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.

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, a support, and a mechanism for rotating the support. The spool receives a length of embroidery material and dispenses the material as it rotates about a first axis of rotation. The support is rotatably attached to both the attachment portion and to the spool. The support includes a sewing guide with an opening for a needle of the sewing machine and a dispensing guide near the spool for guiding the embroidery material from the spool to the sewing guide. The mechanism rotates the support about a second axis of rotation that is parallel to the first axis of rotation.

An exemplary embroidery accessory for a sewing machine includes a spool, a support, and a mechanism for rotating the support. The spool receives a length of embroidery material and dispenses the material as it rotates about a first axis of rotation. The support is rotatably attached to both the attachment portion and to the spool. The support includes a sewing guide with an opening for a needle of the sewing machine and a dispensing guide near the spool for guiding the embroidery material from the spool to the sewing guide. The mechanism rotates the support about a second axis of rotation that is parallel to the first axis of rotation.

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.

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.

A machine for manufacturing boxers starting from a first and a second tubular fabric includes a separating station configured for separating a fabric element from the second tubular fabric. The machine includes a handling station configured for defining an operating configuration in which the first tubular fabric defines an operating area, and a moving device configured for placing the fabric element inside the operating area. The machine further comprises a sewing station configured for receiving the incoming tubular fabric and the fabric element placed in the operating area and for sewing longitudinal edges the fabric element to edge segments of an end of the first tubular fabric so as to obtain a boxer.

A machine for manufacturing boxers starting from a first and a second tubular fabric includes a separating station configured for separating a fabric element from the second tubular fabric. The machine includes a handling station configured for defining an operating configuration in which the first tubular fabric defines an operating area, and a moving device configured for placing the fabric element inside the operating area. The machine further comprises a sewing station configured for receiving the incoming tubular fabric and the fabric element placed in the operating area and for sewing longitudinal edges the fabric element to edge segments of an end of the first tubular fabric so as to obtain a boxer.

A cloth clamping device includes a clamping mechanism that comes into contact with a cloth and an up-and-down movement mechanism that moves the clamping mechanism up and down. The clamping mechanism includes a support portion, a leg portion, a foot portion, and a clamping portion. The clamping portion has a leading end portion facing the foot portion in a sideway direction and a base end portion being pivotally supported by the support portion. When the leg portion is lowered with respect to the support portion, the leading end portion pivots downward and is positioned in a sideway direction with respect to the foot portion, and when the leg portion is raised with respect to the support portion, the clamping portion comes into contact with the upper surface of the cloth and the leading end portion is positioned above the foot portion, and the clamping mechanism draw up the cloth.