A Concept for Shoe Last Manufacturing in Mass Customisation

This paper presents a process chain development for the production of shoe lasts for mass customised shoes. Shoe lasts are moulds that manufacturers use for stretching the shoe leather and applying the sole. The authors propose the complete manufacturing of shoe lasts in only one machine with two clamping systems. During a first phase the shoe last is clamped conventionally — between centres. In a second phase the last is clamped in the top region and the clamping dogs that remain from the first phase can be removed. This new approach reduces the number of process steps, is customised and reduces the immense content of manual work. Although the single process steps are carried out slower than in conventional shoe last industries the complete manufacturing in one machine reduces the total production time of one pair of shoe lasts and permits the economic production of single pairs of lasts for mass customised shoes.