The precautions of Garment Dyeing are discussed below:

1. Garments design should be made from engineering point of view. 2. if garmet is made after desizing, scouring and bleaching of grey fabrics and then dyed in garments form, then the possibility of problems will be reduced, 3. if possible, garments should be made from the grey fabrics of the same lot and same source. 4. the seams should not be too tight or too loose especiallu in the areas containing elastic like waistband, cuff aetc which may create irregular dye penetration resulting irregular dyeing. 5. the garmens which are produced from woven and knitted fabrics combindly, he knit fabric should be pre-shrunked, otherwise seam pucker may develop after garments dyeing. 6. if the garment fabric is of mixed fibres, during gaments dyeing, dye selection should be done carefully, having equqal dye pick up to avoid irregular dyeing. 7. poor quality metals should bot be used as accessories in the garments, which may vbe damaged duing dyeing by the action of salt and alkali. If any metal component is used in the garments should be made from nickel or its alloy. 8. sewing thread used for making the garment should be of same fibre like the garment fabric, other43wise colour difference may occur between garments fabric and sewing thread. 9. button used in the garments should be selected carefully. Buttons made from casin, cellulose, mylon etc. may be damaged during garments dyeing but polyester button is safe in this project. 10. if elastic is used in the garments and the elastic is made from natural rubber of polyurethance fibre like lycrea amy create problelm during garments dyeing. To avoid such problem dye should be selected made of copper free. During bleaching, polyurethance fibres may be damaged by the chlorine. Polyester type elastomeric fibre is safe in peroxide bleaching. 11. interlining is used in most garments. Only those interlinings should be sed in the garments to be dyed only recommended for garments dyeing, otherwise the performance of interlining may be destroyed. 12. the garments made from compactly woven cotton fabric should be dyed with hot brand reactive dyes, otherwise problem of irregular dye penetration may occur. 13. for some specific colour, if specific dyes are dused then the dyeing cost will be lower. For example, navy blue and black colour could be procuce in the garments by using sulpher dyes at lower cost. 14. presence of mineral impurities in the cotton fibres may vary which may impede the stability of peroxide liquor during bleaching with bydrogen peroxide. Even insoluble compounds may form during hydrogen peroxide bleaching. Those insoluble compounds may redposit on chemicals are available to avoid such problem. 15. Crease marks may develop in the cotton garments during dyeing. To avoid such problem, special chemicals like Imacol Brand may be used.
CUTTING ROOM CONTROL (PRO-CUT) OVERVIEW

1. Cut Planning The system starts at the beginning of Cutting Room procedures, this first process is called Cut Planning It is the process of establishing the following: 1. The best combinations of sizes and colours to produce all the garments in the order minimising the amount of labour required. 2. The best combination of sizes and colours to produce all the garments in the order to get the best possible fabric utilisation 3. Consideration must be taken of the Fabric Type and the conditions prevailing in the company. These factors compete with each other, and normally require great experience and skill to produce the best results. The labour required to do this is therefore expensive. The above functions are de-skilled and simplified in this system, we use a system of percentages, developed over many years, combined with the power of the computer the Cut Planning procedure becomes an easy task and will be able to be performed by personnel with much lower skill levels. More importantly it is simpler to achieve the main goals of the planning procedure. Marker Plans are sent to the Marker Making this function is outside the scope of this system; information from this procedure is entered into the system, i.e. marker length, efficiency and perimeter length. 2. Markers for linings/Fusible ect. When main fabric markers have been decided, copy the marker plan into the other fabrics, enter the marker lengths and the system will calculate the requisitions for these fabrics, it will also allow the user to combine sizes, and colours if necessary. 3. Fabric Requisitions After marker making, the marker lengths are entered and fabric requirements are calculated. A comparison between Costed fabric requirement and Marked fabric requirement is made, showing potential profit or loss before fabric is issued. Management can now decide in advance what actions are necessary to maximise profit. 4. Fabric Issue It is normally the case that fabric issue is not exactly what is required by the order (due to the various fabric roll lengths. It is not economically viable for the Raw materials store to accept small lengths as Returns to stock as they stay on the shelves and are eventually sold to a Jobber at a very low cost. It is therefore necessary to use the extra with the rest of the order. This is automatically proportionally allocated over the whole order, ensuring that excess cloth is not put onto the last (and in most cases the one with the poorest fabric utilisation) as has been being

done in the past. It is of course possible to return fabric to stock if necessary. 5. Binding Requirements It is important that garments that require binding in the same fabric have the quantity properly calculated, so that cutting too much does not create waste. The program will calculate binding requirements. 6. Laying up When the user is satisfied with the Marked Rating the system will produce Laying up sheets. These indicate the number of plies of each colour of fabric that should be layed to complete the requirements of the order. These sheets require the operator to enter the following details: Roll Number: Number of Plies: Damaged lengths of Fabric: off cuts: Remnants: and Joins. Laying up information can also be entered using Touch Screens and Palm Pilots This allows information to be collected on a Real Time basis. From this information, complete fabric reconciliations can be computed. 7. Fabric Reconciliation This contains the following information: -

Fabric issued - Total layed up Damaged fabric - off cuts and Joins Variance on Manufacturers roll length Profit or loss on order Comparison of Achieved against Costed rating

8. Reports from the system The following reports are available. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Management Report showing Cutting room profit or loss for the period requested. Work in progress. Details of where all order are and their progress throughout the department. Garment Numbering. This is a system used in the industry to eliminate garment Shading. Bundle List. This is a list of the bundles required in the sewing plant. This is integrated into the Pro-Man system. Fabric Performance this informs management everything about the fabric supplier. Cutting order summary Marker plans Fabric requisitions and Issues Work in Progress

9. System set-up Each individual company circumstances are taken into account as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Table Length Cut quantity variance allowed Maximum lay height allowed for differing fabric types Min/Max Bundle size allowed. Computerisation requirements.

