Direct Dimensions

When Massachusetts-based Walden Kayak owner Bill Hearn called Baltimore-based Direct Dimensions, Inc. (DDI) he originally needed a 3D CAD model of a new shoe concept for his Waldies product line. Little did he know the key role that this connection would play in keeping his brand alive.

Waldies, the "original comfy clog," are unique lightweight shoes injection-molded from antimicrobial, non-slip, non-marking, closed-cell buoyant foam. Their comfort, functionality, colorful style, and affordability have made them very popular.

Hearn wanted to retain critical and complex elements of his design such as the foot-bed and the shape of the upper, and add a new upper airflow design and a deeper tread pattern. The updated 3D digital model was required to NC mill new aluminum molds for the new design.

"The injection molding provides complex contours with an extremely comfortable fit," says Hearn, "These shapes are impossible to accurately model by hand in CAD, so I relied on Direct Dimensions' expertise in laser scanning and reverse engineering."

Hearn provided DDI with a pair of original Waldies and a hand-sculpted model of the new design elements. DDI laser scanned and modeled the different pieces, merged the data sets, and made modifications as directed by Hearn. The project was completed on time and within budget. Done, or so it seemed.

Before Hearn could order molds and start production of the new clogs, his manufacturing source was purchased by a competitor, shutting off production. Faced with big decisions, Hearn needed a commitment from his largest customer on the new design in order to invest in sourcing a new manufacturer.

Once again Hearn turned to Direct Dimensions, this time for an interactive Direct3D view of the new shoe design. Direct3D view is DDI's proprietary Web-based 3D visualization that enables collaborative product design and marketing while keeping valuable 3D data secure.

The customer viewed the design over the Web, liked it, and requested a face-to-face meeting. DDI then made rapid prototypes for Hearn's meeting where he obtained the critical customer support.

Despite spending months sourcing manufacturing partners who could meet his quality specifications, the first samples indicated problems with the molds. Again Hearn called DDI, this time for a comparative analysis of the variance between the CAD model and the initial production samples.

DDI laser scanned the samples and identified and quantified every deviation between the design and the sample. With this information, Hearn and his mold maker overcame language and technical barriers and perfected the molds on just the second attempt.

Hearn has re-launched the Waldies Original Comfy Clog brand to the delight of his core outdoor retail market and continues to work with Direct Dimensions on new product designs. DDI is now creating Direct3D views for the Waldies Web site (www.waldies.net) so consumers can view shoes in full 3D in every color and model variation.

For more information visit www.dirdim.com.