Fluorescent Printing on Fabric for Use as Control Input to Automated Positioning Equipment

A method of using an automated system to position a fabric piece. A pattern is printed onto a fabric piece with fluorescent ink, and detected with a fluorescence-detecting camera, such as a UV camera. The detected pattern is stored in a controller as a pattern signature and compared to a stored target pattern. The results of the comparing step are used to generate control signals for the automated system to move the piece into the position of the target pattern.