Breakthrough As Robot Used to Sew Article of Clothing

Robotics  

A Seattle-based startup has announced that it has used an industrial robot to sew together a T-shirt, achieving the long-sought goal of automation for garment production. Sewbo’s technology may allow manufacturers to create higher-quality clothing at lower costs.

Sewbo Inc., a Seattle-based startup has announced that it has achieved the long-sought goal of automated sewing, by using an industrial robot to sew together a T-shirt. This milestone represents the first time that such a robot has been used to sew an entire article of clothing.

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The technology, once more fully developed could spell the end of the Asian sweat shop, according to some. More than two-thirds of Southeast Asia's 9.2 million textile and footwear jobs are threatened by automation technologies like Sewbo's. Eighty-eight percent of those jobs are in Cambodia, 86 percent in Vietnam and 64 percent in Indonesia.

"Our technology will allow manufacturers to create higher-quality clothing at lower costs in less time than ever before."

Despite widespread use in other industries, automation has failed to find a place in clothing and apparel manufacturing due to robots’ inability to handle limp, flexible fabrics.

Sewbo has overcome these obstacles by temporarily stiffening fabrics, making it easy for conventional robots to build clothes as if they were made from sheet metal. Afterwards, the process is reversed to produce soft, fully assembled garments.

“Our technology will allow manufacturers to create higher-quality clothing at lower costs in less time than ever before,” said Jonathan Zornow, the technology’s inventor. “Avoiding labor issues and shortening supply chains will help reduce the complexity and headaches surrounding today’s intricate global supply network. And digital manufacturing will revolutionize fashion, even down to how we buy our clothes by allowing easy and affordable customization for everyone.”

Sewbo performed their breakthough using an off-the-shelf industrial robot, which they taught to operate a consumer sewing machine. Having successfully proved its core concept, Sewbo is now expanding its team and working towards fully commercializing its technology.

SOURCE  Sewbo

By  33rd Square

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