Traditionally, the outsole bonding process includes buffing, chemical washing, and primer applying to activate the surface of the raw materials for better adhesion. However, these processes are not only harmful to the workers but also are the main sources of water and air pollution. Especially the primer application process is confirmed to be the point source of smog by research. Due to the global trend of environmental protection, more and more international shoe companies require their manufacturers to look for sustainable alternatives. Therefore, automation equipment with sustainability will play a critical role in the future shoe manufacturing.

ATM-3 was invented to replace the manual process of buffing and primer application. Through our exclusive-developed 3D vision scanning system, each shoe regardless of shape and color, will be processed within 10 seconds on average. Compared to the traditional way of manufacturing, the plasma treatment enables the material surface to create a stronger covalent bond with cement. Namely, the adhesive effect between different materials shows better results. Moreover, productivity has been enhanced tremendously by implementing the automation system while all the pollution problems are solved at the same time.