A system for manufacturing shoe parts in an automated manner, the system comprising: a second manufacturing station including a stacking surface at which retrieved shoe parts are situated such that at least a portion of one of the shoe parts overlaps at least a portion of another of the shoe parts at a preset relative position to form a part stack; a second vision system that is configured to determine a position of individual ones of the retrieved shoe parts relative to the stacking surface of the second manufacturing station and to determine a position of the part stack relative to the stacking surface; a second conveyance mechanism having a second pick-up tool associated therewith, wherein the second conveyance mechanism is configured to retrieve the part stack from the stacking surface and to transfer the retrieved part stack to a third manufacturing station, the third manufacturing station including a stitching machine for stitching together at least part of the overlapping portion of the shoe parts included in the part stack, wherein the second vision system is further configured to determine a position of the retrieved part stack relative to the second pick-up tool, and wherein the second conveyance mechanism is configured to position the part stack in position for stitching with respect to a needle associated with the stitching machine; and a shared control system using a processor, which is configured to communicate with computer-storage media, and to synchronize movement of the part stack relative to the stitching machine needle by the second conveyance mechanism with movement of the needle during stitching. a second manufacturing station including a stacking surface at which retrieved shoe parts are situated such that at least a portion of one of the shoe parts overlaps at least a portion of another of the shoe parts at a preset relative position to form a part stack; a second vision system that is configured to determine a position of individual ones of the retrieved shoe parts relative to the stacking surface of the second manufacturing station and to determine a position of the part stack relative to the stacking surface; a second conveyance mechanism having a second pick-up tool associated therewith, wherein the second conveyance mechanism is configured to retrieve the part stack from the stacking surface and to transfer the retrieved part stack to a third manufacturing station, the third manufacturing station including a stitching machine for stitching together at least part of the overlapping portion of the shoe parts included in the part stack, wherein the second vision system is further configured to determine a position of the retrieved part stack relative to the second pick-up tool, and wherein the second conveyance mechanism is configured to position the part stack in position for stitching with respect to a needle associated with the stitching machine; and wherein the second conveyance mechanism is configured to retrieve the part stack from the stacking surface and to transfer the retrieved part stack to a third manufacturing station, the third manufacturing station including a stitching machine for stitching together at least part of the overlapping portion of the shoe parts included in the part stack, wherein the second vision system is further configured to determine a position of the retrieved part stack relative to the second pick-up tool, and wherein the second conveyance mechanism is configured to position the part stack in position for stitching with respect to a needle associated with the stitching machine; and a shared control system using a processor, which is configured to communicate with computer-storage media, and to synchronize movement of the part stack relative to the stitching machine needle by the second conveyance mechanism with movement of the needle during stitching.