Automation in sewing

process/sewing rooms/sewing
departments

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Challenges to the automation in the sewing process-

a. The sewing materials (fabrics, sewing threads & trims) are soft, limpy and
dimensionally unstable. This makes the materials difficult to handle in the sewing room.
Thus, automation is difficult to apply.
b. Requirement to run the commercial sewing machines at the highest working speeds
that are non-compromisable. This further makes the implementation of automation
extremely difficult.
c. Diversified sewing machines and processes to make variety of apparels.
d. Difficult control of thread and fabric interactions or sewing dynamics at very high
machine speeds.
e. Variable raw materials for fabrics and sewing threads necessitates a lot of flexibility in
the automation (that can prove to be quite expensive and complexity).

Types of automation in sewing area-

a. Fixed automation- It is related to the mechanization of a process with rigid
specifications i.e. dedicated application. (automatic utility machines etc.)
b. Programmable automation- Use of CNCT sewing machines.
c. Flexible automation- Programmable/computerized automation; consists of
related operations that can be selected by a change in the machine programs.

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Factors to be considered for automation implementation in a sewing room-
1. Range of products to be produced i.e. extent of product flexibility required.
2. Capital investment in the machines and equipment.
3. Time span or lag between concept or idea of system--- Introduction--- demand period in the
market.

Areas of automation in a sewing room-

1. Driving Mechanisms
2. Profile & contour seaming
3. Process control mechanisms
4. Analysis & regulation of sewing dynamics
5. Automation of stitch making zone
6. Automatic utility machines
7. Use of robots in the sewing room

 Driving Mechanisms- It is dependent on the electric motor drives. The automation in the
driving mechanisms are-
1. Setting up of speed range- The machines can be set for sewing speeds for a particular process
for a predetermined time span. It is done by an electronically controlled solenoid clutch brake
used on the machines.
2. Quick stop motor- Instantaneous stop motor to prevent excessive wear and tear of the
machine parts.
3. Compact inbuilt motor- The motor is mounted on the main shaft of the sewing machine to
achieve a noiseless, heat less and direct drive to the working elements of the machine. It also
makes the machine design compact.
4. In robotic assemblies, use of hydraulic and pneumatic drives.
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 Profile & contour seaming (shape forming & providing special 3D shapes)-
a. Programmable seamers- In this, smaller work pieces are moved relative to the machine
head. The sewing head is positively positioned relative to the work piece and remains
static throughout the process. NC machines are mainly used. This area of automation is
applicable for collars, cuffs and pocket attachment or other smaller components as
ruffles. It is also known as part placement and seaming.
b. Automatic edge followers- It is based on the principle of “fabric edge sensing”.
Positioning of the machine head w.r.t. the work piece. Use of photo-electric edge
sensors and a sewing head positioner (Union special jet sew) & Photo-electrical edge
sensor and a work clamp positioner (Rimoldi Contour seamer)
Contour – edges/ boundary/ outlines

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  Process control tools- Use of actuators for the implementation of the control
commands onto the process. The various types of control tools include-
•Pneumatic process control- It is used for the fabric clamping and fabric handling from one
workstation to the other (button attaching, button hole making, bar tack etc.).
•Hydraulic process control- Used for fabric feeding for semi-automatic short length sewing
units.
•Electronic process control- Used for the fabric edge sensing and needle positioning.
•Electrical process control- Switching circuits On/Off.
•Fluidic process control- Heavy weight fabric sensing on the machines.
•Use of skipped stitch detection system & Online seam Inspection system (Real time seam
Inspection).
Stitch skipping is detected during sewing. This helps to lighten the operator's inspection work load and
also prevents defective products from being shipped. In the case where a skipped stitch is detected, the
buzzer sounds, the red lamp lights up and the sewing machine stops. With this function, the operator is
allowed to concentrate on sewing work without worrying about skipped stitching.
Apparels are subjected to visual examination to detect sewing defects after making of the garments which
results in higher rejection, time, cost etc. Sewing defects must be detected early i.e during sewing itself
and accurately to overcome above quality issues. Apparels are mostly sewn with lock stitch in straight and
curve directions, with different colours and stitches per inch. Common defects such as skipped stitch,
missed stitch, or loose stitch occurring in lockstitch are detected and marked. Using image processing
methods, the stitch path is followed by capturing digital images of stich lines in lock stitch sewing
machine and processed through PYTHON software to detect the sewing defects and subsequently stop the
machine during sewing.