10. Pictures We provide the facility to see pictures of the fabric and styles to be used on the order together with fabrics r colour ways. This will assist in the elimination of costly errors and avoid the time required for searching for samples

Pro Cut SMV Overview Monitoring cutting room productivity is not done in most factories, however, many times poor work supply from the Cutting Room causes major production losses. It is essential to factory performance that the cutting room is intelligently managed and controlled and with this in mind we have, through our considerable expertise, developed Pro-Cut-SMV. It is a fact that different styles have a great effect on the cutting rooms ability to supply sufficient work, for example: Some styles have lots of fusing, -- can the fusing department cope? How do you manage the workload when producing checks or stripes? What is the effect of small orders? How can you balance the work properly to satisfy the demands of all of the production lines? All these questions can be answered using Pro-Cut-SMV. In conjunction with our Pro-Cut system we are now able to establish a database of Standard times for all operations within the cutting room and to monitor Work in Progress throughout this department. Pro-Cut-SMV was developed to:

Monitor the performance of all departments within the cutting room Monitor Work In Progress Make sure that all component parts to an order are cut together Simplify time and method study practices for Cutting operations Overcome the difficulties of producing accurate Standard Times

How it works

Studies are carried out on every activity for all processes in the cutting room. A sequence of operations required for the style is developed. A Data Card containing details of the style is set up. After marker planning the details are available for marker length, plies, number of sizes etc. The above information is then used to generate standard times for every activity. Bar-coded tickets are produced for every operation. These are scanned at regular intervals (2 hourly) during the day.

We are then able to monitor performance for the following processes:

Laying-up Straight knife cutting Round Knife cutting Band knife cutting Fusing Re-Cutting Re-laying Matching Stripes and blocks

Numbering Sorting Times are established well in advance using Pro-Cut SMV and by using the techniques developed in our Pro-Man system we are able to produce bar-coded tickets giving the required information for the control of the labour force and Work in Progress in this department. Advantages

Management decisions based on the current situation not history. Reduction of data collection personnel. Freeing supervisors and Managers to manage. Control of Labour ratios to ensure accurate recoveries. Part of a totally integrated production control system. Links and other applications. Better and more efficient data flow between systems and departments. Better trained and more informed personnel. Quicker reaction to customers needs. Improved customer satisfaction. Improved communication. Total Work in Progress Control. Simple for operators to understand. Quick and accurate. Print what you require only, it may be the case that some of the reports are used intermittently.

Transport information into Spread sheet applications. It is easy to learn and apply. Monitors cutting room efficiency. Produces accurate production figures for all functions automatically. Monitors WIP. It will improve production planning and control procedures. Work-in-progress feedback is earlier and is accurate. It will lead to accurate style costing for cutting operations. Can calculate the time it will take to cut an order. Can establish cutting costs for new orders. Can establish a cost per unit for cutting different order quantities. Can plan the cutting room more effectively. Will make you aware of cutting overload before it happens. Proper targets can be established for each function within this department. Inefficiencies will be easy to identify. Automatic emails to head office. All of the above points lead to better management control and considerable cost savings.

Reports from the system The following reports are available. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Efficiencies of all departments within the cutting room Work in progress at all stages per lay per cut. Planned lays per order and the position of each one. Cutting room output for each department. Departmental labour requirements for each order.

Apparel Making
Knowledge is the key to success and this also stands true for textile industry. Every textile entrepreneur need to know the basic, traditional as well as modern and technical apparel making techniques. This helps the traders compare all the available means in the market and select the one best suited for the business requirement. The basic processes of textile manufacturing viz. spinning,

weaving, knitting, finishing processes, dyeing, printing and others are all involved in fabric manufacturing. However, the actual ready to wear apparel involves many more processes right from
pattern drafting to garment construction which include pattern designing and pattern making, grading, marker making, apparel cutting, sewing, pressing and finishing. Lets have an overview of the basic processes as well as the latest trends in the making of an apparel. Pattern Making The basic procedure for apparel making is to design a pattern and put it into an identifiable form. The traditional method of pattern making includes creation of hard paper patterns. The modern apparel making system has adopted the digitization of pattern making process. These days many clothing firms provide the most modern and technical services for garment construction. They can create fresh computerized patterns or make modifications to existing hard paper patterns or digitize the available

data. These patterns can be made from their own samples or specifications provided by the apparel manufacturers. Most of these firms try to provide patterns that will sew properly without confusion in the production line. Pattern Grading Grading is the process used for creating sized patterns. There are certain proportional rules and set increments that form the basis of grading. These rules are set on the basis of analysis on body measurements of the general population. The clothing firms also help in pattern grading using the specifications provided by the apparel manufacturers and some of them also assist the manufacturers in establishing specifications for their product. The grade rules are developed keeping in view the market segment for which the product is intended such as men, women, youth, child, toddler etc. These firms mostly use the softwares available in the market for checking the accuracy of the grades. Marker making Fabric is the most important basic material for apparel making and it accounts for around 50 per cent of the ex-factory cost of a garment. Thus, material optimization or maximizing fabric utilization is the fundamental factor for every apparel firm. Marker making is done to avoid material wastage. While making markers, fabric width, length, fabric type and subsequent cutting method, all are taken into account. Both single size and multiple size paper markers are made using automated marker making tools and Computer Aided Design Computer Aided Manufacturing (CADCAM) along with traditional manual methods. The firms providing this service use previously graded pattern or the digitized copy of styles provided by the apparel manufacturers.

Apparel Cutting Apart from using traditional tools such as straight knife, band knife, shears etc. nowadays, automatic spreading equipment and computerized cutting systems are widely used for apparel cutting . Pattern specifications are kept into consideration while cutting which ensures that the constructed garment is exactly similar to the sample produced. The use of markers ensures as little textile waste as possible.

