Footwear assembly method with 3D printing

A method of three-dimensional printing onto a footwear portion of an article of footwear, comprising:

• positioning a footwear portion on a holder in a three-dimensional printing system to provide a printing substrate for printing at least a portion of a sole structure of an article of footwear that comprises the footwear portion;
• printing at least one three-dimensional material directly onto the printing substrate based on at least one first three-dimensional pattern, wherein the printing of the at least one three-dimensional material onto the printing substrate comprises printing a first layer of a first three-dimensional material of the at least one three-dimensional material onto the printing substrate while the footwear portion is positioned on the holder in the three-dimensional printing system such that the first layer extends above the printing substrate with a first thickness;
• and
• removing the footwear portion from the holder,
• wherein the printing substrate comprises a surface with an irregular surface topology, and wherein printing the first layer comprises compensating for the irregular surface topology by adjusting a distance between a printhead that ejects the at least one three-dimensional material and the printing substrate.

A method of fabricating an article of footwear, comprising:

• positioning a sole structure of an article of footwear on a holder in a three-dimensional printing system to provide a printing substrate, wherein the sole structure comprises a midsole that comprises the printing substrate;
• printing an outsole of the sole structure directly onto the midsole;
• and
• removing the sole structure from the holder,
• wherein the outsole is printed onto the midsole to form a wear-resistant material that is textured to impart traction and provide durability to the sole structure, and wherein printing the outsole comprises:
• printing a first layer of a first three-dimensional material onto the printing substrate based on a first three-dimensional pattern while the sole structure is positioned on the holder in the three-dimensional printing system such that the first layer extends above the printing substrate with a first thickness and such that the first layer has a first width;
• printing a second layer of a second three-dimensional material onto the first layer of the first three-dimensional material based on a second three-dimensional pattern while the sole structure is positioned on the holder in the three-dimensional printing system such that the second layer extends above the first layer with a second thickness that is equal to or less than the first thickness and such that the second layer has a second width that is less than the first width;
• and
• curing the first layer and the second layer,
• wherein the printing substrate comprises a surface with an irregular surface topology, and wherein each of printing the first layer and printing the second layer comprises compensating for the irregular surface topology by adjusting a distance between the printing substrate and a printhead that ejects the first three-dimensional material and the second three-dimensional material.