Shoemaster — CAD/CAM solutions for footwear design, development and manufacture

Shoemaster^® is a suite of CAD/CAM system originating in the 1970s that was originally developed to improve the quality and productivity of Clarks footwear operations and is now used by more than 800 leading footwear companies and more than 50 footwear design and manufacturing collegues all over the world.

Today, Shoemaster^® offers a range of innovative 3D and 2D CAD/CAM systems for shoe design, production and cost control, custom shoe engineering and leather goods pattern engineering. In 2016, Shoemaster was acquired by Atom Group, a global leader in cutting systems, lasting and injection moulding machinery for the footwear industry. Atom has always been committed to technological innovation and process reengineering to provide fast and dynamic solutions for the global market.

As part of the Atom Group, Shoemaster has licensed and further developed its integration suite to conform to the new Industry 4.0 paradigm. The commercial network is also developing in harmony with the Group's global sales network and is improving its market approach based on "servitization" in response to the need for integration and production coordination within the global footwear industry.

     Shoemaster DESIGN — 3D virtual design for sample makers and shoe designers

Shoemaster DESIGN is the perfect solution for designers and development technicians, offering versatility and creativity combined with the accuracy of working on a 3D shoe last.

Designers can produce effective and proportional 3D designs using corporate colours, materials and components. Seasonal ranges can be built and selected in a virtual environment helping to speed the process and minimise costs by reducing the need for physical samples.

Development technicians can help bridge the gap between design and production by creating realistic, proportionally accurate and complete 3D virtual samples of designer’s ideas. Aside from the expected time and cost savings, designers are given a true evaluation of their design once it has been prepared for production and more accurate, considered CAD data can then be used by pattern engineers.

      Shoemaster ENGINEER — 3D pattern engineering for pattern makers

Shoemaster ENGINEER is an innovative pattern engineering system that includes all of the 2D functionality of Shoemaster PATTERNS to develop your 2D patterns but it also has the power of additional 3D functions.

Shoemaster ENGINEER has been developed to meet the modern shoemaking needs, allowing simultaneous 3D/2D design and pattern engineering. The 3D functionality allows you to emulate manual process in a CAD environment, reducing the costs associated with re-development as well as maximising the productivity of design, pattern engineering and grading.

Shoemaster ENGINEER is e-Last compatible allowing you to receive e-lasts from your last maker or a 3D scanner.

Our well proven last flattening system provides all the tools to create any type of flattening to produce the best fitting uppers and minimise material wastage.

     Shoemaster PATTERNS —  2D basic pattern engineering and grading for pattern makers

Shoemaster PATTERNS is the perfect solution for basic pattern engineers and the grading of existing patterns. The software provides quick and easy input of patterns using a digitising tablet, scanner, or using data from another CAD system. The system is also fully compatible with all card cutter/plotters and direct cutting machines.

Offering a simple to use but highly productive system Shoemaster PATTERNS is the perfect piece grading solution containing all the functionality required to generate a set of graded patterns.

The system supports a full range of grading functions including restrictions, group grading and fittings. Shoemaster PATTERNS guarantees the speed and accuracy of grading to any specified grading rules by utilising processes developed over decades by bulk pattern graders to handle every grading requirement.

Shoemaster PATTERNS allows you to substantially reduce the time needed for pattern input and grading, resulting in a quicker throughput and increase in production capacity.

     Shoemaster CUSTOM — 3D program for bespoke and orthopedic shoes makers

Shoemaster CUSTOM provides all the tools to analyse and compare the dimensions and shapes of 3D foot scans and 3D lasts., allowing bespoke lasts to be created for each customer.

The process begins with the systems last library and the selection of the “best fit” last based on the initial measurements of the foot scan and chosen footwear.

The advanced measuring system allows the user to analyse and compare the measures of the footscan and last in 3D. Individual sections can be compared in 2D and 3D. Whilst standard sections and measures are included, the system can also be configured to use specifically defined measures.

The system contains a series of advanced modelling functions, including a comprehensive “modify by measure” tool, that allow changes to be made to specific areas of the last. The user has full control of the modifications and of the areas affected; restrictions can be applied to ensure certain measures are held whilst adjusting others. Aside from the modification by measure tools, the system contains further functionality to add or remove extra material from the last. This allows changes to be made to very specific areas of the last and ensure that the finished last truly reflects the shape and measures of the customer’s footscan.

The result is a 3D bespoke last that can be milled and the data used in design and engineering software for the next stages in creating fully customised footwear.