PADICS Kiteboarding Uses 3D Printing to Produce Customized Bindings

If you’re into running, buy running shoes in the right size, if you’re into skiing, adjust the binding to the right length for your ski boots and if you’re into kitesurfing … you’ll have to deal with unisex and one-size-fits-all bindings. This means that not only comfort and performance, but also fun, fall by the wayside. But it shouldn’t, according to the enthusiastic kiters at PADICS Kiteboarding, who have developed kite bindings that are individually adapted to the rider. To make this possible, the startup’s team also relies on additive manufacturing and works together with Forward AM.

The PADICS team came up with the idea of customized and personalized bindings after a strenuous training session, which revealed a fundamental problem with the status quo bindings at the time due to cramps in the knees and feet. The standard bindings do not suit the uniqueness of each body and cannot make everyone equally happy, the PADICS team concluded. In order to bring more fun and a better riding experience to the board, the PADICS founders worked on a solution.

PADICS Kiteboarding develops the 3D-printed customized bindings for more comfort and fun.

The mix of mechanical engineering and the external expertise of a master orthopedic technician then led to the first prototypes, which took into account both an individual’s feet and technically relevant points for kiting. To realize the idea of the perfect binding, 3D printing and advanced materials finally came into play. Forward AM brought its expertise in both areas to the project.

The strategic collaboration between PADICS, Forward AM and Hyperganic has resulted in customized yet mass-produced kiteboard bindings for more comfort and performance. Through detailed scans of a rider’s foot, the specifications and requirements for the individual binding can be determined. The material properties and design also result in optimum damping, depending on the weight, riding style and foot shape of the kiter, which leads to a better riding experience.

These damping properties were achieved using Hyperganic’s cloud-based 3D design solution, Hydesign. This made it possible to create a suitable grid design for individual footpads in just a few minutes. To achieve this, Hydesign combines algorithmic engineering with Forward AM’s validated lattice library. This Ultrasim® 3D Lattice Library contains millions of available lattice options for specific applications.

“When it comes to achieving precise damping properties, nothing compares to 3D printing technology. That’s why we chose to work together with Forward AM & Hyperganic as experts in 3D printed materials and lattice applications. The Ultrasim® 3D Lattice Library made it super easy to select lattices with the exact damping we needed, and using Hydesign to create complex, custom lattice designs was a breeze!” – Carlo Neumann, co-founder of PADICS

The grids are made up of cells, beams, and nodes in repeatable patterns, creating new designs that mirror grid structures to suit a kiter’s individual needs. The grids can then be customized by the designers to achieve better rebound, ventilation and comfort without having to use multiple materials. The bindings are printed with just one material, Forward AM’s Ultrasint® TPU01, which is printed into shape using the Multi Jet Fusion process and then finished with Vapor Smoothing to make the binding durable and resistant to seawater.

The combination of 3D printing, innovative material and advanced design options enabled PADICS to mass produce customized bindings. The need for custom solutions is not only about performance, but also about comfort, enjoyment and safety in the water and PADICS is setting new standards in the production of personalized sporting goods with its bindings. You can find out more about the customized bindings HERE or on the PADICS Kiteboarding website.

The 3D-printed grid structures enable individual damping

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*All Photo Credits: Forward AM/PADICS