Gerber Garment Technology, Inc.

Gerber Technology, Inc.

Robert J Pomerleau

Joseph R Vivirito

Ivan Markowitz

Zdenek Zeman

Theodore J Busky

Roy McDougall

A method and apparatus for cutting sheet material allows multiple layups of sheet material to be cut in side-by-side or stacked relationship on the cutting table of a computer controlled cutting machine. A different marker or array of pattern pieces can be cut from each of the stacked layups. Also, for certain layups, whether stacked or not, markers are located with reference to the centerline of the layup to insure that the pattern pieces of the marker are cut symmetrically or in alignment with ornamentation or designs in the material.

Apparatus for cutting sheet material

A method for cutting sheet material allows multiple layups of sheet material to be cut in side-by-side or stacked relationship on the cutting table of a computer controlled cutting machine. A different marker or array of pattern pieces can be cut from each of the stacked layups. Also, for certain layups, whether stacked or not, markers are located with reference to the centerline of the layup to insure that the pattern pieces of the marker are cut symmetrically or in alignment with ornamentation or designs in the material. An origin point is located at a known position with respect to the sides and ends of the marker. The origin point of the marker is then registered relative to the cutting table and the centerline of the layup.

Method for cutting sheet material

A method for cutting sheet material allows multiple layups of sheet material to be cut in side-by-side or stacked relationship on the cutting table of a computer controlled cutting machine. A different marker or array of pattern pieces can be cut from each of the stacked layups. Also, for certain layups, whether stacked or not, markers are located with reference to the centerline of the layup to insure that the pattern pieces of the marker are cut symmetrically or in alignment with ornamentation or designs in the material.

An expert system containing a built-in application knowledge is used with a controllable cutting system to automatically seek an optimal feed rate during cutting in response to various of a number of possible changing system cutting parameters wherein a programmable controller defines and specifies a preset configuration file defining the specific cutting system control parameters for directing the operation of the cutting system in accordance with a contour defining a path be followed by a cutter carried by the cutting system and which cutter is moved in an X, Y and C coordinate space across the cutting surface of the cutting system. The X, Y and C axes motors are driven with a commanded current to move the cutter with a velocity defined in the configuration file. The cutting force developed by the cutter is determined at predetermined portions of the contour to determine the toughness of the spread and the actual cutting force is compared to the optimal cutting force with the feed rate being adjusted to increase when the actual force is below the expected force and decrease when the actual force is above the expected force and to shut down the cutting system to rebuilt the contours when the actual force exceeds the expected force by a predetermined magnitude. The feed rate is computed for the contour taking into account information concerning the toughness of the material being cut, the sharpened data, the vacuum level, the knife motor current and the knife velocity.

Open loop control apparatus and associated method for cutting sheet

A scheme for controlling the vacuum holddown in a cutter table of the type having a conveyorized support surface comprised of a plurality of bristle members which create a permeable bed through which a vacuum is communicated employs separate zone regions on the vacuum bed which are controllably energized and de-energized in response to command signals generated by a controller in response to cutter head movement which anticipates the position of the knife prior to its arrival at a given zone in order that material set up in reaction time in the valve system is allotting for.

Controlled zone vacuum system

In the case of the cutting of a line in a quantity of sheet type work material where the cutting is interrupted before the line is completely cut, with the cutting tool being removed from the material at the point of interruption and later brought back into cutting engagement with the material at that point, complete and clean cutting along the desired line of cut is assured despite the interruption by ending the first cut which ends at the interruption point so that is continues slightly beyond that point along an end path and by starting the second cut along a start path which starts behind the interruption point so that the end path and start path overlap one another along a region of the desired line and by crossing each of the end and start paths with a line of cut to assure complete separation from one another of the portions of the material located on opposite sides of the desired line.

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Springfield, MA, United States of America

Robert J Pomerleau