A decoration for a shoe element and a method of decorating a shoe element includes the steps of cutting a substrate to correspond to the shape of the shoe element and applying decorative elements to the substrate. Openings are cut in a protective cover to align with areas where the decorative elements are applied to the substrate. The protective cover and the substrate are aligned, including aligning the openings in the protective cover with the decorative elements on the substrate. In the process, the substrate is coupled to the protective cover to form a one piece, and the one piece is coupled to the shoe element. The decoration, once installed on the shoe, includes the substrate under the protective cover with raised decorative elements appearing through the openings.

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.

The present disclosure illustrates a manufacturing method of a vamp with an embossed pattern comprising: (1) providing a plain cloth. (2) heating the plain cloth by an oven to soften the plain cloth. (3) cooling the plain cloth and forming an embossed pattern on the plain cloth by a cold pressing roller, and the cold pressing roller provided with a predetermined pattern. (4) forming an embossed layer with the embossed pattern on the plain cloth. Because of the cold pressing roller, a depth of the cooled embossed layer is the same as a depth of the predetermined pattern. Hence, the embossed pattern can maintain its appearance.

The present disclosure illustrates a manufacturing method of a vamp with an embossed pattern comprising: (1) providing a plain cloth. (2) heating the plain cloth by an oven to soften the plain cloth. (3) cooling the plain cloth and forming an embossed pattern on the plain cloth by a cold pressing roller, and the cold pressing roller provided with a predetermined pattern. (4) forming an embossed layer with the embossed pattern on the plain cloth. Because of the cold pressing roller, a depth of the cooled embossed layer is the same as a depth of the predetermined pattern. Hence, the embossed pattern can maintain its appearance.

Stitching is applied to a shoe or shoe component and then printed. The stitching may be formed from a continuous thread. After printing, a portion of the continuous thread may have a different color or appearance from other portion(s) of the continuous thread.

Stitching is applied to a shoe or shoe component and then printed. The stitching may be formed from a continuous thread. After printing, a portion of the continuous thread may have a different color or appearance from other portion(s) of the continuous thread.

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.

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.

A multiple camera vision system captures discrete images having overlapping fields of view. Each of the cameras is calibrated and the images from the cameras are stitched together as a stitched image. A stitched image from the multiple cameras is then used in a calibration process to prepare the multiple camera vision system to be used in connection with a processing operation. A stitched image is used as an input for identifying a feature of the material and for determining a tool path for the material. The tool path determined with the stitched image is provided to a process station to perform an operation on the material.