How Shoe Outsole Tooling is Made
If you want to learn how shoe outsole tooling is made you are in the right place! All new outsole tooling starts with a designer’s drawing. The designer should have followed the last bottom outline to get the shape close to the final design. The shoe factory outsole technician will create a 2-D drawing for the designer to review. The shoe factory’s technician has a lasted upper so that he can draw a top net that fits the shoe correctly. Once the 2-D drawings are confirmed by the designer, mold factory will make a 3-D CAD drawing that will be used to cut a prototype part.
Before any metal is cut, high density REN foam is cut so the designer and shoe factory can check all the details. The REN foam is soft when compared to metal and can be cut very quickly. The REN cutting machine running at high speed can cut the top, sides, and bottom of a new outsole design in just a few hours. Shoe tooling for midsoles and outsoles is made the same way.
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The REN model may be painted and sent to the designer for study. The REN model can also be joined with the lasted upper to get the idea of what the final completed shoe will look like.
After the REN is approved, the design is sent to the metal shop. Depending on design, the metal may be cast, burned by high voltage electric discharge, or CNC cut by a computer controlled milling machine. The molds are made from steel and aluminum. The flat rubber mold will be made from steel and cut by a CNC machine. A midsole mold with high sidewalls and undercuts will be made from cast aluminum. If the mold is made by casting process a REN must be made of each size, left and right. CNC cut molds don’t require every size to be cut.
While most of the footwear mold is created by machine, hand work is still required to make sure everything fits correctly. Outsole and midsole parts must fit together tightly for good bonding. After a test pressing the outsole molds are returned to the shop for some rework. This mold shop will also repair an outsole mold that has been damaged or worn out during production. While the mold factory may be a loud and dirty place to visit, if you want to see how Shoe Outsole Tooling is made it’s worth a visit! You will see many types of molding equipment for shoe soles.
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After the parts are cut a worker will carefully organize and stack the shoe parts. The parts will then be moved on to be processed before stitching. The parts will be marked for alignment or have logos added by the embroidery or printing departments.
Once the shoe parts are processed and organized, the shoe factory stitching department takes over. In the stitching department, the operations are divided into simple steps. Each worker is given one task to complete. For example, one worker will sew the vamp parts to the mudguard then pass the shoe onto the next worker to attach the eyestay parts. With each operation assigned to one worker, the QC staff can quickly track any problems. The division of the operations also allows the worker to quickly master their operation.
In the stitching department, the upper parts are assembled, the lining attached, and the foam for collars and tongues are inserted.
With the stitching complete, the upper is ready to be bonded to the outsole. Before the outsole can be attached, the upper must be “lasted.” Lasting is the operation that gives the shoe its’ final shape. The plastic, metal, or wood foot form (the “last”) is inserted into the upper. The upper is pulled tight, this sets the shape.
The Shoe Assembly Line Chapter 12
Almost every modern shoe design project will require some sort of molded component. From hidden heel counters, to outsoles, to fancy chrome plated logos you will need make some molds. While some shoe factories will have limited molding equipment, very few will have the capability to make the molds. To make molds for your footwear projects you will need the help of a footwear mold making specialist.
The CNC or Computer Numerical Controlled milling machine is the work horse in the footwear tooling business. You should see CNC machines busy cutting steel molds or copper electrodes. At Dongguan Shi Desheng Mold Company you will see 10 CNC machines cutting. Why 10 machines? When a shoe factory orders molds they will often need the size run opened quickly.
Board Lasted Construction: A very common shoe construction technique that can be made by machine or by hand. The upper is pulled tight and bonded to a fiber board. The outsole unit is firmly cemented to the upper, securing the upper to the sole. Board lasting construction can be used on almost any style of shoe, being suitable for many upper material types and outsole styles.
Blake Construction: Used to make flexible leather shoes, the Blake construction starts with a board-lasted upper. Glue the sole in place then with the last removed, sew the upper directly through the outsole unit. The outsole may be leather or rubber and have a groove molded into its surface to guide the Blake stitch. You will find Blake construction on weltless leather dress shoes, moccasins, and boat shoes. Blake construction is not waterproof.
Goodyear Welt Construction: The Goodyear welt is often used to make waterproof soles, the stitch that attaches the sole to the shoe runs around the outside edge and does not make stitch holes in the upper. The upper is sewn to the welts that attach to the insole and the outsole. During assembly, the welts are attached first by a horizontal “Goodyear” stitch, named for the inventor of the stitching machine, Charles Goodyear Jr. (also the son of the famous rubber inventor, Charles Goodyear Sr.). The Goodyear welt construction method is ideal for heavy-duty boots for hiking or service.
Norwegian Storm Welt Construction: Similar to the Goodyear welt construction method but the upper is turned outside and is sandwiched between the outer welt and the outsole. Used to make the heaviest waterproof boots, the Norwegian Storm Welt is difficult to make and is found almost exclusively in the workshops of Italian bootmakers.
Stitch down Veldtschoen welt Construction: Again, the Veldtschoen welt is related to the Goodyear and Norwegian welt constructions. In this case, an inner welt or rapid stitch line sewn through the midsole is paired with a second rapid stitch that attaches the outsole. The outsole is attached after the first welt, the bottom stitch is protected by the outsole.
Cold Cement / Sheet CUT EVA Shoe Assembly Process:
The toe tip will get extra pressing[/caption]
If you want to learn more we have written three books that every young shoe designer should read.
This is the hard part! You are going to need some capital to bring your shoes home from the factory. Friends, family, kick starter- you are going to need some money. The shoe factory and agent will not give you delayed terms. You will need to pay the entire amount to get your shoes shipping. Roughly, your shoes will cost about 25% of the selling price to import from Asia. So, if your shoes will cost $100 in the store, plan on $25 for the shoe with shipping and import duty included. So….$25.00 X 6000 pairs = $150,000!!!!!