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 Analysis & regulation of sewing dynamics- It is the analysis of the interactions between the
following-
a. Thread- Machine parts
b. Thread- fabric
c. Needle- fabric
d. Fabric-machine parts
e. Thread-thread
The different sewing dynamics include-
1. Needle thread tension measurement (use of strain gauges, photographic methods etc.)
2. Needle temperature measurement techniques (use of pyrometry, thermocouples, Thermocameras,
Thermochromic materials etc.)
3. Needle forces and pressure measurement (use of piezoelectric transducers as Quartz & LZT etc.)
4. Presser foot pressure measurement & its regulation (LVDT- Linear Variable Differential
Transformer etc.)
5. Feed dog impact and fabric resistance (use of pressure sensors etc.)
6. Needle & presser foot deflection (Use of LVDT etc.)- It is the measurement of the needle
deflection from its erect position. The similar effect is seen for the presser foot also at very high
working speeds.

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 Automation of stitch making zone-
The following are used in the sewing zone- The buzzer sounds and the
a. Use of multipurpose presser foot green lamp lights up when
b. Bobbin change magazine the amount of thread
remaining on the bobbin
c. Bobbin thread remaining detector- reaches a predetermined
d. Use of PLCs with sewing machines length. It is also possible to
e. Vibration control mechanism stop the sewing machine at
The vibration on the bed caused by the rotation of this point. With this
the upper shaft and the vertical reciprocating motion function, the operator is
of the needle bar, etc.; without reducing the mechanical allowed to concentrate on
strength of the sewing machine and incorporating a sewing work without caring
complicated design, An object of the present invention about the amount of thread
is to provide a vibration control device for a sewing remaining on the bobbin.
machine that can actively reduce the vibrations of the
sewing machine.
PLCs- Programmable logic controllers
Damping mechanism

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 Use of utility sewing machines-
The sewing machines that are used for some specific task for garment assembly process is
termed as a utility sewing machine. Some of the commonly used automatic utility sewing
machines are-
a. Automatic button attaching machine
b. Automatic button hole making machine
c. Bar tacking
d. Blind stitching machine
e. Label sewer
f. Elastic attaching machines
g. Smocking & Pin tuck machines
h. Picoting etc.

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 Use of Robots in the sewing room-
The following are used in the sewing zone-
a. Robots are used in material handling between the sewing processes.
b. Sewing robots as “SEWBOTS”– Robotic sewing- It is the advanced technology that employs a
combination of high-speed computer vision and lightweight robotics to steer fabric to and through the
needle with greater speed and accuracy than humans. It has been commercially deployed in the automated
production of rugs, bath mats, automotive products, medical products, pillows, towels and 3D composites.
The fabrics are fed by drenching them in liquid polymers, they could be turned into thermoplastic
composites and treated like hard materials. And robots need hard materials. The machine sews through the
stiffened fabric to produce a perfectly finished product. Afterwards, the polymers can be easily washed off
with water, no detergent necessary. There are, however, some limitations. Since the material needs to be
completely wet, certain fabrics such as wools or leather are out of the question. But overall, even dry-
clean-only goods like silks can go through the process.

https://www.fastcompany.com/3067149/is-this-sewing-robot-the-future-of-fashion 10
https://sastrarobotics.com/ultrasonic-sewing-robots-transform-clothing-industry/
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