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. <EOS>