An assistance system that can be used for prosthetic heart valve manufacturing or suturing procedures includes an automated fixture that can comprise an articulation arm and a target device holder. The target device holder can be positioned and oriented to reduce operator strain during a manufacturing or inspection process. The assistance system includes a user input device enabling the operator to move between positions to assist in such processes. The assistance system can also be trained by capturing sequences of position data corresponding to a manufacturing or inspection process.

According to the sewing system of the present embodiment, the sewing machine and the robot arm are fixedly supported at the fixed positions by the base. Therefore, when a target position of the robot arm for the sewing operation is set once, a relative positional relation between the robot arm and the sewing machine is kept by the base even though the sewing system is entirely moved. Therefore, it is not necessary to again perform a setting operation of the target position for the sewing operation, so that the burdens on the teaching operation and the other setting operations are reduced.

According to the sewing system of the present embodiment, the sewing machine and the robot arm are fixedly supported at the fixed positions by the base. Therefore, when a target position of the robot arm for the sewing operation is set once, a relative positional relation between the robot arm and the sewing machine is kept by the base even though the sewing system is entirely moved. Therefore, it is not necessary to again perform a setting operation of the target position for the sewing operation, so that the burdens on the teaching operation and the other setting operations are reduced.

A method and apparatus for automated assisted generation, by a user, of a digitized border pattern for a border zone of a fabric article, and automated assisted sewing of the digitized border pattern, the border pattern incorporating a plurality of border pattern segments having one or more pattern lines, the actuator displaying the border zone to the user, presenting available digitized border pattern segments to the user for selection, positioning, orienting, scaling, and selective interconnecting, by the user through interaction with the actuator, for integration of the selected border pattern segments into the digitized border pattern.

A method and apparatus for automated assisted generation, by a user, of a digitized border pattern for a border zone of a fabric article, and automated assisted sewing of the digitized border pattern, the border pattern incorporating a plurality of border pattern segments having one or more pattern lines, the actuator displaying the border zone to the user, presenting available digitized border pattern segments to the user for selection, positioning, orienting, scaling, and selective interconnecting, by the user through interaction with the actuator, for integration of the selected border pattern segments into the digitized border pattern.

Described is a method for using an embroidery machine or sewing machine to form shapes in, and extract shapes from, a sheet of material. A needle-based machine uses its needle to generate a series of perforations to cut out or assist in the separation of the shapes. Stitching facilitates operation of the machine. Preferably, perforations are made with a computer-controlled machine using instructions generated from or available in an electronic file.

Described is a method for using an embroidery machine or sewing machine to form shapes in, and extract shapes from, a sheet of material. A needle-based machine uses its needle to generate a series of perforations to cut out or assist in the separation of the shapes. Stitching facilitates operation of the machine. Preferably, perforations are made with a computer-controlled machine using instructions generated from or available in an electronic file.

The present invention provides a sewing machine enabling to sew a high-quality pattern without using an embroidery frame. In a sewing machine 1, a pattern is sewn while a fabric 100 is fed in a sewing direction by a feed dog 2a. The sewing machine 1 has a fabric guide 14. The fabric guide 14 has a guide portion 16 which extends straight in a sewing direction to serve as a basis of a cloth feed in an amplitude direction of the needle. The carriage 10 makes the fabric guide 14 slide in the amplitude direction of the needle by a predetermined distance. Thus, the guide portion 16 serves as an index of the position of the fabric 100 to be located for sewing the next pattern line. Since the fabric 100 can be accurately located for sewing the next pattern line, high-quality pattern can be sewn.

An assistance system that can be used for prosthetic heart valve manufacturing or suturing procedures includes an automated fixture that can comprise an articulation arm and a target device holder. The target device holder can be positioned and oriented to reduce operator strain during a manufacturing or inspection process. The assistance system includes a user input device enabling the operator to move between positions to assist in such processes. The assistance system can also be trained by capturing sequences of position data corresponding to a manufacturing or inspection process.

An assistance system that can be used for prosthetic heart valve manufacturing or suturing procedures includes an automated fixture that can comprise an articulation arm and a target device holder. The target device holder can be positioned and oriented to reduce operator strain during a manufacturing or inspection process. The assistance system includes a user input device enabling the operator to move between positions to assist in such processes. The assistance system can also be trained by capturing sequences of position data corresponding to a manufacturing or inspection process.