INESC TEC developed robotic solution for sustainable footwear printing

The institution developed a robotic system that enables footwear printing using bio-based inks, as part of the European project Waste2BioComp. From now on, the manufacturing of sustainable footwear becomes easier and increasingly efficient.

The Waste2BioComp project began in 2022 towards transforming organic and industrial waste into new bio-based composite materials for use in the packaging, textile and footwear sectors. INESC TEC joined a consortium of 13 partners to develop a high-precision robotic arm capable of printing on 3D surfaces, e.g., footwear. Three years on, this is just one of many developments that will allow fossil-based materials to be replaced with more sustainable solutions – in line with circular economy principles.

INESC TEC played a central role in developing a bio-based inkjet printing system, capable of accurately positioning footwear beneath the printhead, ensuring precise synchronisation between motion control and the print engine.

“We managed to demonstrate the technology at MTEX NS; the outcome was quite positive, as we successfully used organic pigment-based inks to print on leather trainers. The use of bio-based inks presents an additional challenge due to their different features compared with traditional inks, particularly in terms of surface tension and viscosity,” explained Hélio Mendonça, INESC TEC researcher.

This technology represents an important step towards reducing dependence on fossil-based pigments, which are still widely used in conventional inks.

“Collaboration with various project partners was essential, including CITEVE, responsible for ink formulation; NIXKA, supplier of the print engine; and MTEX NS, which integrated and assembled the final prototype,” added Luís Rocha, INESC TEC researcher.

This paves the way for a more sustainable industry, showing that it is possible to combine technology with more environmentally friendly practices.

The researchers mentioned in this news piece are associated with INESC TEC and the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP).