Welted Construction

The principle involved in hand or machine sewn shoe in which a horizontal seam is used to unit welt, upper, and insole, and a vertical lock stitch seam used to secure the outsole to the welt. The inner surface of the insole is smooth and free from lasting tack points and any visible seam, so that no sock is necessary except at the heel seat. Welted construction shoe gives more comfort, flexibility, shape-retaining, wearing qualities and durability. Vegetable Tanned Buffalo leathers are chose for the bottom component of this construction.

GOODYEAR WELTED METHOD FOR MACHINE WELTED CONSTRUCTION

Goodyear Welted Construction is the mechanized version of handmade welted shoe of old age. In this construction, the rib insole or wall raised insole is used to hold the upper and welt. A 15 20mm wide Vegetable Tanned leather stripe known as welt is ultimately stitched with upper, lining, and hold fast of the insole together. After welt is being joined, the lasted upper portion is stucked or cemented with the leather sole and stitched through the welt by means of vertical lock seam using stitching machine. This construction is also known as indirect attachment (Construction) because the bottom sole portion of the shoe is not directly attached to the upper and it is attached through the runner called as rib. It has perfectly smooth inside surface achieved by the use of two seams (i.e. inseam and out seam) which finally holds the upper and sole together. The inseam unites the insole, upper, lining and welt. The out seam holds the outer sole with the welt. These seams are positioned so never contacts the foot at any points. Selection of Materials or Assembling: 1. Bottom Sole Leather:

The required knowledge is acquired by constant handling of leather at all stages. It is very difficult to distinguish and between the variation of the fibre, if the fibres of the leather is too tight it will be difficult to make channel on it and subsequently to pone the lip of the channel. The ideal sole leather is sufficiently loose to channel and open easily but yet sufficiently tight to stand the strain of lasting and welt sewing. Therefore Vegetable tanned buffalo leather is most suitable for this purpose and should be prime butt portion. The leather should have a good appearance with no visible defects. 2a) Leather Insole: The insole leather may be cut from the butt or tight portion of the bellies. Leather Insoles are made according to the size as per specification in component department as per the design of welted construction of oxford or derby shoe. 2b) Ribbed Insole: - Cellulose Insole board Ribbed Insoles are made according to the size as per specification in component department as per the design of welted construction of oxford or derby shoe. 3. Welt: The welt is being taken from tight belly or butt portion of vegetable tanned buffalo leather piece. 4. Uppers: Uppers are made according to the size as per specification in closing department as per the design of welted construction of oxford or derby shoe 5. Toe Puff and Stiffener: Toe Puff and Stiffener are made according to the size as per specification in component department as per the design of welted construction of oxford or derby shoe. 6. Last Last is purchased according to the size as per specification from manufacturer as per the design of welted construction of oxford or derby shoe. 7. Bottom Filler 8. Heel 9. Adhesives 10. Thread

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Staples

12. Tools (Awl, Hammer, Pincer, etc)

Sequence of Operation:
1. Insole Preparation: 1a) Leather Insole Preparation:
The insole leather may be cut from the butt or tight portion of the bellies. The Leather insole is first clicked as per the pattern of bottom profile and the splitted to the required thickness (2.5mm). Two channels are being made with the help of the sharp pointed knife or by machine. The depth of the channel is about 1/3rd of the thickness of the leathers. . Then excess leather is rounding off to make exact shape of the last bottom. Then length of heel portion is marked by 1/4th length of the insole. After that the edges are beveled and a blunt knife is

plough on feather line to cut away the inside feather and outside feather by a pushing action. The space between the two feather lines is known as Hold Fast. The hold fast or raised portion of the insole is holed with a 4 inch curved stitching awl. The holes are must be smaller than the thickness of the thread or otherwise it will affect the water tight character of the shoes. The distance between two holes depend up on the types of shoe to be made and it varies from 4 to 6 per inch.

1b) Ribbed Insole Preparation:

Cutting: The Cellulose board insole of required thickness (1.6 - 2.5mm) is first clicked as per the pattern of bottom profile.

Channeling of insole: The width of the edge channeling is usually determined by the substance of the upper material being used but is normally 7mm in the waist and 5mm in the forepart. The substance between the inner channel and the edge channel must not be less than 4mm. If it is more the channel will be too weak to stand up to the strain imposed at the welt sewing operation, a coat of latex is applied over the top of the cut channels and allowed to dry. Lip turning of insole: The lips of the channels are erected inward or turning and due to the application of the latex the respective channels stuck together and form a WALL or HOLDFAST or RIB. To keep the holdfast stand upright throughout the insole edges, specially, a knife automatically makes small cuts in the edges of the inner channel and thus relieving the strain on the material. Gemming: The rib or wall or hold fast of the insole is strengthened by attaching a gemming tape or linen tape and pushed firmly into the inside angle of the wall or rib. Then excess material is trimmed off to the height of the rib or wall.

