Under Armour 3D-printed soles for its new $300 sneakers with powder and lasers

3D-printing technology keeps getting more advanced. We can print almost anything — from robots to pizzas to prosthetics — by adding layers and layers of material to create objects.

Now Under Armour is 3D-printing soles for a new pair of sneakers called the Architech. The company is making the sneakers in its new innovation lab, called the Lighthouse, which is an extension of its headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland.

Take a look at how the soles are made.

This is the Architech. The sneakers are fit for any type of sport, the Lighthouse's director, Adam Bayer, tells Tech Insider.

UA's new 3D-printing lab at the Lighthouse will have six rooms, each with a technician. This is where more Architechs (and other 3D-printed gear) will be made.

The company worked with dozens of athletes to test the shoes. The 3D-printed mid-sole helps with cushioning and support, because the lattice adapts as you apply more weight in particular areas, Bayer says.

Normally, an athlete might buy a variety of shoes for different activities like weightlifting and running, because the mid-soles return different amounts of energy to your feet (A weightlifting shoe stays stable, while a running shoe gives you a boost).

But with the Architech, Bayer says you don't need to change shoes, because it adapts to your activity.

The designers gathered inspiration from nature when they created the sole, which is vine-like in shape. Normal manufacturing equipment can't make a sole with this level of woven detail, Bayer says.

Design software from Autodesk connects to the 3D printer, which adds thousands of layers of a nylon powder to print the sole. After each thin layer is printed, a laser heats the powder, which solidifies it.

An early rendering of the Architech sole.

The sole is then painted bright red. From start to finish, the 3D-printing process, called selective laser sintering, takes under 24 hours.

The end result is a latticed sole, which acts as a small springboard and shock absorber.

24 hours is a long time for making a pair of soles. To put things in perspective, UA's other automated technology can make 2,400 pairs of soles in eight hours, Bayer says.

But high-scale production efficiency isn't the point. Although it sold a limited number of the $300 Architech sneakers, Bayer says UA will use the 3D printer at first mainly for designing prototypes.

Usually, it can take up to a month to make a shoe mold overseas, whereas the printer will do the same in about a day. The printer also gives designers the freedom to make design tweaks on the spot.

UA isn't the first athletic brand to make shoes where parts are 3D-printed, but it's the first to bring them to market. Nike, Adidas, and New Balance have also made their own prototypes, but the shoes aren't for sale.

The demand for the Architech sneakers seems to be high. The brand put 96 pairs for sale online on March 18, and they sold out in under 20 minutes.

UA plans to release more Architech sneakers at its Baltimore flagship store and online in the near future.

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