Use Of Computers In Textile And Apparel Industry
Cad is industry specific design system using computer
as a tool.CAD is used to design anything from an aircraft to knitwear.
Originally CAD was used in designing high precision machinery sloely it found
its way in other industries also. In 1970's it made an entry in the textile
and apparel industry. Most companies abroad have now integrated some form of
CAD into their design and production process.
In fact, according to National Knitwear Association of US, of 228 Apparel manufacturers:
65% use CAD to create colorways
60% use CAD to create printed fabric design
48% use CAD to create merchandising presentation
41% use CAD to create Knitwear designs
Design choices and visual possibilities can be infinite if the designer is given the time and freedom to be creative and to experiment using the computer. Today in our country automation is not only used for substituting the labour, it is also adopted for improving quality and producing quantity in lesser time. However, a CAD system is only as good ( or as bad ) as the designer working on it. Computer only speeds up the process of say repeat making, color changing, motif manipulation etc. It is actually the CAM aspect of CAD that will help reduce lead time.
Types of CAD systems
Textile Design Systems
Woven
textiles are used by designers and merchandisers for fabrics for home
furnishing and to men-women-children wear. Most fabrics whether yarn dyes,
plain weaves, jaquards or dobbies can be designed and infact are invariably
used abroad using a CAD system for textiles. Similarly embroideries are also
developed at CAD workstations.
Knitted Fabrics :
Some systems specialise in knitwear production and final knitted design can be viewed on screen with indication of all stitch formation. For instance a CAD program will produce a pullover graph that will indicate information on amount of yarn needed by color for each piece. Another example of the new technology in the industries using a yarn scanner which is attached to the computer scans a thousand meters of yarn and then simulates a knitted/ woven fabric on-screen. This simulation will show how the fabric will look like if woven from that yarn.
Printed Fabrics :
The process involves use of computers in design, development and manipulation of motif. The motif can then be resized, recoloured, rotated or multiplied depending on the designer's goal. Textures and weave structures can be indicated so that printout either on paper or actual fabric looks very much the way the final product will look. The textile design system can show colorways in an instant rather than taking hours needed for hand painting. New systems are coming which have built-in software to match swatch color to screen color to printer color automatically i.e. what you see is what you get.
Illustrations/ Sketch Pad Systems
These are graphic programmes that allow the designer to use pen or stylus on electronic pad or tablet thereby creating freehand images which are then stored in the computer. The end product is no different from those sketches made on paper with pencil. They have additional advantage of improvement and manipulation. Different knit and weave simulations can be stored in a library and imposed over these sketches to show texture and dimensions.
Texture Mapping : 3D Draping Software
This technology allows visualisation of fabric on the body. Texture mapping is a process by which fabric can be draped over a form in a realistic way. The pattern of the cloth is contoured to match the form underneath it. The designer starts with an image of a model wearing a garment. Each section of the garment is outlined from seamline to seamline. Then a swatch of new fabric created in textile design system is laid over the area and the computer automatically fills in the area with new color or pattern. The result is the original silhouette worn by original model in a new fabric.
Embroidery Systems
The designs used for embroidery can be incorporated on the fabric for making garment. For this special computerised embroidery machines are used. Designers can create their embroidery designs or motifs straight on the computer or can work with scanned images of existing designs. All they need to do is assign color and stitch to different parts of the design. This data is then fed into an embroidery machine with one or multiple heads for stitching.
Apparel Industry and Computers
Digitising Systems
Digitisers put original patterns into the computer for use and storage. It can be done by defining the X, Y co-ordinates of series of selected points around the pattern. These basic patterns can be manipulated with the help of a computer, for example in case of a trousers, darts can be moved, pleats can be created or flair can be introduced. This way new designs can be created on screen from pre-existing patterns. Today large scanners are also used to input pattern shapes instead of tracing patterns on a digitiser.
Grading Systems
After a sample size pattern has been put , it has to be graded up and down in size. Certain points on the pattern are considered as "growth points" or places at which the pattern has to be increased or decreased to accomodate changing body size. At each growth point the operator indicates the grade rule to the computer. The system will then automatically produce the pattern shapes in all the pre-specified sizes. Say if we define pattern for size 30, it can be easily graded for size 32/34/36 and so on.
Marker Making Systems
Computerised marker making systems help in laying the pattern part together more economically than an operator could do with hands. This ensures minimal wastage of fabric. On plain fabric this is relatively simple but on striped fabric also automatic matching is done by the computer. The layout is then directed to big plotters which are overlaid on the stacked fabric prior to cutting.
Cutting Operations
Pattern generated by marker making systems can be directed to automated cutting machines which are operated without the help of human hands.
Marketing integration using computer
Designer is in direct contact with the customer and also the manufacturer to be aware of the latest trends and also needs and demands of the customer.
