{"id":32243,"date":"2018-11-13T14:42:40","date_gmt":"2018-11-13T19:42:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/adidas-additive-manufacturing-for-the-masses\/"},"modified":"2018-11-13T17:59:21","modified_gmt":"2018-11-13T22:59:21","slug":"adidas-additive-manufacturing-for-the-masses","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/adidas-additive-manufacturing-for-the-masses\/","title":{"rendered":"ADIDAS \u2013 Additive Manufacturing for the Masses"},"content":{"rendered":"

A NEW ARENA FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Plane components, automobile parts, building materials\u2026running shoes?<\/p>\n

Recent advances in the speed, flexibility, and cost of additive manufacturing (AM) have made it accessible to industries previously concerned about the technology\u2019s scalability [1]. One such industry is retail, where firms are increasingly looking to 3D printing to quickly and affordably provide customers with customized products.<\/p>\n

Adidas is leading the way for retailors with the launch of its first commercially-viable 3D-printed shoe in 2017 and goal to use 3D printing for mass production in the future [2]. Driving the company\u2019s adoption of AM is its \u201cCreating the New\u201d strategy, which includes goals to dramatically expand product customization options while reducing production lead times [3]. Key competitors Nike and Under Armour are putting additional pressure on Adidas by exploring the use of AM in their own product development process, but mostly in the form of prototypes or rare limited additions [4]. If successful, Adidas\u2019 ability to affordably scale AM will be a key competitive advantage in the years to come.<\/p>\n

3D PRINTING FOR 4D SHOES<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Carbon’s CLIP system <\/strong>[13]<\/figcaption><\/figure>In April 2017, Adidas announced the launch of the Futurecraft 4D shoe, the world\u2019s first high-performance footware with a sole crafted through the continuous liquid interface production process (CLIP) [5]. CLIP is a revolutionary 3D printing technique, through which designs are pulled out of a vat of polymer resin and fixed into the desire shape using UV light. The shoe was produced in partnership with Carbon, a Silicon Valley-based technology company that is leading the way in this technology [6].<\/p>\n

The Futurecraft isn\u2019t Adidas\u2019 first foray into 3D printing; the company has used the technology to test prototypes in the past, and even did a limited release of a 3D-printed running shoe in 2015 [7]. What\u2019s different this time is the fact that CLIP\u2019s use of production-grade materials and its ability to vary firmness across the sole structure now make it possible to produce final products through AM [8]. Adidas\u2019 short-term goals are to produce 100,000 pairs of the Futurecraft 4D shoes in 2018, and to ramp up production to the millions in the coming years [9]. The shoe\u2019s current price tag is $300, but James Carnes, VP of strategy creation for Adidas, reports that the shoe price may be cut down once a certain volume is reached [10].<\/p>\n

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Futurecraft midsole production<\/strong> [14]<\/figcaption><\/figure>Longer term, the company plans to personalize shoes in the Futurecraft 4D line for individual customers around the world. According Carnes, the shoes produced so far have been in standard sizes, but the long term goal is to customize the sole for each customer based on his or her unique foot and gait [11]. Carnes says, \u201c[Adidas has] a really aggressive plan to scale this \u2026 the plan will put us as the (world\u2019s) biggest producer of 3D-printed products.\u201d [12]<\/p>\n

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CONSIDERATIONS FOR GROWTH<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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The finished product: not quite custom yet<\/strong> [19]<\/figcaption><\/figure>In the near-term, Adidas should take advantage of its growing knowledge regarding AM to explore its applications for other materials and products. One immediate opportunity to look into is producing the upper portion of the Futurecraft 4Ds through 3D printing instead of through the traditional manufacturing process used today. Competitors already producing textiles using AM include Nike with a 3D-printed upper on its Zoom Vaporfly Elite Flyprint sneaker [15], and 3D-printed sweater company Appalatch [16].<\/p>\n

As Adidas looks to scale custom production in the long term, there are a number of actions it should take to enhance the customer experience while controlling costs. Installing 3D printers in stores would allow for immediate customization and give customers a cool experience, while also reducing waste and eliminate out-of-stock issues. Boston-based fashion retailer Ministry of Supply is one company doing this well today; they have a 3D printing machine in store that can make a custom garment on demand in one-and-a-half hours [17]. \u00a0Additionally, curating \u201crecommended configurations\u201d for shoes and postponing customization to the last point possible will hopefully help Adidas manage the infinite variability that comes from mass customization [18].<\/p>\n

WHAT\u2019S NEXT?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Futurecraft 4Ds are a strong starting point for Adidas in the 3D printing space, but success is not guaranteed. Two key questions the company will have to grapple with as it attempts to affordably scale the technology for mass customization:<\/p>\n