Studio LINQ founder Tarik Kaddouri found himself in a jam when the manufacturer that was going to print his company’s revolutionary footwear could no longer fulfill its role. Kaddouri needed to find an additive manufacturer that could partner with him to develop a product that had never been printed before. Thanks to the team at Forecast 3D – now a part of ADDMAN – Kaddouri was able to bring his concept to life.
Studio LINQ Values a Partner With Vision
In May of 2021, Kaddouri met with the Forecast 3D team and explained his big-picture view of the business of footwear and human movement issues. He then revealed the unique cushioning structure his team had invented using architectural principles and ergonomics, and the feedback they had garnered from Olympic athletes. As the founder of a startup, Kaddouri wears many hats: project management, innovation development, 3D design, algorithmic design, material development, product testing, procurement, quality control. He wants to inspire the world with 3D printed footwear that offers benefits to high-performance athletes. Unfortunately, the project had gotten derailed because the primary factory Studio LINQ had relied on was acquired by another company and no longer available. Kaddouri found that the Carlsbad, California team not only comprehended his business model, but also showed a willingness to shepherd his project in order to execute his vision in an efficient way. “It was clear the other factory closing was a blessing in disguise, as the value alignment of innovation, transparency, and speed quickly led to an exciting ‘aha’ moment,” Kaddouri recalls.
Footwear Requires Flexibility
| Injection molding could not create the footwear’s unique new cushioning system. Studio LINQ needed an additive manufacturing provider who could offer machine and material access; Deep understanding of Studio LINQ’s business goals; Organizational unity in accommodating customers; and competitive cost. Kaddouri had considered other vendors: service companies, machine manufacturers, and 10 different material vendors — including international vendors in Taiwan and Italy. However, he chose Forecast 3D for the access to 3D printing, as well as the team’s knowledge of materials and a willingness to develop something nobody had created before. “It’s a hybrid of deep understanding, machinery, materials, and business operations for their customers’ success,” Kaddouri explains. “Other firms will say, ‘That can’t be done,’ and move on. [Forecast 3D] make it a point to learn the business their customers are in and drive organizational unity to accommodate customer success.” |  |
From Prototype to Production
The ADDMAN team in Carlsbad went beyond proto- typing for this project, working with Studio LINQ from development through production. “Few organizations have the soft skills required for successful consumer goods,” Kaddouri says. “The team knows not every project is designed for 3D printing yet, and they are willing to educate and bring customers along in the process. Additionally, there’s an attention to excellence amongst the management team and the labor force that handles the parts themselves. It is evident in the finished product. There are times where Studio LINQ’s demands in terms of product technicality and turnaround time were well outside the norms, and yet the team never skips a beat.”
Agility Informs the Development Process
This unique project required nimbleness from the manufacturing team, particularly because Studio LINQ shoes involve a cutting-edge take on footwear. As part of the process, Studio LINQ and Forecast 3D went through various iterations to enhance the end user experience while also making sure the designs were manufacturable. Ultimately, the shoes, which come in either black or white, were printed with HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) using TPU 88A (BASF Ultrasint™ TPU01) material. Postprocessing involved media blasting, as well as vapor smoothing and a flex paint finish. The footwear offers three-way arch support as well as a structure that is designed to energize the wearer with hundreds of “mini trampolines” that disperse pressure while massaging and priming the muscle fascia. The project leveraged several of the strengths of MJF, such as its excellent dimensional accuracy along with isotropic tensile and impact strength properties. In addition to its other attributes, MJF offers high reusability, which was crucial because Studio LINQ wanted its cushions to be zero-waste. Kaddouri explains, “Our needs of innovation development challenged every part of the process, stretching from file handovers to file reviews to material recommendations to unique quality- control needs, and then to printing and postprocess to finishing. From when we started to where we are now, we cut our lead time down significantly, have a standard operating procedure on how to handle LINQ’s unique and proprietary parts, and have even grown our business due to the product adoption in the market,” Kaddouri adds.
Celebrating Partnership When It’s A Good Fit
As a result of the partnership with Forecast 3D (now ADDMAN), Studio LINQ was able to release its footwear and showcase the revolutionary design at various high-profile events, including New York Fashion Week. The company has also garnered awards as a global design firm for its innovative approach.
Kaddouri says that — most importantly — athletes rave about their LINQs.
“Together we’ve achieved something that’s never been done before, and it makes a positive impact on the athletics landscape.”