Footwear Making Machine: Manual Vs Automatic | BSM India

Currently, the footwear industry depends on technologies to produce numerous shoes in a short time. In the past, the major part of shoemaking was performed manually, while in the present days it is done much quicker with the help of machines. The classification of footwear making machine is based on the operation of the machine whether it is operated manually or automatically. Though both have their strengths and drawbacks. BSM India is here to compare them in detail.

Manual Footwear Making Machines

Manual machines are categorized by the fact that they need the operator to exercise physical control over them. This involves hot melt spray guns, sole attaching presses, lasting machines, roughing machines and closing presses among others. Here are some characteristics of manual footwear making machine:

• Lower Cost: The manual machines are comparatively cheaper on the aspect of initial investment as compared to the automated ones. This makes them suitable for regions with small-scale production units with limited capital to invest in the machinery. The lower cost of resources means that the business can begin operations with less capital than a business in a country with high costs.
• Labor Intensive: Thus, although it can be cheaper than the purchasing of a new machine, manual equipment demands knowledgeable operators to operate them. Every task in the shoe manufacturing process requires skilled oversight. This leads to increased expenses on human resources as power must be provided in the form of manpower to operate each machine.
• Slower Speed: This makes production speed to be slower as compared to mechanized machines since humans are the ones who run the equipment. The output that is produced is relative to the speed at which the operator works before he or she tires. This makes manual machines less applicable in large order production or in large batches.
• Prone to Errors: Any lack of standardization in the manual operations that are being carried out can thus result in creation of non standard quality items that might be defective. Contract labor may also decrease quality in that certain tasks may be outsourced to contract laborers who do not possess the same level of skill as employees. As with consistency, each operator technique also affects one.
• Better Craftsmanship: Sometimes, its extension of the hand tool enables master craftsmen to exercise their skills in producing high-quality personalized shoes. It can however be observed that the degree of workmanship at this level is difficult to replicate using machines alone.

Automatic Footwear Making Machines

Today, shoe manufacturing does not involve the use of skilled labor since the shoe making machines came into play. They employ sensors, feedback and industrial logic programmes so that they can operate with little supervision. Some examples include Computer Numerical Control (CNC) cutting machines, automatic spray coating equipment and shoe stitching machine. Benefits of automated footwear making machine are:

• Higher Throughput: Machines can produce shoes much faster and do not rely on the pace and endurance of the worker as a human being. For example, the production capacity of some units can make tens of thousands of shoes per day per machine. This increases operational capacity or scale of operations as perceived from the customer end.
• Improved Consistency: Structures are programmed algorithms and sensors which allow the automated equipment to perform each task in a predictable manner. This has the added advantage of providing consistent output quality that does not fluctuate from batch to batch – perfect for huge bulk wholesale purchases.
• Reduced Labor Costs: The major disadvantage of automated machines is that they require a substantial amount of money for capital investments at the onset, but they reduce the demand for workforce greatly. The industrial revolution was driven by the concept that one machine can replace multiple production units that require 10-15 operators in the assembly line with the handling of smaller parts.
• Compact Machinery: All the functions that were previously described as involving different pieces of equipment have been incorporated in a single machine. This decreases the number of equipment that is needed hence bringing down the total number of equipment needed. The subsequently listed functions can be realized in less of factory space;
• Higher Accuracy: Sensors and feedback loops allow adjustments of the system and its output, thus reducing the amount of mistakes. The precision levels are beyond human abilities, which means that a human cannot achieve it. This provides higher quality output.
• Limited Flexibility: However, the automation of the system leads to rigid systems where the incorporation of new design variations in the manufacturing process or small batch orders cannot be easily implemented. This is particularly a challenge for customization where human intuition is vital in determining what works best for which customer.

Conclusion

First of all, manual based machines enable artisans to express themselves, but on the other hand automated type is better when it comes to efficiency and quality consistency point of view. But it is important to note that automation, in this case, requires higher initial investment. There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration; these include the production capacity or the production limit, cost issues, quality issues and issues of customization before arriving at a decision between manual or automatic shoemaking machines. In the long run, technology can not cease to advance and automatic equipment can aid in mass shoe manufacturing. To leverage footwear making machine for your business, visit BSM India!