Automated manufacturing of shoe parts with a pickup tool

A system for manufacturing an article, the system comprising:

• a first manufacturing station;
• a second manufacturing station having a first predetermined location for a first article component and a second predetermined location for a second article component;
• a pickup tool configured to initiate a first pickup force and a second pickup force that is different from the first pickup force, the pickup tool operable for capturing the first article component and the second article component;
• a robotic actuator coupled to the pickup tool and operable to move the pickup tool to reposition the captured first article component and the captured second article component over the first and second predetermined locations at the second manufacturing station, respectively, wherein the pickup tool is further operable to release the first article component and the second article component onto the first and second predetermined locations, respectively;
• and
• a vision system comprising a first camera coupled to a distal end of the pickup tool and a second camera coupled below the second manufacturing station, wherein the first camera and the second camera are operable to capture images of opposite surfaces of the first article component and/or the second article component where the images are relied on to activate the first pickup force.