Articles of wear having one or more textiles that include a low processing temperature polymeric composition and a high processing temperature polymeric composition, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The low processing temperature polymeric composition and the high processing temperature polymeric composition can be selectively incorporated into a textile to provide one or more structural properties and/or other advantageous properties to the article. The textile can be thermoformed to impart such structural and/or other advantageous properties to the article of wear. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A method and apparatus for printing on an article are disclosed. An embodiment of a method may include the generation of a virtual mask that can designate areas for printing and/or designate areas to exclude from printing. A method may include utilization of the virtual mask during either 2D or 3D printing such that a print design is printed in areas designated for printing by the virtual mask.

A method and apparatus for printing on an article are disclosed. An embodiment of a method may include the generation of a virtual mask that can designate areas for printing and/or designate areas to exclude from printing. A method may include utilization of the virtual mask during either 2D or 3D printing such that a print design is printed in areas designated for printing by the virtual mask.

The invention relates to footwear and portions thereof having structural features and decorative designs thereon, and related systems and methods for manufacturing same. An exemplary method for providing a feature on a surface of an object includes positioning a laser proximate the surface of the object, directing a laser beam from the laser to the surface of the object to mark or engrave at least a portion of the surface of the object, and moving at least one of the laser and the object to create a pattern on the surface of the object, the pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic and a structural feature on the surface of the object.

The invention relates to footwear and portions thereof having structural features and decorative designs thereon, and related systems and methods for manufacturing same. An exemplary method for providing a feature on a surface of an object includes positioning a laser proximate the surface of the object, directing a laser beam from the laser to the surface of the object to mark or engrave at least a portion of the surface of the object, and moving at least one of the laser and the object to create a pattern on the surface of the object, the pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic and a structural feature on the surface of the object.

A shoe upper manufacturing method is provided. The shoe upper manufacturing method includes the steps of obtaining materials for shoe uppers, forming the shoe uppers, processing the shoe uppers, and printing the shoe uppers carried out in turn. Thus a multi-layer composite footwear fabric is produced and further processed to form shoe uppers required. Thereby different heating temperature and time are set for heat melting and adhesion of thermoplastic elastomer onto footwear fabric made from different materials in order to meet different requirements of users. Moreover, production efficiency is improved and production capacity is increased by combination of one upper mold with a plurality of lower molds. The present method is more efficient than those in current use.

A shoe upper manufacturing method is provided. The shoe upper manufacturing method includes the steps of obtaining materials for shoe uppers, forming the shoe uppers, processing the shoe uppers, and printing the shoe uppers carried out in turn. Thus a multi-layer composite footwear fabric is produced and further processed to form shoe uppers required. Thereby different heating temperature and time are set for heat melting and adhesion of thermoplastic elastomer onto footwear fabric made from different materials in order to meet different requirements of users. Moreover, production efficiency is improved and production capacity is increased by combination of one upper mold with a plurality of lower molds. The present method is more efficient than those in current use.

Automated painting of a shoe sole portion of a shoe is enhanced by use of a jig. The shoe sole portion may be secured between top and bottom plates of the jig such that a side surface of the shoe sole portion is left exposed. Additionally, the jig is adapted to create configurable masking lines along the side surface of the shoe sole portion using multi-layer deforming layers.

Automated painting of a shoe sole portion of a shoe is enhanced by use of a jig. The shoe sole portion may be secured between top and bottom plates of the jig such that a side surface of the shoe sole portion is left exposed. Additionally, the jig is adapted to create configurable masking lines along the side surface of the shoe sole portion using multi-layer deforming layers.

A printing system is used to selectively print a layer material on a surface that is initially in a planar or two-dimensional shape. After the layer material is printed onto the surface, it is exposed to an amount of radiation from a radiation source and partially cured. Several layer materials may be placed on top of one another and are also partially cured. The flat surface may be reshaped into a nonplanar or three-dimensional shape, and the layer materials are again exposed to an amount of radiation and fully cured.