Footwear Component Tracking for Accurate Sole-Upper Pairing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In footwear manufacturing, components like soles and uppers are often processed independently, leading to aesthetic and functional issues if not properly mated, due to variations in size and shape, and existing identification methods are difficult to implement without affecting the components' appearance or function.

Innovation Solution

A tracking system that uses unique identifiers, such as RFID tags or detectable materials, coupled with sensors and a computing system to associate and verify the components before mating, ensuring accurate alignment and adhesion during the manufacturing process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional identification methods are used to track components during manufacturing, then component tracking is possible, but the identification methods are difficult to implement without affecting the components' appearance or function

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent tracking accuracyVSAvoidimplementation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The RFID tag is embedded within the sole component, nesting the identification system inside the component itself. This allows the tag to be integrated into the manufacturing process without adding external elements that would affect appearance or require separate tracking infrastructure, resolving the contradiction between reliable tracking and ease of implementation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical or visual identification methods with RFID electromagnetic field-based identification. This substitution enables automated, non-contact reading of component identifiers through sensors, eliminating the need for manual scanning or visible markers that would complicate manufacturing or affect appearance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If components are processed independently to increase productivity, then manufacturing speed improves, but components may not be properly mated leading to aesthetic and functional issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing speedVSAvoidcomponent mating accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The RFID tags are attached to components before they enter the independent processing streams, and the computing system establishes identification associations in advance. This preliminary action enables the system to track and match components throughout independent processing, ensuring proper mating despite the parallel processing workflow that drives productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor reads the RFID tag identifier after processing, and the computing system uses this feedback to verify component identity and match components for mating. This closed-loop feedback system ensures that even though components are processed independently, the final mating operation can accurately pair the correct components based on their identifiers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10962964B2Assembly line article tracking system

Publication Date: 2021.03.30 NIKE INC

AI summary

Manufacturing of article of footwear include temporarily mating a sole and an upper to determine processes to be performed to the sole and/or the upper before permanently mating. As specific operations are determined based on the particular combination of a sole and an upper, the sole and upper are individually tracked through the subsequent processes to ensure the correct pairing is achieved at the time of permanent mating. The tracking may leverage identifiers in the tooling supporting the upper and in the sole.