Apparel Sewing The sewing operation in most of the garment construction companies is closely supervised for quality control. A variety of apparel styles and fabrics are sewn are a large number of sewing machines available for almost any sewing the examples of such machines are single needle, double needle, safety stitch, automatic multi stitch, loop tacker, pocket welt, keyhole buttonhole, automatic eyelet etc. Pressing and Finishing After the sewing operation, the constructed garments are examined, pressed, in the pressing and finishing department. The automated processes adopted the possibility of wrinkling of the sewn garments throughout the finishing process.

these days. There operation. Some of automatic meter, button sewer, round

tagged and bagged these days prevent

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Saturday, August 25, 2007

Basic Technical SOP for Cutting Section in Apparel Mfg Facility
This research paper is relevant to Indian Apparel manufacturing sector. SOP Designed under guidance of Mr. Jayashantha Perera

Inputs Details related to Fabric such as face side /Shade bands etc..
1. Shade swatches along with the face side swatch approved by the buyer should be received from the Go down and Merchandising dept respectively. 2. Shade segregation should be complying with the approved swatches. 3. Verify whether the shade segregation is matching to the standard. 4. Approval from H/office mandatory if the received lots of fabric are not matching to standards. 5. The approval must have a checklist form for all the tests & approval standards w. r. t colour, wash, embroidery, printing, hand feel 6. Shade band details (Shade A, B, C, D) after verification should be received from fabric inspector & spreading team also should be given a copy for reference. 7. Shade grouping also must be received from the fabric godown. 8. Fabric details such as to face/back, nap direction; hand feel should be received from the godown duly approved by the merchant. 9. Shade wise/widthwise segregated rolls only should be received, checked & then should proceed for laying. 10.Both ends of every roll should have sticker consisting details of shade no, roll no, width and other relevant detail to enable easy identification of rolls.

Cutting Forecast shade wise

1. Cuttable quantities from each lot and shade should be informed to marketing, QA, & Buyer QA in advance for approval.

2. Cutting of rolls/bales should be done shade wise as per the breakdown of the PO

Note: Rolls should be allotted in such a way that no of shades included in a single lay or shipment or size range is minimized.

Spreading of fabric for Relaxation

1. Unroll the fabric from rolls & lay on table/flat area in concentric folds. 2. Allow for free relaxation without any obstruction the period should be studied and pre determined by the Go down and the factory Fabric Inspector 3. Record the time of unrolling and ready time laying of each roll 4. Relaxation of the lay should be pre determined and will be around 36hrs (for stretch fabrics if necessary especially for knitted fabcrics

Fusing-Study of Fusing Shrinkage

1. Cut fabric swatches with square template of size 18 X18(or 12x 12) 2. Fuse the fabric & specified interlining at specified temperature, pressure & time. 3. Allow for cooling of the fused parts.

4. Check for fusing shrinkage and record same ---this should be incorporated into the patterns as allowance for fusing. 5. Check for shade variation if any due to fusing. If you observe any shade variation, report to the Cutting In Charge and initiate corrective action. 6. Check the fusing for defects like peel off, bubbles etc. Inform deviations/defects if any to the concerned for necessary corrective action. 7. QA team has to educate/specify area of fusing, and temperature and pressure to be set for fusing8. Fusing tests must be carried out twice a day, once at the start of the machine then in the afternoon. Fusing Machine-- Tests & Daily Maintenance: >> Fusing validation trial tests must be carried out regularly, when the new style begins fusing parameters has to be finalised (temperature, time & pressure). >>Check the fusing machine pressure rollers nip, affecting the fusing quality, by passing a fabric strip through the machine & by pulling it backward --the need for re alignment of the rollers pressure can be identified when this is done at three points i.e left/center/right of the belt. >>By passing a carbon paper placed on top a white paper through the machine the impression on the white paper can be observed. This would also will help us to determine any inconsistence of the roller pressure at left>center> Right >>Cleaning of the belt thoroughly and check for the required temperature and pressure when the fabric/colour changes.

Washing Shrinkage
1. Percentage of washing shrinkage lengthwise and widthwise should be received from fabric section and recordedthe suppliers should ensure that the shrinkages are as specified by the buyers (international standard limits are 3% lengthwise and 3% -widthwise ) 2. Identify the face & reverse side as per the swatch . Mark the roll no, PO, Style, QC, Taka No etc 3. If the washing shrinkage % is more that 1.5% then the shrinkage test to be conducted for all the rolls/bales received (100% of rolls) 4. If there is a big variation in shrinkage, multiple markers to be prepared.

For Example: For absolute shrinkage % range of 3.0 4.5 % marker/pattern#1 & for shrinkage of 4.5% - 6% - Marker/Pattern # 2 like that.
>>Color codification should be done to trace rolls of shrinkage groups , if the range is too large or inconsistent.

Cutting of Pilot Run

Objective: carried out in order to make the necessary amendments in patterns/laying procedure/cutting procedure /cutting allowance/ marker changes/panel inspection/numbering area/bundling size. 1. Cutting incharge, production manager & IE shall plan for the pilot & bulk cutting. 2. Pilot run cutting shall be done as per the colour/size/quantity advised by FM/PM/IE.-the selection of the rolls should cover all the shades and shrinkage groups

3. Make a report of observations, comments, suggestions, amendments, simplification, risk analysis, corrective action plan based on the above analysis. 4. Obtain feed back from the sewing & buying QA and then act upon the necessary corrective action.

Marker drawing & Preservation of patterns

1. Carbon Papers could be used for duplication of markers in case of non-CAD markers.In case of Nike orders it is not allowed---efforts be made to obtain computer markers from a close by plant.. 2. The pattern/marker being suggested by HO team is only a starting point for the cutting incharge to work on better fabric utilisation. Cutting incharge should try out different markers to maximize fabric 3. A Parts Checklist has to be maintained by the marker drawer to ensure coverage of all parts in the lay. 4. Pattern should be verified for required allowances, tolerances, notches and embellishment placement marks, grain line, nap direction indications before marking. 5. Constant usage of patterns results in wear & tear of pattern, this has to be regularly monitored and worn out patterns to be replaced even daily if the case demands to ensure cutting quality. 6. Cello tape could be used to preserve the edges of the pattern boards for big quantities plastic boards could be used to duplicate the pattern for marker drawing 7. If the patterns are worn out, it has to be replicated & cross-verified for required measurements, allowances and tolerances. On satisfying these factors the worn out pattern has to be replaced. 8. Worn out patterns are to be destroyed after conformation on the correctness of the specifications mentioned in tech pack. 9. Lay sheet on which the marker is drawn is torn in the middle & stickers are pasted consisting details like PO no, Serial no, Fabric

code no, Lot no. Hence easy identification of cut panels.

