How Bosch Rexroth and Card-Monroe Corporation Advance Tufting Machine Technology Through Longstanding Collaboration

Few companies enjoy the market-leading status that the Card-Monroe Corporation has.  Since the early 1980s, Card-Monroe has been pioneering tufting machinery, which is used by carpet and turf manufacturers in 37 countries. Their machines, known for their durability and high quality, are a direct reflection of market needs and trends within the flooring industry.

Throughout the past 20 years, Bosch Rexroth has evolved in parallel and in partnership with Card-Monroe to provide critical components that help their machines operate at peak efficiency, including the most innovative technology in modern drives and controls.

The collaborative relationship was highlighted recently when Card-Monroe needed to increase speed and synchronization for its most advanced line of tufting machinery. The resulting success further illustrates the benefits of having a truly collaborative relationship between vendor and customer.

Controlling the Process

Inherently, tufting machines are a complex network of moving parts, which can include more than 50,000 components. Card-Monroe has pioneered the evolution of these intricate solutions, including the release of their patented ColorPoint machine in 2009. That was the first year that Card-Monroe machines featured Bosch Rexroth drives and controls, an integration that had taken roughly four years to refine.

Just over a decade later, Card-Monroe was developing a new line of tufting machinery and would be one of the first customers to utilize Bosch Rexroth’s ctrlX DRIVE, which helped create a much simpler drive system for the machine but also gave it increased functionality to create more complex and colorful patterns.

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Additionally, by leveraging edge and cloud computing using Bosch Rexroth’s ctrlX CORE platform, Card-Monroe was able to enhance flexibility by adding features that collect critical machine data on-site and optimize long-term operation.

The most recent advancement between Bosch Rexroth and Card-Monroe has been in synchronizing the 8-14 servo motors on the tufting machines that can reach up to 2,000 stitches per minute. While speed is a priority, it’s equally important to control those motors precisely to produce the most elaborate designs possible.

This is made possible by Bosch Rexroth’s ctrlX OS, a Linux-based, real-time-capable operating system with priority-based scheduling and CPU core isolation. The platform uses EtherCAT for deterministic, synchronized data exchange between the controller and the drives, maintaining tight alignment of interpolated and commanded positions.

Meanwhile, the ctrlX DRIVE systems applies tuning and filtering techniques to close the high bandwidth loop, resulting in a motion platform that remains steady under demanding conditions.

Directing that pattern design is also streamlined through the use of Bosch Rexroth ctrlX CORE, which allowed Card-Monroe to drop the need for an external computer to scan a pattern and translate it into motion. In this approach, the open architecture allows the company to consolidate hardware and software functions onto a single platform that meets IEC-62443-4-2 (SL-2) security capabilities.

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The ctrlX Data Layer brings a unified, access-controlled backbone for inter-app data exchange, letting standard apps, like OPC UA and EtherCAT, coexist with the custom machine applications. By consolidating these elements, engineers could focus on process performance rather than wrestling with protocol integration.

Additionally, the integration with advanced Bosch Rexroth controls has streamlined data capture to the cloud with third-party, ctrlX OS integrated apps from the ctrlX App store. Even with these additions, the system provides real-time responsiveness at the machine interface, supported by ctrlX HMI.

All integrations, which can easily be scaled and tailored through the broader ctrlX AUTOMATION platform, has helped Card-Monroe build a portfolio of machines that serve the unique needs of its customers, ranging from low-cost to full-featured options.

Beyond the Build

The relationship between Bosch Rexroth and Card‑Monroe extends beyond producing the machines and includes support for long-term operations. Card-Monroe machines can last upwards of 30-40 years if properly maintained, which means both Card-Monroe technicians and their customers’ in-house service techs need to be familiar with Bosch Rexroth components throughout their machines.

Card-Monroe hosts regular training sessions under the banner of Tufting University, where they train the trainer on all components of operations. One trainer has taught more than 1,600 customers. Because Bosch Rexroth components have been integrated into Card-Monroe for many years, many users are already familiar with how systems work together across different parts of the equipment.

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Because both companies operate globally, Bosch Rexroth service technicians can respond to maintenance requests anywhere in the world to help solve any issues that in-house customer technicians may need. The broad service network also helps shorten the time required to obtain replacement parts, compared with relying on local suppliers only.

Since tufting machines play a central role in carpet and turf production, any time spent operating at less-than-optimal conditions can affect operational efficiency.

Comprehensive Collaboration

Card-Monroe anticipates continued demand for its ColorPoint machine and plans to maintain its focus on serving the tufting industry. The company’s longstanding collaboration with Bosch Rexroth has involved ongoing development of controls and drives that align with changing market requirements and support service needs across different regions.

The collaboration reflects a stable long-term relationship that contributes to consistent product development.