Internet and Information Explosion
NIFT, Calcutta is linked to Internet with TCP/IP account and the students have continuous access to the sites of the top designers, trend forecasting agencies, fashion houses and fabric suppliers. This has helped both the institute and the students immensely keeping them updated with the latest trends
In fact, according to National Knitwear Association of US, of 228 Apparel manufacturers:
65% use CAD to create colorways
60% use CAD to create printed fabric design
48% use CAD to create merchandising presentation
41% use CAD to create Knitwear designs
Design choices and visual possibilities can be infinite if the designer is given the time and freedom to be creative and to experiment using the computer. Today in our country automation is not only used for substituting the labour, it is also adopted for improving quality and producing quantity in lesser time. However, a CAD system is only as good ( or as bad ) as the designer working on it. Computer only speeds up the process of say repeat making, color changing, motif manipulation etc. It is actually the CAM aspect of CAD that will help reduce lead time.
Types of CAD systems
Textile Design Systems
Woven
textiles are used by designers and merchandisers for fabrics for home
furnishing and to men-women-children wear. Most fabrics whether yarn dyes,
plain weaves, jaquards or dobbies can be designed and infact are invariably
used abroad using a CAD system for textiles. Similarly embroideries are also
developed at CAD workstations. Knitted Fabrics :
Some systems specialise in knitwear production and final knitted design can be viewed on screen with indication of all stitch formation. For instance a CAD program will produce a pullover graph that will indicate information on amount of yarn needed by color for each piece. Another example of the new technology in the industries using a yarn scanner which is attached to the computer scans a thousand meters of yarn and then simulates a knitted/ woven fabric on-screen. This simulation will show how the fabric will look like if woven from that yarn.
Printed Fabrics :
The process involves use of computers in design, development and manipulation of motif. The motif can then be resized, recoloured, rotated or multiplied depending on the designer's goal. Textures and weave structures can be indicated so that printout either on paper or actual fabric looks very much the way the final product will look. The textile design system can show colorways in an instant rather than taking hours needed for hand painting. New systems are coming which have built-in software to match swatch color to screen color to printer color automatically i.e. what you see is what you get.
Illustrations/ Sketch Pad Systems
These are graphic programmes that allow the designer to use pen or stylus on electronic pad or tablet thereby creating freehand images which are then stored in the computer. The end product is no different from those sketches made on paper with pencil. They have additional advantage of improvement and manipulation. Different knit and weave simulations can be stored in a library and imposed over these sketches to show texture and dimensions.
Texture Mapping : 3D Draping Software
This technology allows visualisation of fabric on the body. Texture mapping is a process by which fabric can be draped over a form in a realistic way. The pattern of the cloth is contoured to match the form underneath it. The designer starts with an image of a model wearing a garment. Each section of the garment is outlined from seamline to seamline. Then a swatch of new fabric created in textile design system is laid over the area and the computer automatically fills in the area with new color or pattern. The result is the original silhouette worn by original model in a new fabric.
Embroidery Systems
The designs used for embroidery can be incorporated on the fabric for making garment. For this special computerised embroidery machines are used. Designers can create their embroidery designs or motifs straight on the computer or can work with scanned images of existing designs. All they need to do is assign color and stitch to different parts of the design. This data is then fed into an embroidery machine with one or multiple heads for stitching.
Apparel Industry and Computers
Digitising Systems
Digitisers put original patterns into the computer for use and storage. It can be done by defining the X, Y co-ordinates of series of selected points around the pattern. These basic patterns can be manipulated with the help of a computer, for example in case of a trousers, darts can be moved, pleats can be created or flair can be introduced. This way new designs can be created on screen from pre-existing patterns. Today large scanners are also used to input pattern shapes instead of tracing patterns on a digitiser.
Grading Systems
After a sample size pattern has been put , it has to be graded up and down in size. Certain points on the pattern are considered as "growth points" or places at which the pattern has to be increased or decreased to accomodate changing body size. At each growth point the operator indicates the grade rule to the computer. The system will then automatically produce the pattern shapes in all the pre-specified sizes. Say if we define pattern for size 30, it can be easily graded for size 32/34/36 and so on.
Marker Making Systems
Computerised marker making systems help in laying the pattern part together more economically than an operator could do with hands. This ensures minimal wastage of fabric. On plain fabric this is relatively simple but on striped fabric also automatic matching is done by the computer. The layout is then directed to big plotters which are overlaid on the stacked fabric prior to cutting.
Cutting Operations
Pattern generated by marker making systems can be directed to automated cutting machines which are operated without the help of human hands.
Marketing integration using computer
Designer is in direct contact with the customer and also the manufacturer to be aware of the latest trends and also needs and demands of the customer.
Internet and Information Explosion
NIFT, Calcutta is linked to Internet with TCP/IP account and the students have continuous access to the sites of the top designers, trend forecasting agencies, fashion houses and fabric suppliers. This has helped both the institute and the students immensely keeping them updated with the latest trends
CAD systems. Last
shapes can be modified and new lasts created in the CAD systems and the machining
contraolled with their data. Variations in toe shape, heel curve and toe spring
are easily achievable. Combining parts of different lasts also takes a few
minutes with CAD technology. It is possible to develop shoe design and tooling
before the last phisically exists because they are all derived from the same
source data in the CAD system.