In this episode, Maia Zheliazkova of ON explores LightSpray, a radical new approach to performance footwear manufacturing from her presentation at CDFAM Amsterdam.
Developed by ON’s Innovation Team, LightSpray fuses computational design, robotics, and thermoplastic materials to create ultra-light, seamless uppers in a single automated step—directly onto the shoe’s midsole.
Zheliazkova explains how the process eliminates traditional multi-part assembly, reduces waste and emissions, and enables unprecedented control over fit and function. The result is the Cloudboom Strike LS, a 30-gram running shoe produced with 75% less CO₂ compared to standard ON shoes.
From robotic toolpaths to programmable material behavior, this talk highlights how integrated design and fabrication can unlock new performance frontiers, not just in footwear, but across industries.
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