Patent ID: 7971542

Claim:
A system for processing a material panel, the system comprising: a table supported by a plurality of legs, the table having at least one linear edge; a sewing machine functionally connected to the table at said at least one linear edge; an elongate track mounted along said at least one linear edge; a gripper assembly slidably mounted on the elongate track such that the gripper assembly is capable of gripping a leading edge of the material panel and moving along the track while gripping the leading edge of the material panel; a tension control system incorporated into the gripper assembly that halts the movement of the gripper assembly along the track when the tension on the leading edge of the material panel exceeds a predetermined force, the tension control system enabling accurate material panel measurements by ensuring that the material panel remains at a low tension level; and at least one sensor movable along said track for measuring at least a length of the material panel.