Japanese textile solutions provider Shima Seiki of Wakayama, Japan, showed a special version of its P-CAM R multi-ply computerized cutting machine dedicated to car seat production for the first time, at a private exhibition held over two days on 2 and 3 July 2026, at the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center in Aichi Prefecture. Kariya City is known as the center of Japan’s automotive industry. The exhibition drew 120 companies and approximately 260 visitors over the two days, which the company said was the highest attendance recorded for a private show it has held, reflecting interest from the automotive sector, a major contributor to Japan’s economy.
Shima Seiki entered the cutting machine market with its P-CAM series computerized cutting machine in 1991. Though a later entrant to the market, the company said it built a following among customers for the machine’s productivity and reliability, and P-CAM currently holds the largest share of the Japanese domestic computerized cutting machine market, according to the company. In 2022, Shima Seiki developed the P-CAM R, which it describes as its next-generation flagship cutting machine for the global market. The prototype was unveiled at the JIAM 2022 Japan International Apparel Machinery & Textile Industry Trade Show, while the production version was launched at the JIAM 2024 show. Building on the P-CAM R cutting technology, which the company says offers improved efficiency, productivity, quality and safety, Shima Seiki has now developed a dedicated car seat production version, shown at Kariya.
The dedicated car seat production version of P-CAM R uses a dual-head design that enables simultaneous cutting and drilling, intended to improve the efficiency of the frequent drilling operations required in car seat production. During drilling, a suction and ejection system for drill dust is designed to reduce scattering of scraps at the pickup stage. Additionally, for seat material featuring urethane foam layers for cushioning, excessive suction force used to affix the fabric for multi-ply cutting can cause uneven compression, potentially affecting quality. P-CAM R is equipped with a function that automatically adjusts suction according to the fabric to address this.
During the private exhibition, visitors were able to see these features demonstrated on the machine. Test-cutting was also available, allowing visitors to bring their own fabrics to check processing quality and compatibility, and to assess how P-CAM R might fit into their production lines. The company said these demonstrations were popular among visitors interested in labor savings and automation for their factories. Panel displays highlighting features of the dedicated car seat production version were also available alongside the machine demonstrations.
P-CAM R, including the dedicated car seat production version, is set for overseas sales, extending the availability of the cutting machine technology to markets outside Japan.
