A shoe manufacturing system (100) processes a to-be-bonded surface (11a) of an upper (11) before bonding a sole to the upper (11). The shoe manufacturing system (100) includes a holding platform (10), a camera (20a, 20b), an applicator (30), a robot arm (40), and a control device (60). The control device (60) identifies a boundary of the to-be-bonded surface (11 a) of the upper (11) that is to serve as a master model M among a plurality of uppers (11), for defining an area of the to-be-bonded surface (11 a) to be processed, based on three-dimensional shape data of the master model M acquired by the camera (20a). The control device (60) controls the robot arm (40) for each of the uppers (11) (such as products P1 to P3) other than the master model M, to cause the applicator (30) to apply an adhesive to the area of the to-be-bonded surface (11a) enclosed by the identified boundary.

A method for obtaining foot analysis data for a manufacture of an insole, comprising: subjecting at least one foot of a person to a three-dimensional (3D) scanning apparatus (200); performing a first 3D scanning of a shape of the foot, wherein the person is standing in a straight position (202); performing a second 3D scanning of the shape of said foot, wherein the person provides excess pressure on the foot by squatting (204); and performing a third 3D scanning of the shape of said foot, wherein toes of the foot are lifted up (206).

A method of forming an article of footwear can include selecting a base footwear structure, the base footwear structure including an upper that is configured to be coupled to a sole structure, retrieving a model of an article of footwear that can be formed from the selected base footwear structure, selecting one or more design elements from a plurality of available design elements associated with the model, updating the model based on the one or more selected design elements, and generating the article of footwear from the updated model. In some embodiments, the one or more design elements are design elements that can be added to or modified on the base footwear structure to form the article of footwear.

A junction line data generation method includes scanning a first junction component and a second junction component by using an image capturing device for generating three-dimensional first junction component modeling data of the first junction component and generating three-dimensional second junction component modeling data of the second junction component, simulating a first junction component structure by using the three-dimensional first junction component modeling data, simulating a second junction component structure by using the three-dimensional second junction component modeling data, and generating junction line data between the first junction component and the second junction component by optionally deforming the first junction component structure and/or the second junction component structure according to the first junction component structure and the second junction component structure.

A method of making an orthotic is disclosed. The method includes the steps of taking measurements relating to a foot and then creating a digital representation of an orthotic on a display device based on said measurements. This digital representation of the orthotic having a heel portion for supporting a heel of a person and a distal portion located in front of the heel portion which can be divided into first and second distal portions. The thickness of the digital representation of the first and second distal portions is then varied such that one of the distal portions is thicker than the other. Finally, an additive manufacturing technique, using a substantially uniform material or materials, is used to create a physical version of the digital representation of the orthotic.

Systems and processes for reinforcing components of articles of wear are disclosed. The processes can include applying a thermoplastic powder to a component of an article of wear and levelling at least a portion of the thermoplastic powder. The processes can also include applying thermal energy to the component and the thermoplastic powder. Further, the processes can include compressing the thermoplastic powder and the component.

Systems and methods for monitoring the quality of a surface treatment applied to an article in a manufacturing process are provided. A surface treatment may be applied to at least a portion of an article. A thermal profile of the article may be obtained and used to determine temperature indications of different regions of the article to which the surface treatment has been applied. A standard model of the article may be obtained that includes model regions having model temperature ranges. The temperature indications of the article can be compared with the model temperature ranges to determine if any temperature indications are outside of a corresponding model temperature range. The article may be a shoe part. The surface treatments may include the application of heat, plasma, dye, paint, primer, and/or the application of other materials, substances, and/or processes.

Systems and methods for monitoring the quality of a surface treatment applied to an article in a manufacturing process are provided. A surface treatment may be applied to at least a portion of an article. A thermal profile of the article may be obtained and used to determine temperature indications of different regions of the article to which the surface treatment has been applied. A standard model of the article may be obtained that includes model regions having model temperature ranges. The temperature indications of the article can be compared with the model temperature ranges to determine if any temperature indications are outside of a corresponding model temperature range. The article may be a shoe part. The surface treatments may include the application of heat, plasma, dye, paint, primer, and/or the application of other materials, substances, and/or processes.

The present invention provides a method for designing of a piece of apparel in particular an upper of a shoe, comprising the steps of providing at least one first panel including a plurality of feature points in an essentially two-dimensional configuration, arranging the at least one first panel on a first reference body in a three-dimensional configuration representing the piece of apparel to be designed, generating a first mapping between the two-dimensional configuration of the at least one first panel and the three-dimensional configuration of the at least one first panel using the plurality of feature points and designing the piece of apparel using the first mapping.

Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system.