How the adidas 4DFWD 3D Printed Running Shoe Is Made!

Explore the future of running and shop the adidas 4DFWD at adidas.com/4DFWD
We've long looked forward to the time when 3D printing becomes advantageous not only for prototyping parts, but for the manufacture of consumer products. This is the adidas 4DFWD, a running shoe with a unique 3D printed midsole made by Carbon. Adam Savage visits the headquarters of Carbon to learn how adidas designers engineered the lattice design with 3D printing in mind, and how the material scientists at Carbon made it possible to produce the 4DFWD shoe at scale.
Shot and edited by Josh Self
Music by Jinglepunks
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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman
Thanks for watching!

[@tested]

Explore the future of running and shop the adidas 4DFWD at adidas.com/4DFWD

[@marveld.c1420]

Love❤ from India🇮🇳.

[@Narinjas]

You could technically have 4 maximum , one light, one intense laser light , one high heat, and one that is just one level above that, to not damage the other one , maybe one more for 5 bonds, but that is stretching it too thin, more feasible is a freezing bond before the heat in one , bringing it low on temperature to change the state then lock it with the heat from the other bonds.

[@arghyadeep5279]

Force * Acceleration gets finally equal to a sweet product. 💖🇮🇳

[@ilcaneanalfabeta4067]

Ok

[@Monsieur.Nobody.]

The most idiotic way to run is what that is...

[@flynn3649]

This company seems amazing. They're transparent about their processes, open about the way they source materials and reduce waste, and I love the way they talk to Adam like he's an engineer, not just a spectator. Really hope to see more from Carbon!

[@magic_marshall]

He is an innovator.

[@the-guy-on-your-moms-couch]

It isn’t that deep. This whole video is essentially an ad.

[@GodKing804]

Wait til u hear about their NCAA bribery scandal lol

[@sertacg8433]

It IS an ad. But its not a shameless ad, I think the topic is discussed fairly throu.

[@magic_marshall]

@@the-guy-on-your-moms-couch how many people would understand "deep" tho? And its new technology.... you expect people to share all the ins and outs? Naw. Life is business. But this is a good look into the innovation behind 3D printing and stream lining it. And Adidas is funding it. Im all for it, even if it is an ad. You think Ford made Ads, while explaining how combustion engines work?

[@rush2489]

More technical videos like this please! I know that is a complicated ask, but I really appreciate the deep dive into manufacturing and r&d companies.

[@tested]

Appreciate the feedback - thank you!

[@OhHeyTrevorFlowers]

Yes, more dives into design and manufacturing would be great!

[@alexkaiser4569]

Yes! Technical maker stuff!!!

[@eugenemakes]

@@tested ditto!!! I absolutely loved this!!!!

[@suryanshtagore7180]

yes please

[@chrismanning5232]

Adam is such a wonderful interviewer. He's so enthusiastic, makes sure of shared understanding with the audience, and asks all the right questions. Great video!

[@JimmyLarsen33]

100% agree :)

[@eastonwinship2016]

Adam is a prime example of a life long learner. He knows far more than most but is always so excited to learn and isn’t afraid to say he doesn’t know something. Amazing

[@blazethefaith]

That technology is genius! They basically turned a 3D print into an injection mold, but without needing to worry about separating the mold or the fill consistency. Awesome stuff!

[@DorifutoRabbit]

It's great to see everyone nerding out with Adam, and getting excited when he sees where they can take this new technology

[@studley31fly23]

I am an ADIDAS shoe collector and I own 9 pairs of different 4D shoes. I knew the back story and a bit about this technology but this video was very interesting. Very nice Adam, keep up the good work bud.

[@poopfartlord9695]

Damn, this was a very good advertisement. As an engineer and a 3d printing enthusiast, seeing the technology and passion that went it to this design does make me want to buy a pair of these. This is the kind of ad I can get behind.

[@BK_Ben_FTW]

Adam has this infectious enthusiasm about problem solving and is so knowledgeable, any topic becomes the most interesting thing. Super fun watch.

[@UncleJessy]

Oh man. Been looking forward to seeing this one

[@allluckyseven]

Going in I was really skeptical about how much of an ad this would be, but you guys showed and talked about details of production processes that nerds like me really appreciate.

[@haggischaser1028]

This is a fantastic video. I love that Adam is so enthusiastic about it and I hope that there can be more videos with Carbon highlighting the technology and with further projects in the future. Awesome video.

[@tested]

We TOTALLY want to go back.

