Guiyang 3D printed shoes go global

At Guizhou Senyuan Additive Manufacturing Technology Co's 3D printing workshop, 53 pieces of hyper-speed 3D printing equipment equipped with HALS technology are producing molded shoes from liquid raw materials.

3D printed shoes are being produced. [Photo/colorful Guizhou network]

"Relying on 3D printing, customizing a pair of shoes takes just 3 hours," said Jin Ye, an R&D engineer at the Guizhou Institute of Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering.

The company, which is designed to turn research achievements into real-world applications, was established in 2015 and operates under the Guizhou Institute of Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering in Guiyang. It provides full chain additive manufacturing and processing technology services including technical consulting, product data processing, and rapid prototyping.

"The traditional shoe-making process is complex and time-consuming. 3D printed shoes are more efficient, flexible, and can respond to market demand faster," Jin introduced that such manufacturing advantages made the company push 3D printed shoes from the laboratory to the production line.

3D printed shoes, including home slippers, sports shoes, as well as high-end customized shoes, have become the company's specialty. The products have been supplied to regions such as the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, and are also exported to overseas markets in regions such as Southeast Asia and South America.

Various types of shoes produced by the company. [Photo/colorful Guizhou network]

At full production, the company can currently produce nearly 200,000 pairs of 3D printed shoes per year, with a pass rate of over 98 percent in a single inspection. The company's 3D printing technology has also been applied in fields such as healthcare, cultural and creative industries, home furnishings, and automobiles. In the past three years, the cumulative revenue from additive manufacturing technology services and product sales has exceeded 50 million yuan ($7.02 million).