SA Footwear Foundational Design and Manufacture Course

REDUCING THE PRE-PRODUCTION LEAD TIME HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY ASSIST

Briefing Process Two types of design briefs A design brief can be a 1 page document, a 20 page report, or a pasted-up concept board.

The first brief being the demographic brief. This covers the target price, market demographics, competitors, and technical details.

The second brief is the visual design brief. It will detail the stylistic direction for the shoe. The visual brief will include photos of other shoes, clothing, or anything the buyers and product development team can think of to help set the style or explain specific design details.

Last Making The shoe last is the starting point of every shoe design and can be defined as “the heart of the shoe.”

The last is the center of the entire shoemaking process. Pre-production timelines can be severely impacted if continual modifications are necessary.

This situation is alleviated when there is access to a library of trending lasts which are updated seasonally.

New Development From Customer Brief Pre-production phase challenges Manual Development • • •

All styles require physical samples.

Many prototypes never reach production.

Color variants require additional samples.

3D CAD Development • • • • • • •

Physical samples for construction.

2D graphic developments for brief.

3D virtual models for all prototyping.

Pattern data used for accurate costing.

Reduction in unnecessary prototyping.

Virtual color variants with HEX codes.

Physical samples for approval only.

Iterations, modifications and approval samples Traditional process • • • • •

CAD technology strategy

Components Trims Iterations Materials Modifications

• • • • •

Timeline constraints • • •

Developments delayed while awaiting lasts and components Iterations require time consuming processes Modifications are unnecessarily difficult

2D graphics samples at brief 3D virtual samples as per brief Virtual components and trims Virtual materials and color variants Virtual iterations and modifications

Reduction in lead time • • •

Developments proceed using virtual lasts and components Iterations are quick and do not require models from sample department Complex modifications are easy to perform

Let us become disciples of the fourth industrial revolution

NEW SAMPLE

INSTYLE

A

Last Modification

Modifications are time consuming and require all patterns to be adjusted for the revised model.

• Manual last making delays development as the physical last is necessary for all pattern revision.

• CAD last making allows the digital last to be e-mailed and all patterns transferred to the new model.

• Manufacturers with 3D CAD can produce virtual revisions or prepare the uppers while awaiting arrival of new model.

New development from customer brief Initial construction prototype manual vs CAD

Both methods appear similar until modifications are considered Manual methodology = start from scratch 3D CAD strategy = transfer data and continue

Rapid 3D graphic prototyping Virtual developments are less costly Timeline days vs weeks

Time and Costs

Digital sketch With tablet

CAD alignment on last

CAD patterns and model

Color-up and rendering

Technology solution from concept to virtual on the correct last Estimated cost of prototype sample costs around R 2000 and takes one day to produce