[@CuriousPug12]

adam is such a good interviewer. his knowledge and enthusiast is contagious and it clearly affecting those people he interview. you can see these engineers also get giddy when they explained their technology to him and when someone actually listen and understand everything you said and genuinely amaze with your passion/work, it's hugely affecting you,. It gives you confidence and excitement when you doing your presentation and i'm sure it also gives them more energy and motivation to keep creating and innovating even after the interview is done, not to mention it came from adam savage himself. this is great.

[@tomselleck4590]

Love that Adam acknowledges the Mat Sci team behind this. Not a lot of people know about the Mat Sci and MSE disciplines, and its usually just mentioned under the blanket of "chemistry". They are also huge, varied fields of study. And it's something I do for a living too so maybe I'm a little biased, haha. Great vid, great content! Thank you for sharing

[@VigneshBalasubramaniam]

This is way better than the last interview Carbon did with Tested. That was just a marketing guy spouting the same line over and over. This time around, its actually informative. I love it!

[@AirF0rce11]

I'm surprised how open Adidas and Carbon were about their technologies. I kept thinking they were going to shut you down on some topics and just say "it's proprietary," but they didn't. Interesting.

[@Games_and_Music]

They probably have the patents anyway, so they can sue etc. when another company tries to do the exact same.

[@DescartesRenegade]

Their resin is proprietary. UV curing is not new.

[@DanielRichards644]

they kept it very vague, even said they had a proprietary chemical they came up with to make the whole thing work.

[@leosedf]

That is most of it is bullshit and useless, just marketing gimmicks.

[@nicholasbishop2695]

well yeah, but nothing in this video could be reverse engineered. remember Adidas had 5,000,000 lattice prototypes to play with. even if you had access to that 5,000,000 you'd need to pick the right one! And Carbon's amazing bit it not only the precise mix of thermal and UV curing, which is not disclosed anywhere, but also that iteration of software, hardware and materials that allowed the 30m printing time. again, nowhere is that process disclosed.

[@fubinus5455]

I love nerding out over marvelous engineering like this so friggin much. Adam is great at asking the right questions and generally being a great visitor I bet

[@kyapox]

Such an entertaining video. Very interesting new technology. Adam as a host as always is so fun to watch.

[@lilymclaughlin3010]

I love how passionate everyone involved seems to be

[@ericsmiley1266]

I wrote a research paper in 2019 where I made simple lattice structures printing TPU on an FDM machine and studied their mechanical properties. I found that I could indeed produce a forward propelling force of about 4% of the compression force input. I remember the example I gave during my presentation for the usage case was for the lattice structures to be used in midsoles of running shoes. Same same but a little different. I wish I had the resources and backing of a huge company like Adidas to help my research too haha.

[@user-nf2ro7mq3q]

I am very interested in this research. Can you tell me the title of your thesis, brother? Thanks again and again

[@hitokitty]

Holy Crap this was insightful! Seeing jumps in technological innovation and application this expandable, makes my mind race with the possibilities! Thanks for such a cool vid, I hope we can see Carbon again in the future with the Tested team!

[@LC-ri5xv]

This was just an amazing watch. Such incredible innovation, so exciting to see this coming out. I wish I could work for them haha

[@jasonbucy]

I love how Adam has so much experience that he can talk shop with them which ultimately makes a much better interview.

[@savoryflan]

Props to the material scientist for doing an amazing job at explaining the science. Obviously he simplified it for a broader audience but was able to go deep enough to generate wonder and understanding.

[@alpaykasal2902]

Definitely one of your more enjoyable videos, I love 'em all, but this one stands out. Seeing innovation broken down to components, and your excitement, a winning combination.

[@marsgizmo]

the Carbon printers are impressive 👏😎

[@harrybeard9765]

Not really. Look at Zellerfeld, different stratosphere

[@griffinwolf5704]

I'm always just a little bit wary of anything which feels like an ad at all, but this is just so fascinating, and really cool. The innovation going on out there in the world is truly exciting

[@sogwatchman]

That was amazing. Not only ere they crazy passionate about what they were doing but they could explain it and were willing to answer questions. They didn't "gatekeep" their knowledge. The ability to 3D print chemicals that on their own could not be "built" or molded in such a complex structure is just insane. I would be willing to bet NASA or SpaceX will be calling them...

[@Miguel-th3wx]

Lol ofc they're passionate about it? ITS AN AD dude

[@javannapoli2018]

@@Miguel-th3wx Who gives a shit? More stuff should be advertised like this.

[@Hansen710]

i agree being having that much passion for what is basicly a advanced pooper scooper is pretty amazing

[@mawels76]

I love this type of Videos because i think your insight and understanding of the subjects makes a great watching and learning experience. Thank you!

[@bshak786]

You are the best! Really appreciate how you don't run away from the science involved, yet sill make sure it is approachable for people who are not familiar with the science involved! and love your enthusiasm, its contagious!

