DFM 2027

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

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Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Last

The foot-shaped form on which a shoe upper is built and shaped. Last geometry sets sizing and fit, so last-making, CNC last turning and last-repair equipment are a standard product category at Dongguan footwear machinery shows.

2

Upper

Everything above the sole: vamp, quarters, lining, reinforcements and trims. Upper cutting, stitching and pre-forming account for much of a shoe factory's labour, which is why automation of uppers dominates the machinery on display.

3

Sole unit / outsole

The bottom assembly, usually moulded in EVA, PU, rubber or TPU and then bonded to the upper. Sole moulds, mould bases and sole-pressing equipment are core exhibit groups.

4

EVA injection moulding

Foaming ethylene-vinyl acetate into midsoles and lightweight soles inside a heated mould. EVA injection machines and their moulds are among the most common machines shown by Chinese and Taiwanese suppliers.

5

PU pouring (direct-on)

Low-pressure polyurethane poured directly into a sole mould or onto the upper to form a unit sole or midsole. PU pouring lines are a separate machinery family from EVA injection and are compared on cycle time, density control and chemical metering accuracy.

6

Lasting

Pulling the upper over the last and fixing it to the insole before sole attachment, using toe, heel and side lasting machines. A lasting line is usually the largest single equipment group on a footwear machinery stand.

7

Cementing and sole attaching

Adhesive bonding of outsole to upper, involving roughening, primer, adhesive activation and press cycles. Press pressure, dwell time and adhesive type are the usual buying criteria discussed at the show.

8

Roughing

Mechanical scuffing of the sole or upper surface before cementing so the adhesive keys into the material. Roughing machines and dust extraction are specified together in most sole-attaching lines.

9

Die cutting / clicker press

Cutting upper components, insoles or foam from leather, synthetics or sheet stock with steel-rule dies on a beam or swing-arm press. Cutting room layout and material yield are common negotiation points.

10

Post-bed and cylinder-arm stitching

Sewing machine formats built for footwear uppers rather than flat garment panels, where the needle post sits high and the arm is narrow so curved seams can be sewn on a closed upper.

11

Vulcanisation

Heat and pressure curing of rubber soles and canvas footwear in a heated press. Vulcanising presses serve rubber-soled, canvas and safety-footwear lines that still rely on sulphur curing.

12

CAD/CAM grading and nesting

Digitising last shapes and nesting upper patterns to minimise leather waste before cutting. The category spans 3D last scanners, pattern software and computer-controlled cutting tables.

13

Shoe materials

Finished leather, PU and PVC synthetic leather, mesh, linings, insoles, adhesives, threads and trims traded alongside machinery. Material suppliers at the show typically quote in CNY per square foot or per kilogram and set a minimum order quantity.

14

OEM / ODM footwear supplier

A factory that builds shoes to another company's specification (OEM) or offers its own designs for brand badging (ODM). Dongguan and Houjie host a dense base of these plants, and their production engineers are the core visitor group for the machinery on show.