Your strongest link in the manufacturing chain

Developing your Footwear and bringing Virtuality into Reality

Designer's Hand Drawn Sketch

In addition to the already high levels of industry-specific skills that are represented within? our ' stable' of vigourously selected and continuously monitored vendor base and with the technicians that are located in the footwear factories with which TLD is proud to be associated, we have available our own team of highly motivated footwear Design and Manufacturing professionals with over 100 years of accumulated Shoe Industry experience earned working with a variety of world-class Brands which are based strategically throughout our organisation and that cover literally all facets in the process of getting your Product to Market efficiently and effectively.

Upper Pattern Screen View

Upper Patterns

We utilise the latest version of Crisin for all our pattern engineering, costing Analysis, 3D design, Last Development and Top Gauge creation requirements. Crispin has become the industry benchmark when it comes to all these areas and is continuing to push the limits of their software and have joined forces with Delcam to combine their strengths to create a seamless shoe development tool and TLD will be working with them for our mutual benefit.

2D CAD Drawings

The 2D CAD drawing is the starting point in the process to create the moulds and other tooling. By scrupulously replicating the design lines in relation to the upper and considering the implications of other upper processes, the injected parts will be precise to your specifications and can be checked prior to making any commitments to proceed with opening tooling which is not cheap, nor quck to produce and certainly not easy. Even though we seem to make it look easier than it is, but we've had years of practice.

Upper Pattern Shoe Design Screenshow

3D Models

We have on board our own Shoe Industry 3D CAD Engineers and Concept Modellers that take those 2D CAD Drawings and turn them into a 3D Virtual Reality Model. We use the latest versions of all our CAD and CAM software to harness and tap into all the most recent innovations and constantly looking at other software and even at other industries and comparing our processes to make sure we keep on the cutting edge.

Pullover

Rapid Prototyping

Once we have a 3D CAD Model it is possible to print out a 3D geometrically accurate model on a variety of State-of-the-Art 3D Printing machines. There are several options and different types of model from each process and alows the flexibility based on project needs. When we have this 3D printed model we can ensure the shoe design lines have been interpreted and translated correctly. With the chance for our engineers and technicians to assess, anticipate and try to predict any potential issues that we might face during Manufacturing.

Rhino 3D Line Drawing

Wooden Model

Alternatively, the tried and tested method of using CNC (computer controlled milling) machines and milling out wooden models is still widely available and whilst a little longer to see a 3D Model, the costs are accordingly cheaper. It can take longer, more prone to have flaws and still with an element of handwork involved to finish off what the machine isn't capable of doing and still a good tool to give us all a higher level of confidence prior to committing to tooling.

Rhino Screen View

Rapid Tooling

In a joint effort between TLD and our primary mould suppliers we have developed the capability to produce compression tools that can be used in high-tonnage rubber and foam presses and even for polymer injection moulding machines that are capable of producing some few hundreds of parts until becoming unstable. This way is cheaper than when making production ready tooling.
This is a particularly useful technology when testing Advanced Concepts and require extensive testing prior to being commercialisation ready. Wich with the market conditions of today it is vital to be able to address competitive threats as and when they arise and at least be the 2nd best, if not first.