Lay Preparation:
1. Layers shall collect lay slip, cutting job card, lay sheet from the minusing person. 2. Layers shall lay the fabric according to the lay slip details. 3. Layers shall collect rolls of only one shade and one width for the lay at a time ,if any shade change is noticed then use separators- i.e. lay sheet has to be placed for identification. 4. The cutting incharge has to decide upon the kind of lay such as face-to-face, face to back, face up, face down, grain line, nap direction during the PP meeting stage upon the analysis of the garment. 5. Use lay separator sheets to separate rolls of different shades if used in the same laythe shade category should be mentioned on every lay separator sheet also. Lay Precaution: 5. During laying the layers should check the lay-to-lay shade variation & also center to selvedge variation as a part of online check procedure. 6. QC shall inspect the lay for lay tension, width, length, grain line, nap direction etc. 7. End wastage for laying of fabric shouldnt be more than 1 cm.

Bulk Cutting

1. Lay wise manpower requirement must be planned.

2. Cutters must be trained on the methods of accurate cutting, especially for parts with deep curves. If possible diagrammatic representation of the direction of movement of the cutter needs to be illustrated. 3. Cutters shall inspect the cutting machine for oil leakage, straightness of the blade, sharpening quality, evenness in sharpening of the blade, dust accumulation before cutting. 4. Cutters shall cut lay as per the mark up using straight knife m/c and move the parts to band knife as per the discussion in PP meeting. 5. QC shall inspect all the cut parts using patterns and initiate corrective action upon the detection of defect. 6. Prepare 1st cut bundle inspection report; notify fabric defects and cutting defects to FM/PM. 7. QC should have a cutting checklist against which 1st bundle audit has to be conducted. Checklist should have details of allowances, tolerance included in pattern, notches and embellishments placement markings details. 8. The size of the straight knife for cutting lightweight fabrics should be 6 only. 9. Straight knife must be uniformly sharpened from top to bottom as frequently required,. This ensures even sharpening along the full 10. length of the knife/blade.

Note:If sharpening of blade is uneven/inconsistent, it would result in uneven depth of notch marks and variation in cutting too..

11.For Band knife cutting , patterns preferably made of tin should be used. 12. The patterns used for band knife must be changed regularly

upon monitoring the wear and tear on the pattern, due to frequent usage.

Numbering
1. Numbering plan must be given by the numbering incharge, specifying the style #, colour, P.O No., Serial No., No. Of garments cut, sizes. 2. All the parts shall be numbered in a pre determined sequence and at pre determined location. 3. Numbering stickers gum strength (Light/Medium/Heavy) has to be decided keeping in mind the kind of fabric being cut.

Panel Checking
1. The checkers carried out panel checking by placing the cut panels on the pattern and checking for accuracy of notches, grain lines, nap direction, crocked cutting, measurements & tolerance. 2. Mark the pattern on a board (Acrylic. Card Board) along with +/tolerance as dotted lines around the outline marked. Place the cut panel (component) on this marked area. It becomes easier to asses if the cut panel is within or out of tolerance. This inspection board has to verified and approved by pattern maker before usage. 3. Once the fabric is cut, they shall be bundled and marked with inspection status. 4. When a bundle is checked, they shall be marked with green as c. 5. When cut panels are inspected they shall be marked with green as I.

6. All panels shall be checked for fabric defects.

Bundling & Sorting

1. Cuts shall be bundled in to a pre determined bundle size and will be segregated size wise as well as lot wise and stored in bags. 2. Bags shall be stored in racks batch wise. 3. Issues of cut bundles to batches be done out as per the loading plan 4. Bundle tags will have details such as lot no, serial no, size, bundle no. 5. Mention shade category (A, B, C) on the cut panels for easy identification and tracking. Re cutting & End bit Control: 8. Layers shall mark both end bits with roll number, cut-lot number, meter age --all the bits every lay shall be bundled and given to recutting department. 9. End-bits should be always laid face-up, no change in laying procedure without prior information from the incharge 10.End-bits should be placed separately (Shade wise) to avoid discrepancies, the roll & taka number should be written and stacked separately 11. Re-Cutting should be done from the same lot of fabric, matching the shade, to avoid shade variation.

Cutting
Marker type Spread checking Cut piece checking : Manual : 100% check during spreading. : 100% check of component from Cut block. Method of fabric inspection : Four point grading system using Fabric inspection machine

Procedures for cutting After getting approval to start cutting, cutting staff will open all rolls of fabric required for days cutting at least 24 hours prior to commencement of cutting for the purpose of fabric

setting. This fabric setting is required to make the fabric return to its actual shrink form. After setting of the fabric, laying of fabric if laying single color then paper separator to be used to separate each roll, if laying other colors too, then will use different color to separate rolls. This will reduce shading problem. The lay height not by any means exceed above 6" Before start Cutting:

Check that the marker is placed on the spread with edge parallel to the selvage of the piece goods. Verify that all cut pieces will complete. Also check that no markers are creased. Check for shading. Unless all parts are marked, it is essential to have a system to control shading. Check the sharpness of the cutting machine blade, do not use blunt blades, this will damage the fabric. While cutting the fabric make sure that: Cutting tolerance will exceed 1/32 of an inch.

During spreading cutting quality will fill-up the Spread check list and will mark all defect parts during laying and will report in spread defect format. After cutting each cut blocks has to be checked by hard pattern. The cut block is to be placed in between two hard patterns and have to check for Miss Cuts, Matching plies, Notches. CUT BLOCK INSPECTION: Cut block inspection is made and recorded as per cutting component replacement report. The defect components have to be replaced immediately and placed in the layer from where rejected. This has to be recorded strictly.

