The results of robotic automation have proven their efficiency in all kinds of fields, leading to an increase in operational flexibility and rapid adaptation in a global market. In today’s market, meeting customer requirements for high-quality products and new and innovative solutions in the automotive industry is more important than ever.
History of the KMF Maschinenbau
Since 1973, KMF Maschinenbau in Schwäbisch-Gmünd has specialized in the manufacturing of automatic sewing machines.
Although the original customer base was clothing manufacturers, the majority of orders now come from the automotive industry, where customers demand the highest quality.
The Company’s Solution Generation Concept
In accordance with quality and profitability metrics, the KMF team has managed to generate a solution that’s proven and safe. It has great potential with regard to the automatic application of adhesives to interior decoration.
The company has used this knowledge in the development of robot-assisted sewing technology, which has aided the production of curved backstitch seams in leather seat upholstery for vehicles in the premium segment.
Dietmar Kuhn, Plant Manager at KMF, explained,
“When it comes to leather seat covers for premium vehicles, the parallel decorative stitching must be accurate to half denier and 0.4mm thick thread which means 0.2 mm. That’s why these high-quality curved seams in parallel lines are virtually impossible to produce by hand. “
The company set out to find a six-axis robot with better repeatability that would meet the performance criteria, range, and accuracy.
The New Motoman GP7 RoQom 6000 SYSTEM
After an in-depth market analysis, they found Yaskawa as a partner for the system and the Motoman GP7 robot that fit the bill. They required a tolerance of a finished part at 0.2mm and GP7 offered 0.03 mm, which was extremely accurate. The six-axis dynamic robot can be perfectly synchronized with the sewing machine.
This Yaskawa Motoman GP7 robot forms the basis of the fully automatic RoQom 6000 sewing system, which also includes a sewing machine, an image processing system, a security SPS, and a corresponding part template.
How Does it Operate?
By combining robotic sewing and camera-assisted tolerance compensation, the RoQom 6000 offers a high level of quality. With the automated system, errors in production are significantly reduced, thereby improving delivery times and cost-efficiency.
With the help of the robotic sewing unit, curved flat seams can be produced quickly and economically. Only the insertion and removal of elements in the template on the robot’s wrist remains manual, while the remaining steps are automated.
The robot and the sewing machine precisely follow the predetermined path of the seam at the same time. The Motoman GP7 rotates and tilts objects with a precision of one-tenth of a millimetre while taking into account the real-time correction value of still image processing. This compensates for the tolerance of natural leather materials in the process.
In addition to sewing car seat covers, KMF has also received inquiries from the automotive industry regarding the three-dimensional stitching of door trims, side trims, and instrument panels.
The System’s Flexibility
The RoQom 6000 system is very flexible in terms of conversion to other product versions and factory expansion. In this way, a single unit can gradually replace manual loading and the removal of items with automatic loading.
Impact of the Motoman GP7 RoQom 6000 SYSTEM on Automotive Sewing Processes
Kuhn believes this will have an impact on the interiors of the future by allowing a higher degree of personalization. Items leaving the factory have a high-quality appearance and that cannot be achieved manually.
Kuhn said, “We believe that robot-assisted technology has great potential and can be used as a basis for future sewing. We are currently subject to many changes, the incorporation of a robotic team to your company never hurts. If you no longer need a specific robot application, you can easily move the same robot to another task and continue earning money.”
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