Development of the Intelligent Pneumatic Sewing Platform for Mask Production

IEEE Access. 2020 Aug 3:8:141777-141786. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3013636. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

This study fabricated a two-dimensional pneumatic servomechanism-based mask sewing platform. The platform has a simple structure, operates quickly, and is energy-efficient. SOLIDWORKS was used to design the platform, which comprises two rod-less pneumatic cylinders, one auxiliary cylinder, and a fabric-clamping mechanism. These parts are integrated with a sewing machine. The mask sewing platform has two degrees of freedom, as indicated by a mobility analysis of its mechanism. To control the highly nonlinear and time variant pneumatic system, a mathematical model for the pneumatic servo control system was developed and then analyzed in analytical form. An intelligent parameter adjustment feature with a sliding-mode controller was formulated to control the mask sewing platform. An experimental mask sewing platform was then designed and constructed. Finally, a personal computer-based system was developed using MATLAB Simulink for real-time control of the platform. The hybrid and fifth-order paths were successfully implemented in the test rig, and this study's platform was experimentally verified as being capable of automatically producing masks.

Keywords: COVID-19; mask sewing production; pneumatic servo system; real-time control.

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by the Ministry of Science and Technology under Grant MOST 108-2221-E-005 -073 -MY2.