Described are methods of manufacturing at least part of a sports article. The method includes determining a set of physical parameters of the sports article, wherein the set including a first group and a second group. The method further includes determining a set of constraints for the first group of physical parameters, wherein the set of constraints is intended to achieve at least one objective function. Moreover, method further includes determining an optimum for the at least one objective function, which is determined by optimizing the second group of physical parameters and manufacturing the part of the sports article according to the set of constraints and the second group of optimal physical parameters.

Embodiments provide a lamination machine and lamination process for laminating a membrane to a three-dimensional (3D) target surface of an article, such as a footwear article, glove, clothing article, backpack, or other article. The lamination machine may include an inflatable former that is permeable to air. The inflatable former may have a shape that generally corresponds to a shape of the target surface. The membrane and target surface may be arranged on the former, with a heat-activated adhesive disposed between the membrane and the target surface. The lamination machine may further include a pump to pump heated compressed air into the former. The heated compressed air may inflate the former to press the membrane against the target surface and to activate the adhesive to bond the membrane to the target surface.

Described herein are apparatuses and methods of creating fibers, such as microfibers and nanofibers for the production of clothing items and footwear. Also described herein is a microfiber and/or nanofiber coating system having a support that holds an object to be coated by fibers during the coating process. The support may move the object with respect to the fibers, such that at least a portion of each of the exterior surfaces of the object are coated by the fibers formed by the microfiber and/or nanofiber coating system.

Collapsible tunnel systems or segmented tubular structures may be printed on or otherwise attached to base layers on articles of apparel, articles of footwear, or other articles of manufacture. The collapsible tunnel systems have two or more tubular structures attached to the base layer, with tunnels extending through the tubular structures. A tensile strand may be laced through the tunnels in the tubular structure such that when tension is applied to the tensile strand, the tunnels may collapse into a structure with a continuous tunnel through two or more tubular structures. In some embodiments, two or more segmented tubular structures each have two spaced-apart tubular structures joined by a connecting portion, and a tensile strand extending through tunnels in the tubular structures.

Aspects relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for a manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool is comprised of a vacuum tool and an ultrasonic welder as a unified manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool may be used to pick and position a manufacturing part that is then welded with the associated ultrasonic welder.

A method of printing a three-dimensional color object having a contoured surface onto a substrate includes printing color ink layers and structural ink layers. A color ink layer is printed onto the substrate. Structural ink layers are printed onto the color ink layer to build the three-dimensional shape of the object. The contoured surface is formed from varying the heights of pixel columns in the printing information. The heights of the pixel columns may be varied by printing different numbers of layers in adjacent columns or by printing the same number of layers in adjacent columns where some pixels in a column have different thicknesses than other pixels in the column.

Systems and methods for providing heat to a three-dimensional article are disclosed. The method can include inserting at least a portion of the article over a form. The method can further include inserting the form and article at least partially within an article container and moving the form and article into engagement with a flexible membrane where the membrane and the article container form an airtight chamber. The method can further include exposing the airtight chamber to a pressure less than atmospheric pressure to pull the membrane against at least a portion of the article and exposing the membrane to a heated deformable media.

An article of footwear has a tubular structure that may conform to various anatomical features of a foot. The tubular structure has a tunnel, and a tensile strand runs through the tunnel. Applying tension along the tensile strand may cause the tubular structure to conform more closely to one or more anatomical features. The geometry, or path, of the tubular structure on the article may be customized.

A method of manufacturing a shoe structure includes: a setting step of setting an upper on a shoe last, and distributing a foam matrix material comprising a plurality of semi-foamed granules of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) along a bottom of the shoe last to position the foam matrix material between the shoe last and the upper, and a foaming step of heating the shoe last with the upper and the foam matrix material thereon by microwave, so that the semi-foamed granules are foamed to form an insole bonded to the upper, and the upper is shaped along a contour of the shoe last after cooling and removing the shoe last.

The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatus for a vacuum tool having a switchable plate, such that a common vacuum tool may be adapted with different plates. A switchable plate may form the entirety of the vacuum tool's material contacting surface or a switchable plate may form a portion of the material contacting surface. The vacuum tool is effective for picking and placing one or more manufacturing parts utilizing a vacuum force.