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ABM AutoPilot -- Buying a Robotic Quilting System

You've just spent $8-10,000 on an ABM Innova Longarm Quilting Machine, and you want to get a robotic system.  Or, you're wanting to buy the whole enchilada, the machine and the robotic system at the same time.  Which robotic system do you buy?  There are a bunch of options out there, ranging in price from $3,000 to the $13,995 AutoPilot and even more expensive systems.  Why is the AutoPilot unique, and is it worth it?  Let me tell you what I know.  A bit of history:  My first "longarm" was a 9" Juki TL98E on a Hinterberg frame with a PCQuilter and MaxThroat.  The MaxThroat was a little complicated to run; it was designed to give you a larger throat space than your Juki would allow.  It didn't work fantastically well, and is no longer being sold.  My second machine was a Tin Lizzie 18LS, I kept the PCQuilter, then upgraded it to an MQR system.  When I finally purchased the Innova, I had looked long and hard at the Statler system.  So, I feel I've got a fair amount of experience in buying robotic systems!  :)  Here's my thoughts.

 First, foremost, and ultimately, it all comes down to quality and accuracy of stitching.  This is what you really have to judge robotic systems on.  Unfortunately, it's an extremely difficult thing to do:  Normally, you won't see different robotic vendors side-by-side at all, except in a convention.  Even then, you won't see them stitching out the same pattern -- everyone is stitching something different, and since they are generally on a demo machine with a piece of fabric or muslim, there's really no way to judge accuracy even if they were stitching the same thing!  Of course, manufacturers know this, so the demos that you see do not focus on the stitchouts.  They focus on the software, because that's what they can demo to you in a short period of time.  Here's the issue:  All software is effectively, to all practical purposes, equivalent.  They are all doing the same basic thing: placing in electronic patterns on a x-y grid visually so you can see what you're doing before you sew.  Check out the manuals for a bunch of the different robotic manufacturers, and you'll find that everyone has the same basic feature set with slight tweaks in execution.  So, my advice to you: don't focus on the software interface in your purchasing decision.  You'll be able to learn any software system.  (You might ask how often they release new features, etc. to see how actively they are supporting the software.)  What's important is the robotic engineering, or how the stitching occurs.  This is really crucial.  The engineering will determine your long-term happiness with the system you purchase.

There are basically three categories of robotic systems, and it all depends on how well the actual longarm machine is integrated into the robotics.

 1.  Category 1: The robot has no idea where the sewing head is.  This is the cheapest category, and it's for a reason.  The PCQuilter falls in this category.  The problem with this kind of robotic system is that you frequently end up stitching incorrectly, because there is no real way to verify you are sewing where you think you are sewing.  If you have to get a robotic machine, but can't afford anything more expensive, you can try it.  Be aware, though, that when you realize you need somehting better, it is really hard to sell your used system.  Try and buy the best you can.

2.  Category 2:  The robot knows where the head is on the frame, but there is no active feedback.  These are the mid-cost robotic systems.  They have some set of encoders attached to the machine head that allow you to see on the computer (or LCD) screen where the sewing head is.  This is a signiificant upgrade, but if the machine/robot does not quite stitch out as you planned (due to machine drag, for example), there is no corrective mechanism.  My opinion:  if you're going to spend this much money, you might as well get the real thing.

3.  Category 3.  The robot knows where the head is, and as you are stitching out, there is an active feedback mechanism to ensure that your stitching is accurate.  This is the most expensive system (the AutoPilot for the Innova), and there's a reason for it.  This is the only system that ensures what you program to stitch actually stitches out accurately.  Since the final result is everything, you need to consider your one-time investment as providing perfect stitching.

If you are looking at competing category 3 systems (and I don't think there are many of these), look at how the carriage is controlled by the robot.  Some systems use a very fine wire to move the carriage around.  Wires stretch.  Wires bend.  These systems are more prone to distortion than systems that use a full belt system.  (AutoPilot uses a steel-reinforced belt system that prevents long-term belt stretching or distortion).  Then, look at the motors themselves.  Are they robust and powerful?  Or were they a minimum investment by the company?  You want motors that have very fine control, are long lasting, and have enough power to move your machine around without "bouncing."  On one of my previous systems, the motor was not really strong enough to control the machine, so when the robot did a quick change in direction, the machine would jounce back and forth a bit before going on the next smooth path.  If you can see the robot in motion, watch how smooth the cables or belts run, and then watch the machine.  Does it move smoothly with no recoil?  This will all affect your stitchout.   Finally, look at the speed of stitching.  How fast can the machine run?  Speed is money.  Can it run quickly and accurately at the same time?  Can it speed up in easy, loose sections, and slow down for your intricate motifs?  I have saved a huge amount of time with this feature on the AutoPilot, but not all machines can execute this well. 

So, those are my feelings of what is important in a robotic system.  Why, then, did I buy the AutoPilot?  When I was looking to purchase, I was very close to purchasing the Gammill Statler Stitcher system.  I really feel that when you purchase a robotic system, that it should be integrated with the machine head by the same manufacturer.  That meant there were only two options:  AutoPilot or Statler.  I went with the AutoPilot because (1) I feel the Innova engineering and design is fundamentally superior to the Gammill (2) I could get into it for significantly less money, (3) The AutoPilot engineering is superior to any 3rd-party computer system on the market, and (4) the AutoPilot software is being develped in-house by ABM, which means that feature improvements are coming out much more quickly.  The AutoPilot has all of the same fundamental capabilities as the Statler, outstanding stitching quality, and a much more responsive company.  It fulfills all of my requirements listsed above.

The AutoPilot really needs to be demonstrated.  Contact me and we can get together so I can show you the AutoPilot system, and talk about its advantages vs other competitors.