[@pablopipipopo]

great video! you can really see how the guy at 12:00 is so happy to talk about his work because the interviewer is so interested and thrilled.

[@3DPrintStuff]

This video is awesome. Loved the explanation about their 2 stage resin and it's great to see 3D printing being used at such a large scale.

[@Fishman550]

Probably not intended as an advert by Tested and clearly Adam is super interested in it, but does anyone else who doesn't even go running kinda want to buy a pair after watching this...?

[@Smartiezs]

this is my favourite episode on this channel and there is tons of good stuff here, especially the vr related videos

[@salvadorramos3370]

ive had conversations were im mind blown one after another while i discover and understand the process of how something works, is built, material strength and critical breaking points or weak points, you made me remember those times when you were talking to the 2 persons of how the heating element affects molds the sole.

[@jonwebb9261]

Thank you this video. I've been reading about Carbons work for years but this video was more informative than any article I've read

[@francodangelo2874]

What a moment to be alive, I cannot even decide which is the part that exites me more, the good manufacturing practices, and how they got over the nuances about the final form with the oven and A base mold, the interdisciplinary innovation going back and forth with chemical engineering to make an elastomeric kind of material filled up with something that makes it more rigid, the optimization in the process of waste handling, and the innovation in the sources or raw material

[@francodangelo2874]

Simply and so fucking complexly amazing

[@gavinspammed]

This video is Amazing. The deep dive yet dumbed down, yet still interesting. One of your better videos.

[@jasonhale82]

This is amazing and opens up to so many more products than just shoes

[@worldexplorer75]

This is the best sequel to "How It's Made." Really cool!

[@rrennnerr]

I ordered a pair of the Adidas 4D the other day for running. I like the Adidas Boost products, but I was honestly just intrigued by the 3d printing.

[@frieddayfriday]

you can tell that the guys are very proud of what they've accomplished and seeing adam nerding out is an icing on the cake for them.

[@danielhamilton9472]

Have a pair! Amazing! I have been racking my brain wanting to see this! Thanks big guy! Your the best Adam

[@jcork3460]

This is so cool! A perspective we don't usually see. Great innovation, wonderful! Thank you

[@wejzu8516]

So cool! Adam's enthusiasm is infectious. Love it!

[@risingwolf2112]

Beautiful what can be done and the journey that is being taken. Thanks so much for sharing.😎

[@nathkrupa3463]

You are awesome Adam sir thank you so much for sharing.

[@randomhero123]

This was an amazing video and insight into new material design, holy crap

[@DA_Fuller]

This video was fascinating! Thank you

[@lhk521]

I just bought these exact pair of shoes on sale for $75, It feels like a steal after learning how much technology was put into making them from this video

[@things3]

Great Video! For real. I`m gonna implement a few things directly in my shoes.

[@tomasmcmarques]

wow this is amazing, I'm almost as excited as Adam! 🤩

[@adrianvega9946]

Absolutely amazing explanation

[@Burnstation19]

as a 3d printer enthusiast i love this, thanks Carbon for the tour and Adam for the amazing interview

[@GamerDesdeLos90s]

I had no idea how much innovation took to make this product and this is what makes me want it more! My next pair is gonna be this model!

[@MattSwain1]

Cool video. It’s easy to think of 3D printing producing low volume stuff, but fascinating to see it can be done at scale producing an object that moves rather than just being an alternative to using a mould for static objects

[@trollbunny]

Such a good video the guy from carbon came prepared and was awesome props to him 👌🏽

[@doktorb3at]

Interesting content indeed. Keep 'em coming, Adam.

[@Tuur75]

Lifelong wearer of Adidas, and although im not a runner I can't wait to try these shoes out. Great video Adam!

[@jubayarahmed342]

Looking forward to buying a pair, the innovation is absolutely amazing.

[@ruftime]

Awesome Stuff! Carbon’s staff are impressive. These types of vertically integrated companies are where fast Innovation and Disruption thrives today…….like Tesla and SpaceX❤

[@J3553xAnotherFan]

I saw an advert for these shoes like a year(?) ago, but then it was pulled. I Googled it, I went searching on forums for it, I was so intrigued... But I couldn't find anything for some reason. I'm so glad to see this fantastic tech/ dope af shoes! I'm not a Sneaker Head, but I'm definitely getting two pairs of these..!

[@properprinting]

This was fascinating and very inspiring. That combo of UV and thermally cured resin 🤯

[@rogermiller2159]

Your field trips are great. You are a bridge between the technical and my little squishy brain. Thanks

[@griffinprice1758]

Love the in-depth discussion of "print flat bake curved", but what about light and oxygen?

