Greater agility and shorter lead times are among the key benefits unleashed by Lectra’s cutting-edge VectorFootwear solution to digitalize for athletic footwear manufacturers and brands t he value chain

Paris, April 11, 2017 – Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials, rolls out revolutionary digital technology at the forefront of Industry 4.0 to transform traditional cutting rooms into state-of-the-art digitalized domains for athletic footwear.

When compared with traditional die presses, Lectra’s VectorFootwear not only guarantees that manufacturers and brands are compliant with Industry 4.0 principles, it also provides major gains, including fabric optimization, maximum flexibility, optimized productivity and performance, as well as improved quality and operational excellence.

“Lectra’s Industry 4.0 credentials are revolutionizing manufacturing, in particular for the labor intensive athletic footwear market today. Firmly rooted in digitalization and automation, VectorFootwear enables shorter time to market, to produce more pairs of shoes per hour and to handle more types of fabric; and successfully meets growing technical challenges,” underlines Céline Choussy Bedouet, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Lectra.

Connected to Lectra’s call centers, VectorFootwear’s 180 embedded sensors and counters allow predictive maintenance to avoid costly downtime. With up to 98% uptime, VectorFootwear is one of the most reliable cutting solutions on the marketplace.

VectorFootwear can replace between four and eight die presses depending on the model. Compared to traditional die press production, Lectra’s digital solution saves up to 6% in fabric by minimizing the gap between cut parts, combining several nestings together and cutting with accuracy.

Complementing VectorFootwear, Lectra has launched a nesting solution dedicated to footwear:

DiaminoFootwear. In just a few minutes, it processes the optimal placement for fabrics in order to maximize material consumption. Fully automated, it also allows for quick and accurate cost simulations for fabric purchases.

In addition, Lectra’s professional service team provides support to ensure change management during the manufacturing process.