Despite having roots all the way back in the 1980s, when additive manufacturing was first developed, 3D printing did not reach the level that it currently resides at until only very recently. But now, technology as a whole has advanced to the point where weapons, key machinery, food, and much more can be fully developed by any of several 3D printing techniques. Into that “much more” category falls sports and athletic equipment, as various companies — from startups to brand names — are turning to 3D printing to not just make products, but also to improve them.
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Zweikampf, an Austrian startup, is the latest group to delve into the world of 3D-printed sports equipment. Their creation is a sleek and aesthetically-pleasing shin guard for soccer players which, by utilizing Zweikampf’s special XRD technology and the merits of 3D printing, is thinner and lighter than almost every other shin guard on the market.
The shin guard is comprised of three layers: a comfortable “soft touch layer,” which is in direct contact with the player’s shin; a “custom layer,” which can be customized to maximize either comfort or performance; and an outer 3D shell that offers unbridled protection. And while Zweikampf’s 3D-printed shin guard might be the first product of its kind, it’s really only a small part of the shift that is witnessing 3D-printed commodities taking hold of the sports world.
Take running shoes, for example. In just the past few months, 3D printing has seized hold of a large portion of the running shoe industry, with both New Balance and Under Armour — two of the world’s running-shoe-producing giants — now making some of their wearables entirely via 3D printing. On top of that, a custom mouthguard company called GuardLab is using 3D molds to create mouth guards that truly fit each player as perfectly as possible. The thing is, though, much like Zweikampf with its shin guards, New Balance, Under Armour, and GuardLab are not engaged in the sports equipment market solely because they have new products. Rather, they are also using cutting-edge technology to enhance established products as much as possible.
With product enhancement serving as the obvious goal of 3D printing in the sports world, the possibilities for what can be accomplished are truly endless. And not only are the possibilities endless — they also seem inevitable, as it is only a matter of time before 3D printing finds its way everywhere that it can. 3D-printed baseball bats? Sooner than later. 3D-printed tennis racquets? Well, those might already even be on the way. Either way, it’s not going to be long before technology once again lays waste to something old-fashioned in the sports world, as 3D printing continues to present its case for becoming the main form of production for sports materials of all kinds.