Cutting
Marker type Spread checking Cut piece checking : Manual : 100% check during spreading. : 100% check of component from Cut block. Method of fabric inspection : Four point grading system using Fabric inspection machine

Procedures for cutting After getting approval to start cutting, cutting staff will open all rolls of fabric required for days cutting at least 24 hours prior to commencement of cutting for the purpose of fabric setting. This fabric setting is required to make the fabric return to its actual shrink form. After setting of the fabric, laying of fabric if laying single color then paper separator to be used to separate each roll, if laying other colors too, then will use different color to separate rolls. This will reduce shading problem. The lay height not by any means exceed above 6" Before start Cutting:

Check that the marker is placed on the spread with edge parallel to the selvage of the piece goods. Verify that all cut pieces will complete. Also check that no markers are creased. Check for shading. Unless all parts are marked, it is essential to have a system to control shading. Check the sharpness of the cutting machine blade, do not use blunt blades, this will

damage the fabric. While cutting the fabric make sure that: Cutting tolerance will exceed 1/32 of an inch.

During spreading cutting quality will fill-up the Spread check list and will mark all defect parts during laying and will report in spread defect format. After cutting each cut blocks has to be checked by hard pattern. The cut block is to be placed in between two hard patterns and have to check for Miss Cuts, Matching plies, Notches. CUT BLOCK INSPECTION: Cut block inspection is made and recorded as per cutting component replacement report. The defect components have to be replaced immediately and placed in the layer from where rejected. This has to be recorded strictly.

Process Control Matrix

Process Sub-Process Control Activities

Pre-Production Production Planning Once documented order details are received from Activities merchandising department and the fabric and trims are available in the store, a production plan is prepared considering the followings:

Production Capacity Lead Time Construction of new style Productivity

Prioritize production lines if similar styles have been performed earlier. Production plan once ready is circulated to all departments so that they can plan their activities accordingly. Production plan is updated based on the production report received on daily basis. Pre-Production Meeting Before starting test cutting Pre-Production Meeting is held to make sure everyone is aware of all about the style and execute the style respecting all quality points and to minimize communication gaps and to get a know how of the order starting from cutting section to finishing section. The meeting is attended by Quality Assurance Manager, Cutting-In-Charge and respective line Mechanic. During the meeting following points are discussed as per the agenda mentioned the following.

Introduction of the style - Assistant General Manager / Factory Manager Fabric & Accessories status Store-InCharge Pattern, Cut marks etc Pattern In Charge

Quality points QA Manager Special Operations Production Manager Line Layout, Allocation of workers Line Chief Ironing, Folding & Packing Finishing-InCharge

Meeting minutes are recorded & circulated to all concerns. Cutting Cutting Planning and The cutting Planning is done based on following Marker Preparation

Production Plan Order details i.e. Size, Ratio, and Specification etc. Approved shade Band chart, approved fabric swatches.

Based on the Size, Ratio, and Fabric width marker is prepared, checked for the pattern direction, tightness and consumption and is finally approved for efficiency. Spreading Lay length on cutting table according to the marker length and rolls are segregated according to the marker width. The fabric is then spread following instructions given below:

From one side the fabric layers should be should be straight at 90 degree. The fabric is spread according to Lay length. The fabric should be evenly spread, i.e. there should be no wrinkles or waves, etc. Follow any special instructions given by the Cutting-In-Charge.

Once the spreading is completed, actual yardage, number of layers and the balance yardage are recorded. After spreading the marker is prepared on fabric and clipped from both sides. Before starting cutting size, ratio and style number are checked and recorded. During cutting the Cutter men follow the instructions given below

Before start cutting ensures that the oil level in the cutting machines and that the blades and sharpening belt are functioning. While cutting follow the marker lines Cut notches according to cut marks. Always wear safety gloves slippers and

masks. The helpers tie the parts immediately after the QC inspector inspects and passes the cut panels and forwards for numbering. Once the cutting is completed, the cutting supervisor gives the cutting Lay order sheet to the numbering section. Numbering & Bundling Based on the total number of garments in every cutting a Numbering Plan is prepared. The numbering is issued serial wise starting from 1 to so on. These stickers are put on every panel. Stickers are placed in such a manner on every panel that it remains visible after sewing. Once the numbering is completed, the bundles of maximum 25 pieces per panel are made and the bundling ticket is inserted in every bundle. Based on the style, processes are identified and line layout is set to achieve required production target. The machinery are arranged and adjusted according to the line Lay layout. Based on the Production plan followings are made available before feeding:

Sewing

Pre Production Preparation

Line Feeding

Accessories, cut panels, work sheets, and trims are approved and available Machine, Folder, gauges are adjusted by the maintenance personnel. Production line is set as per line layout. Approved samples are available in the line for reference.

Every sewing line has different section but it may change depending on the style. Line supervisor of respective section is responsible to feed bundle according to bundle ascending number. During Production During feeding the line in-charge has to monitor for following:

To achieve required quality level. To follow bundle system for an organized line. To record interruptions & failures. To avoid gaps (vacuum) due to new style feeding. To follow up efficiency sheet & identify bottlenecks and suggest remedies. To achieve required efficiency and targets given by the Management.

It is the responsibility of the machine operators and the helpers to carry out their respective work given

by the line chiefs and supervisors to carry out effectively as explained on their job instructions. Seam Sealing To make the specialized hunting wears water proof TRZ group has 21 Seam Sealing Machine in its 3 Factories. Seam Tapes are affixed after each seam sewing. Excess thread and raw edges if found in a garment both inside and outside are cut / trimmed:

Thread Cutting Pressing / Ironing

The ironing is done as per the customer requirements. in many cases the supervisor will make use of iron shoes, arms to achieve desired results. Sometimes hard pressing is required for areas like puckering seams, etc. Iron temperature is controlled to avoid fabric shine, burn marks. Steam consumption is used efficiently and effectively while pressing. Garments are handled, pressed and transported properly to avoid crushing.

Clean work place is maintained by frequent cleaning for iron tables, vacuum cloth, and table cover. Iron shoe etc. Finishing Packing

Special care is taken to ensure that hangtags, price tickets etc are attached at the required place and correct size. Folding is also done according to the customer specified standard. Assortment is also done based on the customers requirements. e.g. solid size solid color assorted size solid color etc, and the quantity per carton will be determined by the buyer. Packing list is prepared and cartons are closed after double-checking the assortment. Shipping marks, carton marks and numbers are also mentioned as per the customers requirements. The carton quantity is checked and verified against the packing list.

