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.

A gaging apparatus and method for automation of a shoemaking process are provided for automating a shoemaking process. According to the method, the gaging apparatus obtains operation data according to the gaging process of drawing a gaging line on a boundary between the upper and the sole for shoe manufacturing, and generates trajectory data for the boundary based on the operation data. Based on the trajectory data, the gaging apparatus generates robot trajectory data for performing a buffing and bonding process after the gaging process and transmits it to a shoemaking robot.

A system for inspecting an upper of a shoe includes an optical sub-system and a processor. The optical sub-system captures an image related to a work piece which includes the upper and a last so as to output image data representing the image. The processor receives the image data, establishes a work piece model that is a three-dimensional model of the work piece based on the image data, obtains a cross section of the work piece model, obtains an entry of section data related to the cross section of the work piece model, and compares the entry of section data and an entry of predetermined standard data so as to generate a result of inspection indicating whether the upper is normal.

A system for inspecting an upper of a shoe includes an optical sub-system and a processor. The optical sub-system captures an image related to a work piece which includes the upper and a last so as to output image data representing the image. The processor receives the image data, establishes a work piece model that is a three-dimensional model of the work piece based on the image data, obtains a cross section of the work piece model, obtains an entry of section data related to the cross section of the work piece model, and compares the entry of section data and an entry of predetermined standard data so as to generate a result of inspection indicating whether the upper is normal.

A tool path for treating a shoe upper may be generated to treat substantially only the surface of the shoe bounded by a bite line. The bite line may be defined to correspond to the junction of the shoe upper and a shoe bottom unit. Bite line data and three-dimensional profile data representing at least a portion of a surface of a shoe upper bounded by a bite line may be utilized in combination to generate a tool path for processing the surface of the upper, such as automated application of adhesive to the surface of a lasted upper bounded by a bite line.

A processing method using depth detection includes: an image capturing step implemented by using a camera device to capture a depth image of a device under test (DUT) and a surrounding environment around the DUT, and then using a signal processing module to carry out a modifying process so as to transform the depth image into a three-dimensional (3D) image corresponding in shape to the DUT; a planning step implemented by using the signal processing module to define spraying spots on the 3D image and to calculate normal vectors of the 3D image respectively corresponding in position to the spraying spots; and a spraying step implemented by using a spraying device to sequentially spray portions of the DUT respectively corresponding in position to the spraying spots, in which a spraying direction of the spraying device is substantially parallel to the normal vector of the corresponding spraying spot.

A bicycle shoe cleat positioning device for use in determining the position of a bicycle shoe cleat is provided. The bicycle shoe cleat positioning device comprises a base portion, a holding portion connected to the base portion, a coupler configured to connect to the holding portion, a cleat connector, a connecting member, and a cleat positioning assembly. The cleat positioning assembly comprises a first positioner configured to determine a first position of the cleat connector about a first axis, a second positioner configured to determine a second position of the cleat connector along a second axis, and a third positioner configured to determine a third position of the cleat connector along a third axis.

A bicycle shoe cleat positioning device for use in determining the position of a bicycle shoe cleat is provided. The bicycle shoe cleat positioning device comprises a base portion, a holding portion connected to the base portion, a coupler configured to connect to the holding portion, a cleat connector, a connecting member, and a cleat positioning assembly. The cleat positioning assembly comprises a first positioner configured to determine a first position of the cleat connector about a first axis, a second positioner configured to determine a second position of the cleat connector along a second axis, and a third positioner configured to determine a third position of the cleat connector along a third axis.

Manufacturing of a shoe is enhanced by creating 3-D models of shoe parts. For example, a laser beam may be projected onto a shoe-part surface, such that a projected laser line appears on the shoe part. An image of the projected laser line may be analyzed to determine coordinate information, which may be converted into geometric coordinate values usable to create a 3-D model of the shoe part. Once a 3-D model is known and is converted to a coordinate system recognized by shoe-manufacturing tools, certain manufacturing steps may be automated.

Manufacturing of a shoe is enhanced by creating 3-D models of shoe parts. For example, a laser beam may be projected onto a shoe-part surface, such that a projected laser line appears on the shoe part. An image of the projected laser line may be analyzed to determine coordinate information, which may be converted into geometric coordinate values usable to create a 3-D model of the shoe part. Once a 3-D model is known and is converted to a coordinate system recognized by shoe-manufacturing tools, certain manufacturing steps may be automated.