METHOD FOR FABRICATING FOOTWEAR USING SACRIFICIAL MOLD

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METHOD FOR FABRICATING FOOTWEAR USING SACRIFICIAL MOLD

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20250074023 titled 'METHOD FOR FABRICATING FOOTWEAR USING SACRIFICIAL MOLD

Original Abstract Submitted

a method of fabricating footwear using sacrificial molds that are produced using additive manufacturing. a sacrificial mold for an article of footwear is manufactured from a soluble material by an additive manufacturing process. the article of footwear is then fashioned from the sacrificial mold by introducing an expandable foam into a cavity in the mold, allowing the foam to cure within the mold, and then removing the mold by exposing it to a solvent until dissolved. one or more design elements and/or rigid inserts may be introduced into areas of the mold, for example during manufacture of the mold or during fashioning of the article of footwear. for example, the manufacturing of the sacrificial mold may be temporarily paused during the manufacturing process for addition of the one or more design elements into a semi-completed mold.