Cutting is the production process of separating (sectioning, carving, severing) a spread into garment parts that are the precise size and shape of the pattern pieces on a marker. The cutting process may also involve transferring marks and notches from the marker to garment parts to assist operators in sewing. Chopping or sectioning a spread into blocks of piece goods may precede precision cutting of individual pattern shapes. This is often done to allow for accurate matching of fabric design or easier manipulation of a cutting knife.

CUTTING AND CUTTING ELEMENT OF GARMENTS IN APPAREL FACTORY

Fabric pieces may be cut to predetermined lengths for matching patterns or for additional processing such as screen printing. Spreads of plaid fabrics may be presectioned into blocks so the design of the fabric can be perfectly matched before cutting to the shape of the pattern piece. Presectioned pieces may also be garment parts knitted to specific finished lengths such as sweater bodies. Presectioned pieces such as leather or other specialty fabrics may be and cut as a single ply or laid up and cut as a multiple-ply spread. Objectives of cutting: -Understanding of the cutting process -Cutting equipments and their operations Cutting often is carried out in two stages: rough cutting (separating the individual pieces) and the final cutting (accurate cutting of the individual shapes). Different types of cutting tools have different degrees of precision. PORTABLE CUTTING KNIVES: Portable knives can be moved to and through a spread by an operator. There are two main types of portable knives: (i) vertical reciprocating straight knives and (ii) round knives. Structurally and mechanically the two types of machines share many similarities. Structurally, both types of knives have a base plate, power system, handle, cutting blade, sharpening device, and blade guard. Round knives operate with a one-way thrust as the circular blade makes contact with the fabric, and vertical knives cut with an up-and-down action. Circular cutters and straight knives are pushed by hand through the stationary material. CIRCULAR CUTTERS: Circular cutting tools use a rotating circular blade. The smallest devices (power shears) is used for cutting single ply lays and for cutting fabric plies to length during manual spreading. Depending on the size of the device it is possible to cut to a depth of about 10mm. The larger circular cutter is used mainly for dividing a lay into sections. It is suitable only for cutting in straight lines or very gradual curves, in depths of about 150mm. STRAIGHT KNIVES:

A straight knife cutter has a vertical blade, which reciprocates up and down. It is capable of both coarse and precise cutting to a depth of about 300mm. Corners and curves can be cut accurately. Since all of the layers are cut at the same place (unlike a circular cutter), and provided that the knife is held vertical, then all of the pieces cut from a lay are identical. Vertical straight knives with reciprocating blades are the most versatile and commonly used cutting devices. Reciprocating blades have a vertical cutting action. Blades vary in length from 6 to 14 inches. Blade length and the adjustable height of the blade guard are factors in determining the spread depth that can be cut. The 90degree angle of the narrow, thin blade to the cutting surface makes this knife a good choice for accurately cutting sharp corners, angles, and curves. Vertical straight knife machines make only lateral cuts into a spread therefore cannot be used to cut out areas from the center of garment parts. Basic Components of Portable Knives: Blades are mounted in a vertical position at a 90-degree angle to the cutting surface. Blades vary in shape, size, cutting action, and fineness of the cutting edge. A straight blade contacts the spread at a 90-degree angle; assuming the blade and spread are kept vertical, all plies are cut at the same time. A rotary blade does not cut all plies evenly at the same time. A round blade contacts the spread at an angle; thus, the top ply is cut before the bottom ply. (i) Knife blades can have a major affect on the quality of the cut. Factors that affect the performance of a blade are the blade edge, surface texture of the blade, coarseness or fineness of the blade edge, and blade composition. Blade edges may be straight with a flat surface, saw-toothed, serrated, or wavy with a striated surface. Straightedge blades with a flat surface are general-purpose and the most widely used, while the other types are more specific to certain types of fabrics. Striated blades are used to reduce heat buildup during cutting, wavy edges are used for plastics and vinyls, and saw-type blades are use for cutting canvas. (ii) The base plate is the foundation that supports and helps balance the cutting mechanism. Bases vary in shape and size, depending on the size and weight of the knife it supports and the maneuverability needed. The base plate guides the knife in relation to the table surface and elevates the spread off the cutting table for contact with the blade. Base plates are supported by bearing rollers to facilitate maneuverability and ease of movement. Edges of the plate are sloped and the front curved to easily slide under the bottom ply and provide less fabric distortion and drag as it is maneuvered during cutting. The base plate helps maintain the position of the blade at a 90-degree pitch. (iii) The power system controls the motor and the potential cutting speed. The amount of power needed to cut a spread depends on the height of the spread and the density of the fabric to be cut. The horsepower of the motor determines the amount of thrust or cutting power of the blade. Higher speeds allow operators to move knives faster. Greater horsepower increases machine power but it also may increase weight of the motor, which must be balanced by the blade housing and base plate. Larger, more powerful knives, which may weigh approximately 35 pounds, are often more cumbersome, heavier, and harder to manipulate and maneuver. Motors with variable speeds provide more versatility. (iv) Sharpening devices appropriate for the specific blade type are found on almost all mechanized cutting equipment. Blades dull quickly when cutting deep spread or dense fabric. As a blade becomes dull, it creates friction and may cause rough, frayed, or fused edges. Sharpening devices may be stone or emery wheels or abrasive belt sharpeners. Cutting blades are sharpened frequently during the cutting operation simply by touching the control. (v) All manually operated cutting devices have a handle for the operator to grip, guide, and propel the knife through the spread. The operator's other hand is used to stabilize the plies ahead of the knife to prevent bunching of fabric.

(vi) A blade guard, when positioned at spread height, rests on the top ply to help stabilize the spread and to protect the operator's hand. Metal mesh gloves are available as a safety device for cutters using vertical knives.

Cutting Tools Used in the Garment Industries

By Lisbeth Booth, eHow Contributor updated December 24, 2010

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1.

A sharp pair of scissors a common tool used in garment making.

The old adage when it comes to sewing is "measure twice, cut once." When it comes to professional garment making, the cutting part doesn't always mean grabbing a generic pair of scissors. Depending on the job, there are many tools used by seamstresses, tailors and other garment industry workers when making clothes. There is a different tool for each kind of cutting task.