2. Insole fixing: The rib insole is fixed on to the last by using 13mm nails or staples or masking tapes as per the size of last and insole. 3. Toe puff attachment: The thermoplastic toe puffs are inserted on to the upper and lining by manually according to the size of upper and toe puff, Stiffeners. It is fixed permanently under the heat (110- 130 0C), pressure (4- 6 bar), and dwell time (15 20Sec). 4. Stiffener Attaching & Counter Moulding: The thermoplastic stiffeners are inserted between the upper and the lining by manually according to the size of upper and stiffeners. It is fixed permanently by counter moulding operation. First back part of upper is placed on the hot mould under the temperature (110- 130 0C), pressure (4- 6 bar), and dwell time (15 20Sec).Then placed on cold mould under the temperature (0 to -5 0C), pressure (4- 6 bar), and dwell time (25 30Sec). The back part shape has been molded according to last profile of the aluminum mould fixed in the counter Moulding machine. 5. Mulling

The mulling is to provide softness property to the leather, to reactivate the thermoplastic toe puff and also to avoid the grain crack in upper. This is normally done on the upper by applying water stream or boiled water vaporized air in the toe mulling machine. Temperature of mulling machine - 800C, Dwell time 8 10 sec. 6. Toe Lasting or Fore part lasting: The conditioned upper is initially stretched over the toe of the last in the bench pincer which is attached with the toe lasting machine. The upper is placed in the machine for gripping the lasting allowance of the upper with their series of pincers equipped in the machine. The last with upper is being held at the waist position by the operator. When the pedal switch is pressed fully all the pincers are gripping the entire fore part of the upper. The last is then pushed upward at a controlled rate into the gripped upper& it helps the drafting of the upper correctly into position over the last. A Teflon coated toe band is then engaged around the toe area holding the upper securely against the last just above the feather edge. The machines should have a suitable polyester or polyamide hot melt adhesive applicator (2300C) to apply the adhesive on the rib or wall or hold fast of the insole. The wiper plate which completes the lasting operation must not wipe in too far otherwise it will hit the rib and its may damage the construction. The mechanism is required on the machine which limits or restricts the heated wiper plate (70 0C) to a pre-determined position on the insole horizontally, so that lasting is completed within the edges between rib of the insole and feather edge. The shoe with lasted upper is released automatically from the machine, which is adjusted with preset dwell time (6 -10sec) and the pressure of 4 -6 bar. The lasting machine provides the following results if it is functioned properly. a) Upper in the fore part area has to grip the last tightly b) Top line should be tight and properly balanced c) Exact toe shape to the last d) No crease at the feather edges. e) Both(right left) the upper to match as pairs and f) Proper position of the vamp on the last. 7. Back Height Setting: The curvature length of the back height must be fixed or setted as per the standard height given by the designing department. 8. Seat & Side Pasting : The seat & side portion of last margin area of upper and insole is pasted with Neoprene adhesive and then dried.

9. Seat & Side Conditioning: The conditioning is to provide softness property to the leather, to reactivate the thermoplastic Stiffener and also to avoid the grain crack in upper. This is normally done on the upper by applying water stream or boiled water vaporized air in the conditioning machine. Temperature of conditioning machine - 800C, Dwell time 8 10 sec. 10. Side Lasting:

The side lasting can be restricted within the area between rib or hold fast and feather edge of the upper only. This operation is done either by manually or machine. 11. Seat Lasting:

The seat lasting machine is controlled by hydraulically and electrically. The machine is equipped with seat plate and pneumatic pressure pad may be the simple seat press which can be used for this purpose. The cemented seat portion of the upper is place on the heated plate. Pressure is exerted on the back part of the last. This helps to bed down the lasting machine to seat of the rib insole. The temperature of the cement applicator - 2100C, Temperature of wiper plate - 700C, Dwell time 10-12Sec and the pressure of 4 -6 bar The correct seat lasting provides the following results, if the machine functioned properly. a) Back Height to be correct as per standard and also pair wise. b) Back seam is placed centrally, upright and straight. c) No crease at the feather edge d) Top line correctly balanced. 12. Heat Setting:

This is done by Heat Setting machine through high velocity air. The lasted uppers are passed through a section of hot moist air to give relaxation to the upper on the last. Then secondly lasted uppers are passed though a hot dry air section to remove the moisture and set the shoe firmly and more accurately on the last to have very good shape retention. The temperature of the machine 120 1300C , dwell time 3 min & it is depends upon the type of materials used.

