Window Furnishings & Outdoor Shades & Awnings

Aeronaut has been specialising in building automated cutters and developing industry specific software for blinds, shades, curtains, awnings and outdoor shades since 1998 and we're the leading manufacturer of flatbed cutting machinery for this market segment. 

Aeronaut's window furnishings customers report that the productivity from Aeronaut's automated cutters is twice that claimed by other manufacturers per shift due to optimising the production process from order entry and pattern generation down to fabric roll handling, nesting and the flexibility when cutting from efficient vacuum hold down on the cutting table.

Even though 99% of window blinds and shades are just rectangles, cutting them correctly is quite an art.

Our first blind making machines were bought because they could mark, crease and cut roller shades and romans. However it was our software which really made the difference, allowing customers to go from design to cut in under a minute and to efficiently nest patterns to optimise fabric use and reduce waste.

Aeronaut pioneered ultrasonic cut and seal machines for window furnishings, allowing blind makers to offer a clean, straight and durable edge which was cut square and sealed all around in a fraction of the time it would have taken using previous methods.

Because Aeronaut's cutters have always been wide-span, accurate and very low maintenance, we've become the industry standard cutter for blindmakers all over the world. Compared with other cutters and cutting methods most Aeronaut customers can achieve over twice the output per day in cut skins.

Aeronaut uses vacuum hold down for window furnishing fabric because it allows freedom to nest patterns for minimum waste. Vacuum tables for window furnishings fall into the 6 to 10.8 metre (20-35') range. Longer tables allow for more efficient nesting and more fabric savings, in business where the turnover allows.

Aeronaut's software avoids cutting over vacuum holes, so compared with other methods like clamp bars, you can pay for your Aeronaut cutting system quite easily on fabric savings alone. 

Aeronaut has been manufacturing automated cutting machines for window furnishings for more than 25 years and we're the clear market leader in many countries.

Almost all window furnishings from awning canvas, café curtains and screen mesh are cut with either an Elektron Quattro 2 tool cutter fitted with a rotary blade and creasing tool. Where a cut and seal process is required for roller blinds, an Elektron B2 Ultra is the machine, fitted with an ultrasonic tool and either a crush cut tool or creasing tool.

An inkjet print head is ideal for printing order and size information on skins while a marker is generally used for details such as batten marks and ring marks.

Aeronaut's ParaSol R&R or ParaSol Awnings are used for designs where almost any pattern can be ready to cut in under a minute including complex roman shade folds.

Automatic Data Entry speeds things up even more where the sales office order management software outputs a simple file which is automatically opened by ParaSol so that dozens of orders can be processed in seconds, ready to cut. 

Cyclops and SiliconEye machine vision systems can be used for stripe and pattern matching, size checking and working with zebra fabric.

Almost all vacuum tables are fitted with an automatic pullout system where fabric is pulled onto the table squarely and without stress to allow accurate cutting on the most difficult fabrics.

The Elektron Quattro is the standard cutter for marking, creasing and cutting of window furnishing fabrics. The Elektron Quattro is configured as a two-tool machine carrying a quick change Cam-lock rotary blade and creasing tool. Most new machines are fitted with an inkjet print head for pattern identification with a pen used for other markings. Cyclops and SiliconEye machine vision systems can be used for pattern matching and alignment.

The Elektron B2 Ultra is used for cut and edge seal applications. A bayonet quick-change ultrasonic tool is fitted to one toolholder and either a creasing tool or crush cut tool fitted to the other toolholder. Most new machines are fitted with an inkjet print head for pattern identification with a pen used for other markings. Cyclops and SiliconEye machine vision systems can be used for pattern matching and alignment.

Cam-lock tooling is ideal for working with almost all roll textiles. A 28mm rotary blade gives a clean straight cut edge. Since the tool change takes less than 15 seconds, blades can be changed safely and easily off the machine. Many creasing profiles are available for different fabric weights.

Aeronaut's bayonet mount was designed from the start to take an ultrasonic tool. The Elektron B2 Ultra is normally fitted with one ultrasonic tool and a creaser or crush cutter in the other holder. Digital tool pressure set in software gives precise control over cutting and creasing.

Elektron Quattro

Blade cutters are fitted with a plastic cutting surface. Sheets are accurately jigsaw profiled to ensure a seamless join and drilled for vacuum holes.  

Plastic surfaces have a very long service life and replacement is easy due to the panel size and weight and the jigsaw joins.

Actual service life is very difficult to estimate due to the individual user's work and duty cycles. While some users have managed over 20 years from a cutting surface, most can get over 8 years making sheet plastic the most cost-effective sacrificial cutting surface.

Elektron B2 Ultra

Ultrasonic and crush cutting can put a heavy load on cutting surfaces. For this application, Aeronaut uses stainless steel cutting surfaces with large panel sizes, profiled with jigsaw joins and vacuum holes.

Stainless steel appears to be the best surface for shipping, installation, long service life and safety. 

Both glass and ceramic surfaces can crack and splinter either from normal cutting or operators climbing on the cutting table. Glass and ceramic are  difficult to install and don't have a particularly good service life. 

With over 25 years of development, ParaSol is the industry leading, easiest to use and most advanced software for window furnishings.  ParaSol R&R for roller & roman shades, awnings for zip screens and awnings, Umbra for umbrellas.

With ParaSol Automatic Data Entry. a simple file exported from your order management system creates the cut patterns, complete with all order information, creases and markings. No double entry, no mistakes, reducing design to cut time down to seconds.  

Inkjet printing is much faster than pen marking and to avoids mistakes.  

You can print all the necessary order information from customer name an order number through to cut or measured sizes in a single pass.

Aeronaut's Tangent software is the key to reducing fabric waste and Tangent's powerful and user friendly cutter control is essential to increase production. 

Fast and efficient autonesting can pay for a cutting system in months if your fabric is expensive - and isn't waste fabric the most expensive fabric in your business? 

Aeronaut's Cyclops and SiliconEye machine vision systems let you see what's under the cutting head to align patterns and what's on the cutting table to avoid waste.

Most of the benefits of automation are obvious, others less so.

• Automation will increase productivity without increasing staff numbers while at the same time reducing waste, mistakes and staff stress at busy times.
• If you don't want growth, automation can let you produce the same number of good quality products with fewer staff.
• Automation reduces your reliability on key workers and conventional skills while attracting another generation of workers who might be entirely happy with computers but less so pushing a pair of scissors.
• Cutting accurate patterns no longer depends on key workers. Aeronaut cutter are easy to operate so many people can run a cutter and saved jobs can be easily  recut.

Apart from the obvious reason that Aeronaut has some of the best people around in sales, design, software and support…

• Aeronaut cutters are more productive. While other manufacturers boast of getting around 200 skins per shift, Aeronaut customers achieve close to twice that quantity.
• Efficient nesting can save metres of fabric per hour. Vacuum tables allow free and fast nesting with less waste than alternatives like clamps or single sided cutting.
• Aeronaut's Automatic Data Entry (ADE) means order information is entered only once in the sales office and automatically creates cut patterns.
• Skins are cut to size in one operation rather than four. 
• Mistakes are reduced. And if there are errors through initial measurements, new patterns can be cut within reject skins.