A molding system (100, 200, 300, 400) for manufacturing a sole component from foam beads, said molding system (100, 200, 300, 400) comprising: at least three mold parts adapted to cooperatively define a mold cavity shaped to correspond to a shape of the sole component, the at least three mold parts configured to reposition from a bead loading position to a bead joining position, wherein the at least three mold parts define the mold cavity in the bead joining position; the at least three mold parts including a movable mold part (104, 304), a first mold part, and a second mold part, the movable mold part (104, 304), the first mold part, and the second mold part adapted to define at least a portion of the mold cavity, the movable mold part (104, 304) being movable automatically relative to the first mold part from a biased position to an unbiased position, the movable mold part (104, 304) being in the biased position in the bead loading position of the at least three mold parts, the movable mold part (104, 304) being movable to the unbiased position to align with the first mold part in the bead joining position; wherein the first mold part and the second mold part are movable from the bead loading position to the bead joining position by a joining distance, and wherein the movable mold part (104, 304) is movable from the bead loading position to the bead joining position by a bias distance that is less than the joining distance; wherein the first mold part includes a first surface and the second mold part includes a second surface opposing the first surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are displaced relative to each other by the joining distance from the bead loading position to the bead joining position, wherein the movable mold part (104, 304) includes a movable surface that opposes the second surface; wherein the movable surface and the second surface are displaced relative to each other by an operative distance from the bead loading position to the bead joining position; and characterized in that the movable mold part (104, 304) is biased toward a bias position by a spring, and wherein the second mold part is constructed to contact a portion of the movable mold part (104, 304) at an intermediate position between the bead loading position and the bead joining position, and wherein a displacement between the intermediate position and the bead joining position corresponds to the bias distance and is substantially equal to a displacement of the movable mold part (104, 304) from the biased position to the unbiased position. at least three mold parts adapted to cooperatively define a mold cavity shaped to correspond to a shape of the sole component, the at least three mold parts configured to reposition from a bead loading position to a bead joining position, wherein the at least three mold parts define the mold cavity in the bead joining position; the at least three mold parts including a movable mold part (104, 304), a first mold part, and a second mold part, the movable mold part (104, 304), the first mold part, and the second mold part adapted to define at least a portion of the mold cavity, the movable mold part (104, 304) being movable automatically relative to the first mold part from a biased position to an unbiased position, the movable mold part (104, 304) being in the biased position in the bead loading position of the at least three mold parts, the movable mold part (104, 304) being movable to the unbiased position to align with the first mold part in the bead joining position; wherein the first mold part and the second mold part are movable from the bead loading position to the bead joining position by a joining distance, and wherein the movable mold part (104, 304) is movable from the bead loading position to the bead joining position by a bias distance that is less than the joining distance; wherein the first mold part includes a first surface and the second mold part includes a second surface opposing the first surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are displaced relative to each other by the joining distance from the bead loading position to the bead joining position, wherein the movable mold part (104, 304) includes a movable surface that opposes the second surface; wherein the movable surface and the second surface are displaced relative to each other by an operative distance from the bead loading position to the bead joining position; and characterized in that the movable mold part (104, 304) is biased toward a bias position by a spring, and wherein the second mold part is constructed to contact a portion of the movable mold part (104, 304) at an intermediate position between the bead loading position and the bead joining position, and wherein a displacement between the intermediate position and the bead joining position corresponds to the bias distance and is substantially equal to a displacement of the movable mold part (104, 304) from the biased position to the unbiased position.