Footwear sole moulding press (outsole hot press)

01

Set the vulcanising temperature, time and pressure

Delta's application pack for twin-cylinder rubber hot presses describes the press as heating and pressing rubber into outsoles, with heating temperature, heating time and pressure as the three key process conditions; the best mould-opening point is derived from each material's vulcanisation curve to optimise elasticity and abrasion resistance. Its process runs from cutting colour chips, loading and closing the mould, a plasticisation (induction) stage in which multi-colour rubbers must be combined, vulcanisation at fixed temperature under maintained pressure, then opening, demoulding and trimming. [1]

The pack states that an outsole hot press takes about 2 to 3 minutes to complete the process, that the hydraulic system must hold pressure for a long enough time, and that adding stations raises utilisation. [1]

Editorial calculation: assuming Delta’s approximate 2–3 minute example represents a complete independent station cycle including loading, curing, opening and unloading, repeated without interruption for a 60-minute hour, the theoretical count is 60 ÷ 3 to 60 ÷ 2 = 20–30 cycles/hour. This excludes downtime, rejected cycles and shared-equipment constraints. It is not manufacturer-published output or measured running data; it gives no pairs/hour without the mould cavity and accepted-part count. [1]

Give the supplier the sole compound and its cure curve, mould size and number of cavities, required temperature, time and pressure, number of stations and moulds, mould handling (rolling or sliding in and out), temperature zones, hydraulic or hybrid drive, safety guarding, control system and data needs, and utilities available.

02

Plan stations, temperature control, safety and sole attaching

Delta’s application pack describes configurable 2–8 station lines and 30–60+ temperature-control points viewed through an HMI. Its illustrated architecture shows eight safety light curtains. The point count is not temperature uniformity, and the illustrated curtain count is not a guarding requirement for every press configuration. [1]

US patent 4,363,148 describes a sole-attaching press with a small positioning cylinder and a separate working-force mechanism linked through a locking arrangement. Its illustrated embodiment uses a pneumatically operated diaphragm cylinder and a lever to apply working force after positioning; the inflatable pad in the prior-art discussion is a separate design. This patent does not establish the installed mechanism of the Tenghong machines. [2]

Tenghong lists independent adjustment of vertical and side-wall pressing, a main-cylinder pre-fill arrangement, balancing arms on identified models, and PLC/pressure-sensing options. Its TH-730B capsule example uses an oil-expanded bladder and lists pressure up to 30 kg/cm² as printed. Confirm the force-unit convention and the measurement location; the capsule value is not established as hydraulic pump-line pressure. [3]

03

Read a cure curve before setting the press timer

Marković and co-authors’ 2026 boot-tread-compound study measured cure characteristics to ASTM D2084 using an oscillating-disc rheometer at 160 °C. It describes 300 × 300 mm laboratory rubber plates vulcanised in an electrically heated hydraulic press at 160 °C under about 4 MPa. Those specimen and laboratory conditions do not define a production outsole press cycle. [4]

The study reports scorch time ts2 and optimum cure time tc90, and defines its cure rate index as CRI = 1/(tc90 − ts2). Its Table 1 values are reproduced below. At 5 phr NBR it reports the shortest tc90 and highest ΔM of the listed blends; the authors treat ΔM as an indirect cross-link-density indicator. [4]

The text after Table 1 describes the scorch times at 5 and 15 phr NBR as slower than the control, while Table 1 reports ts2 = 0.83 and 0.93 min respectively versus 0.94 min for the control. Retain the tabulated values and ask the authors to reconcile that wording before using it as a processing conclusion. [4]

Editorial calculation: assuming the study’s approximate 4 MPa means uniform pressure acting over the entire 300 × 300 mm specimen face, the assumed area is 0.09 m² and force is 4 × 10⁶ Pa × 0.09 m² = 360 kN. This is a hypothetical force balance, not a manufacturer rating or measured press force. The paper’s approximate pressure statement does not by itself establish hydraulic-line pressure or the force needed for a different mould. [4]

Obtain the actual compound’s rheometer curve and validate the production mould’s heating, thickness, pressure and demoulding sequence. The laboratory tc90 values and Delta’s approximate 2–3 minute application example have different bases; neither alone sets an accepted production cycle. [4] [1]

04

Connect heated moulds, pressure holding and station controls

05

Record mould force, heating zones and the validated production cycle

06

Send the sole, mould and output data together

Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.

Soles: [compound; single or multi-colour; size range]
Moulds: [size; cavities; quantity]
Process: [temperature; time; pressure; cure curve]
Line: [stations; mould handling]
Controls: [PLC/HMI; temperature zones; data]
Safety: [light curtains; guards]
Attaching (if any): [press type; pad; pressure]
Utilities: [power; hydraulic or hybrid]

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