[@derekyoung4402]

I too would like to know more about light and oxygen.

[@jabbertwardy]

Great video to follow up my run this morning!

[@PatrickAustin]

Absolutely fantastic. I wanted it to go on and on!

[@peckenstein]

Wow, that technology is incredible. Adam, was right, they are just on the cusp of the start with this new material.

[@DKFX1]

Really interesting workspace. It's so awesome to hear these guys talk with child like excitement in their voices when discussing their 3D printing journey. Adam's about to explode of excitement sometimes:D

[@jafinch78]

Super awesome! Just in time for the cooler weather coming in and me finally getting outside and walking.

[@Skreamies]

I've had Adidas 4D for about four years now, the sole is so comfy!

[@ChuckMcKnight]

Absolutely fascinating on every level!

[@que-tangclan5856]

Fascinating. I’ve always been interested in these shoes but now I feel informed

[@seanc6125]

I own 3 pairs of these shoes. Huge adidas fan. Love this video!

[@Colonelmustang11]

I’m a mechanical engineer at CSU Chico and had the chance to advice a capstone group whose project was to create this same mesh style sole for a competing brand, and I advised them to use SLS printing using the powdered form of normal shoe sole plastic, so it’s interesting to see how they solved that material issue. The group I advised was able to get a viable sole but they designed their own mesh so it’s was not nearly as precise or directional as this one. Very interesting.

[@PSYCHOV3N0M]

Advise. NOT advice.

[@-ex2598]

What i love in thius episode is how technical but still beginner friendly the lingo was.

[@EpicGamer-gy8vv]

The guys from carbon actually came to my school and presented this topic, it truly was amazing to see how they did it, and to see and feel all their prototypes!

[@ListlessSpectre]

This is stunning science. I went and bought a pair of the 4D's to experience it for myself. Should be here in the next few days. Can't wait!

[@unitedbrony5907]

the interaction between adam and the woman on the engineering aspect side of thing makes me feel happy, if that were a podcast id listen to it

[@android61242]

That guy gave a really good explanation of 3d printing polymers.

[@ur1friend437]

Kudos to their Awesome engineering!!!

[@DogDog173]

awsome to see a big brand making use of 3d printing. Industrial 3D printing is always exciting.

[@THE-average_X_Player]

Thank-you for the vid this some wicked tech 🔥😎

[@petersantoro5323]

This was brilliant fun thank you so much for this information

[@ChuckFranco]

I have 4 pairs of these shoes in different color ways, I absolutely love them. Watching this made me appreciate my shoes way more

[@julieisthatart]

This is so exciting. The youth of the sixties celebrated the dawn of a new age, well, you guys prove the dawn is over and the workday is well established. It is so good to see the future made real. Thank you

[@Hotrod66100]

absolutely fantastically awesome. Tech is exciting

[@Station2Station-du2gh]

Ive seen these shoes at the store. I was waiting for Adam to try a pair on!

[@tjengawongi9750]

Ah amazing! I remember the first renditions of adidas from this shoe a few years back. I can remember that the price point was pretty pretty high! Hopefully I will be able to get these at an affordable price in the future.

[@user-vx5ml5oj3e]

This literally is a new playground for all 3d printing, great vid

[@leesmithsworkshop]

This is my new favorite 3d printing video.

[@Smiithrz]

The thing I enjoyed most about this film, other than the innovation, is the passion from the engineers, you can really sense they love this shit. I envy that feeling, it reminds me of the early years of my career in digital design.

[@AbhishekBade1310]

the way adam eyes just light up everytime he is super interested in some topic really made me interested in that topic

[@chriseggenberger]

Mind blown! That whiteboard explanation was awesome! So when can we get this for our Elegoo printers?

[@Keprion]

I have the all black pair. Huge fan of the lattice. Looks so cool. Very comfortable, does not bend at all, has arch support. And most importantly it’s adidas

[@silence-humility-calmness]

flat thin soled shoes only!, BEST SHOES, for long term kneed foot and hip health

[@davidstevens3571]

Adam did a great job. Thanks

[@ChunkyMonkaayyy]

I just got a pair of these and OMG are they most comfortable sneaks I’ve ever had. I walked all day in them, put on my other Adidas and I couldn’t believe the difference.

[@bstokes297]

Bicycle seats have been doing this for a while now. Notably the Sworks Power Mirror and Bjorn Setka 3d Printed

[@Prinniev]

4Dfwd was definitely a step above the previous 4D models. Makes me appreciate my pairs more after watching this video. 👍

[@heskicks]

As a sneaker guy that reviews sneakers (including these), this is a great vid behind the scenes! 🎉