company. Naturally, this implies a focus on style and creativity, and has practical implications for the design process of its footwear, which involves extensive planning and multiple iterations carried out over several continents.
The Challenge
PUMA's top challenge was time: it needed to compress its design cycles and squeeze in more design iterations within limited time frames. As part of the review process, the team needs to evaluate the footwear and verify multiple parameters prior to tooling.
A second challenge was communication. Multiple design and manufacturing teams, based in Germany, the United States, and Vietnam, had to jointly review and discuss footwear designs. Without being able to hold the same physical model to which they could all relate, this kind of collaboration was very difficult.
The solution
To reduce design time, PUMA switched from outsourcing its prototypes to using an in-house Objet Connex500 3D Printer.
"We realized that with the in-house Objet 3D printer we could perform more design iterations in less time," said Andy Chung, Tooling & 3D Engineer. "As a company, PUMA already was successfully using an Objet 3D printer at another site, so we knew what to expect."
The Value
PUMA now uses the Objet Connex500 3D Printer in several stages of its footwear design. A prototype of a shoe sole is printed for the first design review; a second model is produced later in the process for the construction review; and a third model is generated for metal casting.
"Whereas before Objet, the "MCP" machine used to take us 3-4 days to get a prototype, it now takes a single day," said Andy Chung. "In terms of quality and accuracy, the Objet 3D printer allows us to evaluate footwear models for outsole fit by connecting the sole model produced by the Objet machine to the upper part of the shoe."
PUMA also resolved the difficult communication between the three remote teams by having an Objet 3D printer installed in each of the three sites. "Each team prints the same prototype model, so that when we have conference calls to discuss design and manufacturing issues, we are all on the same page. Each team is viewing and holding the exact same model, which allows us to communicate much more easily than before."
"Objet helps us communicate between remote sites, reduce design mistakes, and avoid unstable tooling."
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