Abstract:

Politecnico Calzaturiero is the Riviera del Brenta Footwear District structure for training, services and technological transfer. Within the District there are more than 520 companies, employing more than 10.000 workers and producing around 20 million pair of shoes each year (91% of which is exported).

Today, Politecnico is one of the most important training centres of the sector at the national level, continuing in its purpose of promoting young orientation, providing graduates’ training and sustaining a lifelong education for companies to develop in the footwear sector in collaboration with schools, universities and business stakeholders. The possibilities go from the technical and specialized training for graduated and people having a high school diploma, with theoretical and practical modules, but also internships and training in companies present in the Riviera del Brenta Footwear District, trying to guarantee the most complete training experience. Additionally, Politecnico Calzaturiero has developed, and it wants to expand, the courses dedicated to the transfer of handcraft and tacit knowledge, through the cooperation with Universities and International Research Institutes. Politecnico relies on its advanced laboratories for: studying and experimenting with systems of automation in the repetitive operations, experimenting systems for data integration among the design and the production processes, developing platforms controlling both internal and external processes managed by suppliers, to guarantee traceability and sustainability.

Considering the central and fundamental role that Politecnico has in the field of training and research within the Riviera del Brenta Footwear District, it felt compelled to find a way to respond to the need of the District Companies. Therefore, it started to develop its spaces: amplifying, renovating, and modernising its internal areas, equipping them with the appropriate machines. It provides courses in the use of 2D-3D CAD design software with different levels of operation. We are currently working in completing the equipment with the acquisition of immersive headsets and controllers. The final, and most ambitious objective will be to extend the use of AR/VR instruments also within the laboratories of production.

The sewing/stitching laboratory includes machinery, equipment dedicated to both the phase of presewing and sewing, including skiving and splitting machines, punching machines, a group of flat-bed sewing machines that can perform several stitch types and a couple of examples of post-bed sewing machines which add a support for the material column type. Finally, there is machine to apply the reinforcements.

The assembly laboratory is the biggest of the entire structure. The central equipment is formed by the pulling over and lasting machines.The laboratory includes:the waist-lasting machine, the heel seat lasting machine, a sole attaching hydraulic press, electronic heel nailing machine. Finally, the ironing and stabilizing heat setters adapts the shoe to the last. In the finishing department, presents machine for scouring nails, ironing machines with hot hair and roller, brushing machines removing dust, apply wax and polish the skins and leather.

This process of renovation is directed towards the construction of a brand-new training experience re-creating a real-life industrial environment for the students at any level, training highly specialized operators and maintenance technicians.

Keywords:

Footwear, Vocational Training, Technology, Innovation, Laboratory, AR, Factory, Future, Machines.