DEMOULTRAGRIP · Implementation of high grip designing tools

Currently, sole manufacturers design their models to be anti-slip using basic design criteria, often relying on their intuition and previous experience. The problem resides in the lack of design tools that can be used in the conception of footwear, which will make prototyping much cheaper, quicker and more effective in creating an answer to the friction that the shoe will be subjected to when used. Because of this situation, ULTRAGRIP project (FP7-SME-2010-1.262413) has developed guidelines and specific software which can be used as design tools for soles and floorings to optimise their performance in relation to slipping. Two of the main results from ULTRAGRIP project are a slip behaviour predicting software (mathematical model), and guidelines for recommendations on improving products slip resistance.ULTRAGRIP Consortium has the need to carry out demonstration activities in order to ensure that the ULTRAGRIP tools are ready and suitable for exploitation and commercialisation. As a consequence of this situation, the objective of this DEMOULTRAGRIP project is to bridge the gap between the precompetitive tools of ULTRAGRIP and a new version of these tools which can be commercialised.According to this objective, new commercial tools will be put into market. With DEMO-ULTRAGRIP project the footwear SMEs involved will obtain a competitive advantage based on the use of the new design tools to develop high slip resistance products, accelerating the designing-prototyping operation, reducing prototyping and production costs, improving the antislip product properties, and reducing time-to-market. All these aspects will imply the increase of market share and the increase of designers’ qualification