Scissors and Shears

A sharp pair of scissors or shears is integral to cutting fabric. The difference between scissors and shears is in the handle: the two handles on a pair of scissors are identical, whereas one handle is larger than the other on a pair of shears. Scissors and shears can be used for most basic cutting tasks.
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Knife Cutting Machines

Cutting machines are commonly used for the mass commercial production of clothing. The straight knife cutting machine is the most commonly used machine. Other cutting machines include band knife machines and round knife machines. Both computerized and manual versions of these machines are available.
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Rotary Cutters
These small hand-held devices with a circular blade that slices through fabric. They are similar to the round blade machines used in commercial garment making, but smaller and not motorized. They are usually used with a self-healing mat to avoid damaging work surfaces.
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Pinking Shears
Pinking shears are specialty scissors with scalloped blades. They are used to finish seams by providing an edge that does not unravel.
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Snip, Snip: Cutting Tools 101

Scissors & Shears | Pinking Shears | Seam Rippers | Thread Clippers & Embroidery Scissors | Rotary Cutters | Cutting Tips

Buy quality cutting tools and keep them at their best with periodic sharpening by a qualified professional.

Scissors & Shears

Scissors have both handles the same size; shears have one handle larger than the other. The best quality scissors and shears are hot-forged, high-grade steel, joined with an adjustable screw (not rivet) to ensure even pressure along the length of the blade. Sharp shears make clean cuts and well-defined notches. More important, they do not damage fabric. Dull shears slow the cutting process, and make your hand and wrist tire easily. Sewing shears should not be used for other household tasks such as cutting paper or twine. Scissors and shears last longer if you occasionally put a drop of oil on the screw assembly, wipe them clean with a soft dry cloth after use, and store them in a box or pouch. Bent-handled dressmaker's shears are best for pattern cutting because the angle of the lower blade lets fabric lie flat on the cutting surface. Blade length of 7" or 8" (18 or 20.5cm) are most popular but lengths up to 12" (30.5cm) are available. Select a blade length appropriate to the size of your hand -- shorter for small hands, longer for large hands. Left-handed models are also available. If you sew a great deal, invest in a pair of all-steel, chrome-plated shears (1a) for heavy-duty cutting. The lighter models (1b) are fine for lessfrequent sewing or lightweight fabrics. For synthetic fabrics and slippery knits, a serrated edge shear (1c) gives maximum cutting control.
Pinking Shears

Pinking shears or scalloping shears cut a zigzag or scalloped edge instead of a straight one. Used to finish seams and raw edges of many types of fabric, they cut a ravel-resistant edge.

Thread Clippers & Embroidery Scissors

Sewing scissors (2a) have one pointed and one rounded tip for

trimming and clipping seams and facings. The 6"(15cm) blade is most practical. Embroidery scissors (2b) have a 4" or 5" (10 or 12.5cm) finely-tapered blades. Both points are sharp for use in hand work and precision cutting. Thread clippers (5) with spring-action blades is more convenient than shears and safer than a seam ripper.

Seam Rippers

Seam rippers quickly rip seams, opens button holes and removes stitches. Use carefully to avoid piercing fabric.
Rotary Cutters

Rotary cutters are an adaptation of the giant rotary cutters used in the garment industry. It works like a pizza cutter and can be used by left or right-handed sewers. Use the rotary cutter with a special plastic mat available in different sizes. The mat protects both the cutting surface and the blade. A special locking mechanism retracts the blade for safety. The rotary cutter is especially useful for cutting leather, slippery fabrics, or several layers of fabric.

Cutting Tips
Arrange your cutting table so you can move around it to get at the pattern from all angles. If your cutting surface is not this accessible, cut groups of pattern pieces apart from the rest of the fabric so you can turn these smaller pieces around. Accuracy is important, since a mistake in cutting cannot always be corrected. Before cutting, double check placement of pattern pieces and alterations. Before cutting plaids, one-way designs or directional fabrics, make sure the fabric is folded and laid out correctly. Basting tape may be helpful to keep fabric from shifting. Heavy or bulky fabric can be cut more accurately one layer at a time. Slippery fabric is easier to cut if you cover the table with a sheet, blanket or other non-slip material. Take long, firm strokes, cutting directly on the dark cutting line. Use shorter strokes for curved areas. Keep one hand on the pattern near the cutting line to prevent the pattern from shifting and to provide better control. Notches can be cut outward from the notch markings or with short snips into the seam allowance. Be careful not to snip beyond the seamline. Use snips to mark the foldlines and stitching lines of darts and pleats, and the center front and center back lines at the top and bottom. Mark the top of the sleeve cap above the large dot on the pattern with a snip. On bulky or looselywoven fabric where snips cannot be easily seen, cut pattern notches out into the margin. Cut double or triple notches as one unit, not separately. After you finish cutting, save scraps to test stitching or pressing techniques, make trial buttonholes or cover buttons. For accurate marking and easy identification, leave each pattern piece pinned in place until you are ready to sew that piece.

Snip, Snip: Cutting Tools 101

Scissors & Shears | Pinking Shears | Seam Rippers | Thread Clippers & Embroidery Scissors | Rotary Cutters | Cutting Tips

Buy quality cutting tools and keep them at their best with periodic sharpening by a qualified professional.
Scissors & Shears

Scissors have both handles the same size; shears have one handle larger than the other. The best quality scissors and shears are hot-forged, high-grade steel, joined with an adjustable screw (not rivet) to ensure even pressure along the length of the blade. Sharp shears make clean cuts and well-defined notches. More important, they do not damage fabric. Dull shears slow the cutting process, and make your hand and wrist tire easily. Sewing shears should not be used for other household tasks such as cutting paper or twine. Scissors and shears last longer if you occasionally put a drop of oil on the screw assembly, wipe them clean with a soft dry cloth after use, and store them in a box or pouch. Bent-handled dressmaker's shears are best for pattern cutting because the angle of the lower blade lets fabric lie flat on the cutting surface. Blade length of 7" or 8" (18 or 20.5cm) are most popular but lengths up to 12" (30.5cm) are available. Select a blade length appropriate to the size of your hand -- shorter for small hands, longer for large hands. Left-handed models are also available. If you sew a great deal, invest in a pair of all-steel, chrome-plated shears (1a) for heavy-duty cutting. The lighter models (1b) are fine for lessfrequent sewing or lightweight fabrics. For synthetic fabrics and slippery knits, a serrated edge shear (1c) gives maximum cutting control.
Pinking Shears

Pinking shears or scalloping shears cut a zigzag or scalloped edge instead of a straight one. Used to finish seams and raw edges of many types of fabric, they cut a ravel-resistant edge.

