Method for stitching a work piece using a computer controlled, vision-aided sewing machine

A method for attaching a first work piece to a second work piece, the method comprising:

• arranging the second work piece on a pallet;
• arranging the first work piece and a template made from a material having a color that contrasts with a color of the first work piece over the pallet so at least a portion of the first work piece overlies the second work piece and so that an edge of the template overlies or abuts at least a portion of the first work piece in an area corresponding to a desired stitching path;
• transferring the pallet to a computer-controlled, machine-vision sewing machine and stitching the first work piece to the second work piece using the sewing machine's vision capabilities to detect a boundary between the edge of the template and the first work piece and stitching the desired stitching path in reference to the detected boundary;
• and
• thereafter, separating the first and second work pieces from the pallet and the template.

A process for manufacturing shoes, the process comprising:

• using a computer-controlled apparatus to cut first and second work pieces from a first piece of material of a first color according to a predetermined pattern stored in a computer-readable medium;
• using a computer-controlled apparatus to cut a pallet that includes one or more appropriately placed openings that allow for stitching and to plot alignment marks on the pallet for aligning work pieces to be stitched thereon, wherein the openings are cut and the alignment marks are drawn according to predetermined patterns stored in the computer-readable medium;
• using a computer-controlled apparatus to cut a template from a second piece of material of a second color selected to contrast with the first color according to a predetermined pattern stored in the computer-readable medium, the template including at least one edge that corresponds generally to a desired stitching path;
• arranging the first work piece over the pallet using the alignment marks so at least a portion of the first work piece overlies one of the openings;
• placing the template over the pallet;
• arranging the second work piece over the pallet so that an edge of the second work piece abuts at least a portion of the template edge;
• after the first and second work pieces and template are placed over the pallet, using a computer-controlled sewing machine to stitch the second work piece to the first work piece along a programmed sewing path that corresponds generally to at least a portion of the template edge, wherein the computerized sewing machine includes a machine-vision capability enabling it to adjust its sewing path in response to the boundary between the template and the second work piece;
• and
• separating the stitched first and second work pieces from the pallet and template.