Abstract: The present disclosure is related to articles for use in footwear and other applications, and associated systems and methods. Certain embodiments relate to methods for producing articles, such depositing a fiber onto a last to form non-woven materials. The fiber may be, for example, a pre-formed fiber, or a fiber that includes a reaction product of a composition extruded from one or more nozzles. In some embodiments, a method may comprise using one or more nozzles to deposit a fiber to form a non-woven material and to 3D-print one or more features onto the non-woven material. In some cases, articles may be formed that include fewer than five pieces of material. In some embodiments, an article may include a non-woven material that comprises thermoset fibers. In addition, some embodiments relate to lasts that may be suited to forming non-woven materials.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the printing of materials, using 3-dimensional printing and other printing techniques, including the use of one or more mixing nozzles, and/or multi-axis control over the translation and/or rotation of the print head or the substrate onto which materials are printed. In some embodiments, a material may be prepared by extruding material through print head comprising a nozzle, such as a microfluidic printing nozzle, which may be used to mix materials within the nozzle and direct the resulting product onto a substrate. The print head and/or the substrate may be configured to be translated and/or rotated, for example, using a computer or other controller, in order to control the deposition of material onto the substrate.