| Compression Mould | Two-part or multi-part aluminium mould with a defined cavity, venting system, locking structure, and replaceable wear components. | Pre-expanded EVA pellets or compound sheets. The material is placed in the cavity, heated, compressed, and allowed to expand and cross-link. | Casual shoe soles, slippers, sandals, midsoles, and lightweight footwear components. | Control cavity dimensions, mould temperature, closing pressure, expansion ratio, curing time, and batch-to-batch weight. | Uniform cell structure, stable dimensions, complete filling, clean parting line, consistent hardness, and low permanent compression set. | Confirm the target density, hardness scale, shrinkage allowance, colour requirements, and expected production volume before tool design. |
| Injection Mould | Precision mould with sprue or runner system, injection gates, cooling channels, vents, ejectors, and accurate cavity alignment. | EVA pellets or formulated compounds designed for injection moulding and chemical or physical foaming. | Direct-injection soles, sports footwear components, children’s footwear, and high-volume molded parts. | Control melt temperature, injection pressure, filling speed, cooling time, shot weight, gate balance, and flash removal. | Repeatable dimensions, balanced filling, minimal weld lines, low flash, consistent surface texture, and reliable demoulding. | Best suited to repeat orders and higher volumes. Buyers should evaluate machine compatibility, cycle time, tooling maintenance, and spare-part availability. |
| Rotary Mould | Multiple mould stations mounted on a rotating table, commonly using interchangeable aluminium cavities and synchronized heating or cooling positions. | EVA compounds processed through repeated heating, compression, expansion, and cooling cycles. | Large-volume production of slippers, sandals, midsoles, and simple multi-size footwear parts. | Control station temperature balance, rotation timing, pressure, mould alignment, cooling efficiency, and cycle synchronization. | Stable output across stations, even expansion, accurate weight, consistent colour, controlled shrinkage, and low production variation. | Useful for high throughput, but buyers should request station-to-station consistency data and confirm the tooling system’s size-change procedure. |
| Two-Colour or Multi-Colour Mould | Two-stage or multi-stage cavity system with separate material paths, positioning features, and controlled interfaces between colours or compounds. | Compatible EVA compounds with matched processing windows, pigmentation, and expansion behaviour. | Colour-blocked soles, patterned sandals, decorative midsoles, and products requiring integrated visual design. | Control colour separation, material compatibility, cavity registration, filling sequence, temperature, and interface bonding. | Sharp colour boundaries, strong interfacial adhesion, no colour bleeding, no voids at the joint, and uniform expansion in each zone. | Approve physical samples before mass production. Verify whether colour changes require cavity cleaning, purging, or separate material preparation. |
| High-Pressure Precision Mould | Rigid, high-accuracy mould structure with engineered vents, precision locating features, and enhanced resistance to deformation under pressure. | Fine-cell EVA formulations and higher-performance compounds requiring tighter process control. | Sports midsoles, ergonomic footbeds, lightweight cushioning parts, and footwear requiring a controlled profile. | Control cavity tolerances, pressure uniformity, venting, material dosage, cure profile, and dimensional inspection using calibrated equipment. | Accurate geometry, controlled rebound, stable density distribution, smooth surface, reduced sink marks, and repeatable cushioning performance. | Higher tooling cost may be justified when performance, visual quality, and dimensional repeatability are more important than the lowest initial price. |
| Open-Cell or Foam-Structure Mould | Cavity and vent design optimized for controlled foam formation, gas release, and surface finish; mould rigidity must match the expansion pressure. | Foamable EVA formulations with controlled blowing-agent content and cross-linking behaviour. | Soft footbeds, cushioning inserts, comfort soles, and low-density footwear components. | Control blowing-agent dispersion, expansion ratio, cell formation, mould temperature, pressure release, and post-mould stabilization. | Fine and even cells, low void content, consistent softness, adequate tear strength, low odour, and stable recovery after compression. | Specify comfort targets using measurable hardness, density, rebound, compression-set, and thickness-recovery requirements rather than “soft” alone. |
| Microcellular EVA Mould | High-precision cavity with carefully positioned vents and a surface finish selected to preserve fine foam texture and product geometry. | Fine-cell EVA compounds designed for lightweight cushioning and controlled expansion. | Performance midsoles, running-shoe components, lightweight sandals, and shock-absorbing footbeds. | Control density profile, expansion uniformity, mould temperature, cure time, rebound, compression set, and dimensional recovery. | Fine uniform cells, low weight, good resilience, stable thickness, consistent hardness, and resistance to fatigue during repeated compression. | Ask for test results from the intended production batch and define acceptable tolerances for density, hardness, weight, and dimensional change. |
| Textured or Patterned Sole Mould | Engraved or CNC-machined cavity containing tread, logo-free decorative geometry, grip patterns, and controlled draft angles for demoulding. | EVA compounds capable of reproducing fine surface details without excessive sticking or flash. | Outsoles, beach sandals, slippers, casual footwear, and products requiring visual texture or additional traction. | Control engraving depth, draft angle, vent locations, cavity surface finish, demoulding force, and wear of high-contact tread areas. | Sharp pattern definition, even tread depth, clean edges, adequate slip resistance, low flash, and minimal surface damage during release. | Review a physical texture sample. Deep or narrow patterns may increase filling difficulty, cleaning requirements, and mould-maintenance frequency. |
| Mould with Replaceable Inserts | Main mould base with removable size blocks, heel inserts, toe inserts, tread plates, or decorative cavity components. | Standard EVA compounds or multiple formulations used across different sizes, colours, or product versions. | Product families with several sizes, seasonal designs, interchangeable tread patterns, and controlled customization. | Control insert fit, locating repeatability, joint gaps, fastener security, surface matching, and replacement-part tolerances. | Consistent alignment, minimal witness lines, accurate size grading, low downtime, and repeatable surface appearance after insert changes. | Suitable when product variants are frequent. Confirm insert interchangeability, spare-part lead time, storage method, and identification markings. |
| Prototype or Rapid-Tooling Mould | Single-cavity or low-cavity tool made by CNC machining, additive manufacturing, or other short-lead methods, usually with simplified cooling and tooling features. | Small-batch EVA compounds, sample-grade formulations, or materials close to the planned production compound. | Fit samples, market testing, design validation, pilot runs, and engineering trials. | Control prototype-to-production dimensional correlation, material equivalence, sample traceability, and design-change documentation. | Representative geometry, repeatable sample weight, accurate fit, acceptable surface detail, and clear identification of prototype limitations. | Use prototype tools for validation, not as automatic evidence of full production capability. Reconfirm shrinkage and process settings with the final tool. |
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