Aspects hereof relate to a multi-frame manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing articles from non-rigid materials and methods for manufacturing articles utilizing a multi-frame manufacturing apparatus. The multi-frame manufacturing apparatus includes a plurality of discrete frames, each frame including a movement mechanism that enables it to move between sequentially arranged processing stations. Each movement mechanism permits substantially horizontal movement forward and backward. The movement mechanism for at least one of the frames permits substantially vertical movement both up and down. Actuation of the movement mechanisms for at least two frames may permit the frames to switch their relative positions. Each frame additionally includes at least one gripping mechanism for temporarily securing non-rigid material in place on the framed for processing.

An automatic loading and unloading device includes a frame, an unloading unit, a receiving unit and a receiving link unit. The frame defines a processing area, an unloading area and a receiving area. The unloading unit includes an unloading slide rail, and an unloading drive group movably disposed on the unloading slide rail for driving at least one plate to move from the processing area to the unloading area. The receiving unit includes a receiving slide rail, and a receiving lift group movably disposed on the receiving slide rail for driving the at least one plate to move from the unloading area to the receiving area. The receiving link unit interconnects the unloading drive group and the receiving lift group.

An automatic loading and unloading device includes a frame, an unloading unit, a receiving unit and a receiving link unit. The frame defines a processing area, an unloading area and a receiving area. The unloading unit includes an unloading slide rail, and an unloading drive group movably disposed on the unloading slide rail for driving at least one plate to move from the processing area to the unloading area. The receiving unit includes a receiving slide rail, and a receiving lift group movably disposed on the receiving slide rail for driving the at least one plate to move from the unloading area to the receiving area. The receiving link unit interconnects the unloading drive group and the receiving lift group.

The present disclosure relates to a device for automatically binding two or more printed textile panels along a lateral edge of said panels and/or binding a printed textile panel or panels with a flexible material strip along a lateral edge of said panel or panels, said device comprising a sewing head, a puller for pulling the printed textile panel or panels into the sewing head, and a gripper holding system comprising a plurality of grippers for gripping a portion of a lateral edge of the printed textile panel or panels to maintain alignment as the printed textile panel or panels are pulled into said puller.

The present disclosure relates to a device for automatically binding two or more printed textile panels along a lateral edge of said panels and/or binding a printed textile panel or panels with a flexible material strip along a lateral edge of said panel or panels, said device comprising a sewing head, a puller for pulling the printed textile panel or panels into the sewing head, and a gripper holding system comprising a plurality of grippers for gripping a portion of a lateral edge of the printed textile panel or panels to maintain alignment as the printed textile panel or panels are pulled into said puller.

A pick-up device picking up stacked sheet-shaped workpieces from the top, the device includes a nozzle mechanism that includes a pick-up nozzle pulling up a first workpiece from the top of the stacked workpieces by air blowing, and a holding mechanism that holds the first workpiece from the top. The pick-up nozzle includes a ventilation groove provided on a bottom surface opposite to an upper surface of the first workpiece from the top and passing through to an air blowing side end part of the bottom surface, and a nozzle port blowing air toward the air blowing side end part of the bottom surface along the inside of the ventilation groove, and the air blowing side end part of a groove inner bottom surface of the ventilation groove is formed in a shape directed in a direction of being separated from the workpiece.

Various examples are provided related to attachment of tape or strips of material along a seam of a garment or other material. In one example, among others, a robotic system includes a joining device that can attach a tape or strip of material across a seam, a loading system that can position material with the seam for attachment of the tape or strip of material, a seam feed system that can adjust positioning of the material for attachment, and a tape handling system that can supply the tape or strip of material to the joining head of the joining device for attachment across the seam. A tape handling system can include a tape joining assembly that can receive tape or strip of material from a current tape cartridge and bond it to the tape or strip of material clamped by the tape joining assembly.

An exemplary embroidery accessory for a sewing machine includes a spool that is rotatable around a first vertical axis, a support rotatably attached to the sewing machine and to the spool, a sewing guide, and a mechanism for rotating the support around a second vertical axis of rotation. The spool receives and dispenses a length of embroidery material and is supported above a sewing bed of the sewing machine by the support. The sewing guide has a needle opening configured to receive a needle of the sewing machine and to guide the embroidery material toward the needle.

An exemplary embroidery accessory for a sewing machine includes a spool that is rotatable around a first vertical axis, a support rotatably attached to the sewing machine and to the spool, a sewing guide, and a mechanism for rotating the support around a second vertical axis of rotation. The spool receives and dispenses a length of embroidery material and is supported above a sewing bed of the sewing machine by the support. The sewing guide has a needle opening configured to receive a needle of the sewing machine and to guide the embroidery material toward the needle.

Various examples are provided related to processing and handling of products. In one example, among others, a material product holding system includes a product holding assembly and a structure supporting the product holding assembly, the structure coupled to the positioning assembly. The product holding assembly can include support arms and a positioning assembly that can adjust positioning of the support arms with respect to each other to engage with at least a portion of a product supported by the support arms. In another example, a method include engaging support arms with a surface of at least a portion of a product, the support arms tensioning the product, positioning the support arms to load the product on a workstation, contracting the support arms to remove the tension, processing the product, re-engaging the support arms after completion of the processing, and unloading the product from the workstation.