3D Printed Supercritical Foam Preforms for Custom Geometries

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for manufacturing foam components, such as those used in footwear soles, are limited by the need for expensive molds and the inability to produce customizable complex geometries with desired performance characteristics like cushioning, elasticity, and density.

Innovation Solution

The development of a three-dimensional printing method that allows for the creation of supercritical foam components by printing a preform with a mixture of a base material and a dissolved or embedded supercritical fluid, which is then expanded in an autoclave to form the desired foam structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional injection molding or compression molding processes are used, then foam components can be manufactured, but the molds are large and expensive and the geometries are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturability of foam componentsVSAvoidmold complexity and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical state of the foaming agent from conventional gaseous or liquid states to a supercritical state, enabling the material to be printed as a saturated mixture that forms foam structures directly during the 3D printing process, eliminating the need for complex molds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical molding system with a 3D printing system that directly deposits the foaming material layer by layer, substituting the need for expensive molds and complex pressure vessel systems with a more flexible additive manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Shape

If conventional three-dimensional printing techniques are used, then complex geometries can be manufactured, but the materials are limited to solid, un-foamed components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegeometry complexityVSAvoidmaterial variety

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite material system consisting of a base polymer material saturated with a supercritical foaming agent, enabling 3D printing of foamed structures directly. This composite approach allows complex geometries to be manufactured while maintaining the versatility of material selection and performance customization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the unique properties of supercritical fluids to enable foaming during the printing process itself, changing the material state from solid/un-foamed to foamed while maintaining the ability to produce complex geometries through additive manufacturing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If supercritical foam components are printed using a pre-saturated mixture, then customized geometries with improved cushioning characteristics can be produced, but the process requires heating to expand the preform

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization of foam componentsVSAvoidheating requirement for expansion

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs the saturation of the foaming agent into the base material before printing, creating a pre-saturated mixture that is deposited layer by layer. This preliminary action allows the foam structure to form during printing, and subsequent heating simply expands the preformed structure rather than creating it from scratch, reducing overall process complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method enables the production of foam components with improved cushioning characteristics and customized geometries, while reducing waste and eliminating the need for complex pressure vessel systems.

Implementation Method 1

The printed preform can be placed into an autoclave, where the supercritical fluid can be expanded to cause foaming of the preform

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSupercritical fluid expansion: Supercritical Fluid

Implementation Method 2

where the supercritical fluid can be expanded to cause foaming of the preform, thereby forming the desired foam component

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFoaming: Foam

Implementation Method 3

The preform can be heated to be at or above a glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic material to cause nucleation of the supercritical fluid within the preform

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal heating: Heating

Implementation Method 4

heated to be at or above a glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGlass transition:

Data Source

PatentUS20250178251A1Systems and methods for manufacturing a foam component

Publication Date: 2025.06.05 PUMA SE

AI summary

A method of manufacturing a foam component includes generating, via a computer aided design (CAD) software, three-dimensional data corresponding to the foam component. The method further includes scaling, using the CAD software, the three-dimensional data to correspond to a preform. The preform is smaller than the foam component based on a scaling factor. The method further includes fabricating the preform from a thermoplastic elastomer and adding a foaming agent to the preform. The method further includes foaming the preform by exposing the preform to a target temperature for a target time via a heat generating device.