Loop
Lace
MaterialsCarbon fibre running shoe plate: 15% lighter, same performance
Redesign of a continuous carbon fibre plate for running shoes, optimised with LACE and produced with LOOP.
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The challenge
In high-performance running shoes, the carbon fibre plate stabilises the foot and returns energy with every stride, so every gram matters. The client already had a validated plate and asked us for a redesign with one firm constraint: keep stiffness and on-road behaviour unchanged while cutting weight. Simply removing material is not enough, because every change to the geometry alters how the sole responds.
The solution
We redesigned the plate with LACE, Spherecube's proprietary software that turns a 3D model into fibre paths and the machine program for LOOP. We aligned the continuous carbon fibre with the load paths of the running stride and placed it only where it is needed: the perimeter frame, the transverse ribs and the forefoot. The result is an open, lightweight structure. LOOP, our 6-axis continuous-fibre deposition system, then laid it down in an automated, repeatable process. The outcome is a carbon plate that is 15% lighter with the same mechanical properties as the original.
Have a composite part that could be lighter? A feasibility study takes 10 working days.
Request a feasibility study