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Welt Preparation:

The welt is being taken from tight belly or butt portion of vegetable tanned buffalo leather piece of 15 - 20mm wide and unlimited length. The flesh side of the welt is skived (45 0) up to the width of 10 -12mm. A groove is made on the flesh side of the welt to facilitate the welt stitching. The grain side of the welt is beveled which helps to keep the welt at right angles to the feather edge after beating. 14. Welt Attachment and Stitching:

The Flesh side of the grooved edge of the welt is attached to the raised portion or rib or wall of insole and lasted upper. The shoe is kept under the machine which stitches welt, upper with rib insole produces chain stitch. The linen thread is passed through molten wax to make it wax coated to lubricate the thread and also to close up the holes produced during sewing of welt, upper and rib insole. This waxing of thread ultimately improves the water proofing property of the shoe. The horizontal lock seam stitching is starts from inside waist heel edge of lasted upper and runs throughout the shoe from inside to outside direction. Thus the complete welt is being attached to the lasted upper. The strong seam length is usually 4 stitches per inch. 15. Insole tacks removal and Hammering: After the welt attachment, the insole attaching tacks are removed from the last and the welt is tapped into the feather with a small hammer. 16. Excess welt Trimming:

Then excess of materials over the edges of the rib or wall of insole (i.e. upper, lining, toe puff, stiffener) and excess welt are trimmed off all rounds with a sharp cylindrical knife to make it neat and flat. 17. Welt Beating:

Welt beating is done after the trimming operation by using welt beating machine in order to bring the welt at right angle to the shoe and also to flat

the seam and the welt. The welt is fed between the anvil and a vibrating hammer while beating the welt it must be kept in mind that the welt should not be damaged. 18. Shank Attachment

A Metal or a steel shank is attached in the seat portion of the shoe by using hot melt adhesive. 19. Bottom Filling

Bottom filling is done to maintain the bottom curvature of the last. After the attachment of welt the cavity is being formed on the bottom of the lasted upper due to the raised portion or rib of the insole. The cavity is filled with saw dust pasted with flower paste, old rags, and light cork sheet or waster leather pieces. The bottom filling material must be of light in weight and well flexible otherwise it may cause discomfort to the wearer. 20. Seat Piece Attaching:

A vegetable tanned leather piece is clicked as per the seat pattern and the adhesive is applied on the last margin allowance. Then it is nailed with adhesives in order to build up substances around the seat, equal to that of the welt. 21. Leather Sole Preparation:

The Leather sole is first clicked as per the pattern from the butt portion of the leather which is stout, firmly fibred and reasonably flexible and the splitted to the required thickness (4 - 5mm) depends up on design. The leather sole is being skived out on the flesh side of the waist portion to the thickness of 3 4mm and then slight depression is cut in the flesh side at the seat so as to fit firmly over the seat of the lasted shoe. Tempering of soles is made by soaking the sole in water to saturate the fibre structure of the sole and also to make material in workable condition. The Process of penetration of water in to the sole is increased by sole tempering machine with the help of vacuum or pressure. Vacuum / Pressure Tempering: The soles are kept in a chromium plated racks in a chamber which is partially filled with water and then chamber is sealed or closed. Water is forced under the vacuum or air pressure (1500 lbs per sq. m for 4-5min) by pumping the air inside the chamber to penetrate the water into fibre structure of leather. This tempering operation should be done just before the attachment of sole to the shoe. 22. Sole Adhesive Application:

One coat of Neoprene adhesive is applied on flesh side of the leather sole and then dried for 8-10 min 23. Upper and Welt Adhesive Application:

One coat of Neoprene adhesive is applied on flesh side of the welt, lasted upper and then dried for 8-10 min 24. Sole Attachment & Pressing:

Leather sole is attached with bottom of welted upper shoe by manually and then pressed in the hydraulic sole pressing machine under pressure of 40 60 kg/cm2, dwell time 20-25sec. The excess edge of the sole keeping a margin of 2mm from the welt is trimmed off. 25. Channeling of Sole:

The most skill job of Channeling is done on the grain side of the sole. The knife is pushed on the bottom leather at a fixed distance from the edge all round at an angle450 in to the leather towards the center of the sole. The depth of the channel is made 1/3rd thickness of the bottom leather. Its starts continuously from inside waist of the bottom and it complete after making all round channel on the sole without taking off the knife while channeling. The continuous channeling helps to avoid double cut on the sole. The lip of the channel is the opened by a piece of bone or a blunt metal.

