Robust linear guides enable constant operation in shoe manufacturing process

DESMA’s unit sole machine is a real heavyweight; the casting unit alone weighs 270kg and moves on linear guides, pouring liquid polyurethane into moulds. In order to reliably carry out the task with shoe manufacturers worldwide, DESMA relies on robust linear technology from HepcoMotion.

Shoe manufacturing has a long history of evolution; the sole alone has undergone numerous stages of development. Before the 1950s, shoes were typically made with leather, a material that was growing increasingly difficult to obtain. That is why many manufacturers turned to hand-cutting soles from rubber mats and adjusting them to the shank of the shoe; an elaborate process with 37 steps. The advent of injection moulding machines, which cast several hundred parts per hour, are far faster, more precise, more reliable and less expensive than manufacturing by hand. These specialised machines are now being used by more established shoe manufacturers around the world. 

Read the full article in the November issue of DPA