An addition to additive manufacturing sews a number of printed substrate sheets together using industrial sewing machine technology. Portions of the final 3D object that will be solid are sewn together into bundles of the object with a needle protruding through the top of the bundle via a sewing machine with a looping mechanism connecting the thread loops under each bundle of printed substrate sheet layers. This will result in many well connected stack bundles that are then stacked in alignment to form the final stack. During heat and compression, the stitch thread may bunch together and become entangled with the cooled plastic of the final solid 3D object. Removal of the excess substrate may proceed as usual, since the sewing is applied only in the solid portions of the final object. The end result will be a part with much higher strength in the Z axis.

A device configured to manufacture a layered weighted yarn includes a formation channel configured to receive a first material and a second material; and a sewing machine including at least one needle, the sewing machine configured to sew a seam on the first material. The formation channel being further configured to receive the first material and form the first material into an outer tube; receive the second material and insert the second material into the outer tube; locate the first material in a position to be sewn by the sewing machine to form the seam on the outer tube; and discharge the outer tube including the first material and the second material inserted into the outer tube as a layered weighted yarn.

A device configured to manufacture a layered weighted yarn includes a formation channel configured to receive a first material and a second material; and a sewing machine including at least one needle, the sewing machine configured to sew a seam on the first material. The formation channel being further configured to receive the first material and form the first material into an outer tube; receive the second material and insert the second material into the outer tube; locate the first material in a position to be sewn by the sewing machine to form the seam on the outer tube; and discharge the outer tube including the first material and the second material inserted into the outer tube as a layered weighted yarn.

Due to rapid advancement in computing technology of both hardware and software, the labor intensive sewing process has been transformed into a technology-intensive automated process. During an automated process, processing of a work piece can be visually monitored using a sensor system. Data gathered from the sensor system can be used to infer the condition and/or position of the work piece in the work area using, e.g., models of a sensor profile. Evaluation can be carried out before processing begins, during processing and/or after processing of the work piece. Examples of systems and methods are described that provide for initially and successively matching the model of the expected shape for a product work piece to a set of sensor readings of the work piece in order to determine the position of the work piece and support a variety of useful features.

A system that can be used for suturing implants includes a first automated fixture that can comprise an articulation arm and a target device holder and a second automated fixture configured to operate as a sewing machine to sew material onto the implant. The second automated fixture uses a curved needle to form a stitch without having to release the needle in the process. The second automated fixture can also include a stitch looper that moves in coordination with the curved needle to perform a single-suture or single-thread stitch.

Sewing machine with a sewing machine housing (2) comprising a lower housing part (3), an upper housing part (4) with a sewing head (6) and a stand (5), which connects the lower housing part (3) to the upper housing part (4), wherein the upper housing part (4) comprises a stand-side arm housing section (7), a head-side arm housing section (8) and a joint (23), wherein the joint (23) is arranged in such a manner that the head-side arm housing section (8) can be swiveled between a preparation position for the picking up/delivering of a sewing material and a sewing position for sewing the sewing material.

Felting assembly for a sewing machine. In some embodiments, a felting assembly may include a felting needle clamp including one or more felting needles. The felting assembly may also include a needle plate defining one or more needle openings arranged to allow the one or more felting needles to reciprocate therethrough. The needle plate may be configured to be attached to a sewing machine over a rotary hook of the sewing machine. The felting assembly may also include a connector configured to attach the felting needle clamp to a needle bar of the sewing machine such that the felting needle clamp is offset from the rotary hook of the sewing machine to avoid the one or more felting needles from contacting the rotary hook when the one or more felting needles are reciprocated through the one or more needle openings in the needle plate.

Felting assembly for a sewing machine. In some embodiments, a felting assembly may include a felting needle clamp including one or more felting needles. The felting assembly may also include a needle plate defining one or more needle openings arranged to allow the one or more felting needles to reciprocate therethrough. The needle plate may be configured to be attached to a sewing machine over a rotary hook of the sewing machine. The felting assembly may also include a connector configured to attach the felting needle clamp to a needle bar of the sewing machine such that the felting needle clamp is offset from the rotary hook of the sewing machine to avoid the one or more felting needles from contacting the rotary hook when the one or more felting needles are reciprocated through the one or more needle openings in the needle plate.

There is described a method of establishing an electrical connection through a flexible planar material. The method involves attaching an intermediate coupling element to the flexible planar material so as to align an aperture defined by the intermediate coupling element with a hole through the flexible planar material, and coupling an electrical connector to the intermediate coupling element so as to permit electrical connection through the flexible planar material. In this way, the intermediate coupling element can be attached to the garment during the garment manufacture process, and subsequently the electrical connector can be coupled to the intermediate coupling element separately from the main garment manufacture.

There is described a method of establishing an electrical connection through a flexible planar material. The method involves attaching an intermediate coupling element to the flexible planar material so as to align an aperture defined by the intermediate coupling element with a hole through the flexible planar material, and coupling an electrical connector to the intermediate coupling element so as to permit electrical connection through the flexible planar material. In this way, the intermediate coupling element can be attached to the garment during the garment manufacture process, and subsequently the electrical connector can be coupled to the intermediate coupling element separately from the main garment manufacture.