speed lacing conversion

pinshape

I've always been a bit laid back when it comes to tying my shoes, so I naturally gravitate towards buying shoes and boots with speed lacing to speed up the process of getting my shoes on and off. The concept of speed lacing is that you only tie your laces once and then unhook and rehook them to take your shoes off and put them back on. Since I built my own 3D printer last year, I've been experimenting with all sorts of materials and found the possibilities offered by Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) materials to be intriguing. After printing several parts with TPU materials, I had an idea that I could use this to create a device that converts any lace-up shoe into speed lacing. The Pinshape Within Reach design contest motivated me to work on the project. After numerous iterations and testing, I settled on this design, thanks in large part to my 3D printer. Printed on my home-built RepRap printer: Nozzle: 4mm Temp: 200C Speed: 10MM/Sec Material: TPU 91 ShoreA durometer (Filaments.ca filament)