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Sole and Welt Stitching:

The sole is stitched with the welt by the vertical lock stitch seam using the chisel pointed curved awl & curved needle through wax thread in the outsole stitching machine. The thickness of the thread is varies from 4 cord to 12 cord or No. A barb on the needle picks up the thread to start the formation of a stitch. The barb pulls a loop of thread upwards through the material and transfers it to the hook of the shuttle. The stitch must lie in the groove or channel. The stitching should be perfect based on the following points. a) Correct stitch length (e.g. for mens shoes 8 to 12 stitch per inch). b) Correct tension c) Maintenance of same distance from feather edge d) Correct position of the channel or groove e) Elegant stitch appearance on welt

27.

Channel Closing:

The seams inside the channel are rubbed to level with a piece of bone and then latex or rubber solution is applied inside the channel. Then dried and ultimately the channel is being closed or pressed against a slowly revolving brass wheel with large indentation, to make the channel flat to sole, covering the stitching. 28. Channel Hammering:

The closed Channel is hammered to make level bottoms and the cut of the channel is not visible.

29.

Decoration on Sole edge & Welt:

Normally the edge of the leather shoe sole is decorated by using decorative wheeling machine. The wheeling machine is preheated before making the decoration teeth on the welt. The gap between two teeth of the wheel is exactly same with the gap between two stitches on the welt. Then size, fittings and brand logo mark also made on the bottom of the sole. 30. Heel Preparation and Attachment:

This is outside method of heel attachment. The height of the heel is dependent upon the toe spring of the shoe. Normally low cut shoe has a heel height of 25mm. The total number of cut leather piece or wooden pulp or heel lift to be inserted to build the heel is assessed first. The length of the heel is marked and the grain is then roughened to a width of 15mm around the edges to receive the heel lifts. The heel wedge is shaped like horse shoe of 15mm width and 3 4 mm thickness. The inside edges of the heel lifts are skived or scooped to the level of the seat. The neoprene or latex adhesives are applied on the 3 or 4 lifts and then dried. The heel lifts are fixed upon one by one by using small tingles. Then top of the heel is leveled. After this leveling few heel lifts (3 -4mm) are put on to get the required height of the heel. The top piece or heel top must be taken from the prime portion of the butt because it should be constant in touch with the ground while walking. The top piece is attached by using the Polyurethane permanent adhesive and then better and more secure attachment is made using brass nails on the top of the heel lifts. The correct results must be, a) Heel should be correctly positioned at seat and securely attached b) Correct pitch of the heel. 31. Heel Scouring and Roughing:

The feather edge of heel, leather sole and welt are scoured and roughed by using fine grit emery paper to make the sole with fine and smooth finishing. 32. 33. Delasting Heel Nailing:

The seat portion of the sole is firmly attached to the insole by nailing process. The nails are hammered on the seat with a distance of 5 -6 mm from the edge and also between two nails. 34. Socks Attachment

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Finishing

Advantages of Machine Welted Construction: 1. The bottom of the shoe can be changed or repaired as and when required without affecting the shape of the shoe because it is an indirect attachment shoe. 2. Shoe has a better shape retention property then of other shoe constructions due to its indirect attachment of sole and upper. 3. This shoe became more comfortable when its cavity in between insole and soles are filled with resin bonded cork which gives cushions effect to the feet. Comparatively less bottom filler is required. 4. Machine welted shoes are very water proof, lighter in appearance and more flexible. 5. No staples, tacks or bracing wires are needed so welt sewing is easier and needle breakages are less. Disadvantages of Machine Welted Construction: 1. Operations demand a high degree of skilled labour. 2. The work content to produce a pair of welted shoe is extremely high. 3. Shoes becomes costlier due to materials are more expensive for e.g. Leather and Leather sole. 4. The process requires more work in progress and larger plants. 5. The machine welted shoe cannot easily be performed in conveyor system of modern shoe making due to long delay in dry out of welts and Leather soles.

References:

1.

Comprehensive Footwear Technology by Mr. Somenath Ganguly.

2. Manual of Shoe Making by Clarks

Authors Profile

SENTHIL KUMAR R.

Mr. SENTHIL KUMAR R. is working as Faculty in FDDI, Fursatganj, Raebareli. Mr. SENTHIL KUMAR R. is B. Tech Leather Technology from University of Madras and Post Graduate Diploma in Environment Management from Annamalai University and M B A - Human Resource Management from IGNOU. He is having 10 years experience in the field of production from raw to finished leather and in various departments of Footwear Industry like Eastern Chrome Tanning Corporation Pvt. Ltd. (KAR Groups), India Shoes Exports Pvt. Ltd (Farida Groups) and also in overseas footwear consultancy at Ethiopia.

He can be reached senbtech2000@gmail.com

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senthil@fddiindia.com

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