An automatic shoe-making device includes a bottom mold unit having a shoe last, two side mold units driven to combine with or separate from each other, a pressing mold unit driven to be movable relative to the bottom mold unit, a feeding unit configured to feed a sole material into a mold cavity in a supercritical fluid state, and a control unit configured to: control the two side mold units to form a combined configuration, so the two side mold units surround the shoe last to form the mold cavity for receiving the sole material, control the pressing mold unit to hot-press the sole material to form a shoe product or a shoe component, and control the pressing mold unit and the two side mold units to move away from the bottom mold unit to allow the shoe product or the shoe component to be removed from the shoe last.

An automatic shoe-making device includes a bottom mold unit having a shoe last, two side mold units driven to combine with or separate from each other, a pressing mold unit driven to be movable relative to the bottom mold unit, a feeding unit configured to feed a sole material into a mold cavity in a supercritical fluid state, and a control unit configured to: control the two side mold units to form a combined configuration, so the two side mold units surround the shoe last to form the mold cavity for receiving the sole material, control the pressing mold unit to hot-press the sole material to form a shoe product or a shoe component, and control the pressing mold unit and the two side mold units to move away from the bottom mold unit to allow the shoe product or the shoe component to be removed from the shoe last.

Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.

Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.

An article of cleated footwear includes an outsole plate and an upper. The outsole plate includes a rigid first member and a second rigid member. The first rigid member extends substantially along the length of the outsole, and the rigid second member is attached to the first member. The first member and/or the second member has a ground-engaging profile. The upper is attached to the first member.

An article of cleated footwear includes an outsole plate and an upper. The outsole plate includes a rigid first member and a second rigid member. The first rigid member extends substantially along the length of the outsole, and the rigid second member is attached to the first member. The first member and/or the second member has a ground-engaging profile. The upper is attached to the first member.

An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities.

An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities.

A method of manufacturing a foam component includes printing a preform with a three-dimensional printer. The preform is formed from a pre-saturated mixture of a base material that is at least partially saturated with a foaming agent. The preform is foamed by heating the preform to be at or above a glass transition temperature of the base material, thereby causing the foaming agent to nucleate and expand to form the foam component. Foaming occurs at atmospheric pressure. The preform includes a preliminary lattice structure that corresponds with a final lattice structure of the foam component.

A method of manufacturing a foam component includes printing a preform with a three-dimensional printer. The preform is formed from a pre-saturated mixture of a base material that is at least partially saturated with a foaming agent. The preform is foamed by heating the preform to be at or above a glass transition temperature of the base material, thereby causing the foaming agent to nucleate and expand to form the foam component. Foaming occurs at atmospheric pressure. The preform includes a preliminary lattice structure that corresponds with a final lattice structure of the foam component.