Thread Clippers & Embroidery Scissors

Sewing scissors (2a) have one pointed and one rounded tip for trimming and clipping seams and facings. The 6"(15cm) blade is most practical. Embroidery scissors (2b) have a 4" or 5" (10 or 12.5cm) finely-tapered blades. Both points are sharp for use in hand work and precision cutting. Thread clippers (5) with spring-action blades is more convenient than shears and safer than a seam ripper.

Seam Rippers

Seam rippers quickly rip seams, opens button holes and removes stitches. Use carefully to avoid piercing fabric.
Rotary Cutters

Rotary cutters are an adaptation of the giant rotary cutters used in the garment industry. It works like a pizza cutter and can be used by left or right-handed sewers. Use the rotary cutter with a special plastic mat available in different sizes. The mat protects both the cutting surface and the blade. A special locking mechanism retracts the blade for safety. The rotary cutter is especially useful for cutting leather, slippery fabrics, or several layers of fabric.

Cutting Tips
Arrange your cutting table so you can move around it to get at the pattern from all angles. If your cutting surface is not this accessible, cut groups of pattern pieces apart from the rest of the fabric so you can turn these smaller pieces around. Accuracy is important, since a mistake in cutting cannot always be corrected. Before cutting, double check placement of pattern pieces and alterations. Before cutting plaids, one-way designs or directional fabrics, make sure the fabric is folded and laid out correctly. Basting tape may be helpful to keep fabric from shifting. Heavy or bulky fabric can be cut more accurately one layer at a time. Slippery fabric is easier to cut if you cover the table with a sheet, blanket or other non-slip material. Take long, firm strokes, cutting directly on the dark cutting line. Use shorter strokes for curved areas. Keep one hand on the pattern near the cutting line to prevent the pattern from shifting and to provide better control. Notches can be cut outward from the notch markings or with short snips into the seam allowance. Be careful not to snip beyond the seamline. Use snips to mark the foldlines and stitching lines of darts and pleats, and the center front and center back lines at the top and bottom. Mark the top of the sleeve cap above the large dot on the pattern with a snip. On bulky or looselywoven fabric where snips cannot be easily seen, cut pattern notches out into the margin. Cut double or triple notches as one unit, not separately. After you finish cutting, save scraps to test stitching or pressing techniques, make trial buttonholes or cover buttons. For accurate marking and easy identification, leave each pattern piece pinned in place until you are ready to sew that piece.

MARKING FABRIC FOR SEWING

After all the pattern pieces are cut, you can begin marking each piece. This step is of the utmost importance. It provides road signs showing where to sew and press. It will also speed your sewing time when done correctly. Marking will take only a little

time and is not as tiring as using the tracing wheel or placing the pattern back on the fabric to look for a lost detail. By using ready-to-wear tricks, like nips, notches, and tailor tacks for marking, you can make your sewing projects much easier to complete. There are two areas that must be marked when you transfer the pattern marking to the cloth: outside edges and the inside details. Notches There are two types of notches in sewing: pattern notches and center notches. PATTERN NOTCHES: Pattern notches are the single or double notches printed on the patterns cutting edges. These notches: 1. Denote center front and center back pattern pieces 2. Allow for easing and stretching 3. Avoid confusion among a number of pieces that may look alike CENTER NOTCHES: Center notches are small V-shaped wedges of fabric removed from a seam allowance. They should be cut into all centers and folds to indicate center and grain. For example, when matching the neckline to the facing, match the notches in the dress to the notches in the facing. The dress will be perfectly on grain. Notches should be placed on the pattern edge in the following areas: 1. All center dots in sleeve caps 2. All centers of the neckline, front and back of the garment, facings, and the collars 3. All centers in hems
Center Notches Pattern Notches Copyright 2003 Hip Line Media
HIP LINE MEDIA

Nips Nips are small cuts put into the outside edge of the fabric with the point of your shears. These are placed wherever the 5/8" stitching starts or stops at the edge of a seamline. When starting and ending a seam, if you match these two nips on each layer of fabric, all of your seam lines will be accurate. It is better to sit down for pattern nipping, as you will have better control of the shears. You need to be near your work for control and simply to see what you are doing. Take one piece of the pattern and fabric (still

pinned or weighted together) and carefully go all the way around each piece. Nip all the seam edge intersections: Make nips in all the following areas: 1. 5/8" seam allowances 2. Hems at the turn-up fold line 3. Dart legs at seam edge 4. All zipper endings (or notch) 5. Pockets on seam edges (or notch) 6. Interfacing and underlining 7. Linings If the layers of fabric are too much for the shears to nip when there are interfacing and linings, simply place the point of the shears on the fabric as if to cut. Give the point a swift tap with the edge of your left hand. This small tap will force the shears through the layers of fabric cleanly and quickly.
Nips are small cuts put in the outside edge of the fabric to mark seam allowances, hems, dart legs, zipper endings, pockets, interfacing, linings, and underlinings. Nips 2 Copyright 2003 Hip Line Media
HIP LINE MEDIA

Tailor Tacks There are many ways to mark the inside of a garment, but experts use tailor tacks most often. A tailor tack is a short length of thread placed in the fabric. Correctly done, it is the safest way to mark, and can be used on more fabrics than any other marking system. Tailor tacks should be used to mark inside details: 1. Dart points (on double pointed darts, also tack at the waistline) 2. Pocket placement 3. Anywhere the pattern shows a dot or square The thread used in making tailor tacks must be chosen with care. (Imagine using black thread on white fabric and having fine black fibers in the cloth, forever!) Even heat and moisture from an iron can fade some colors of thread into the fabric and leave a spot. The best thread to use will have a smooth finish (glazed basting thread or silk thread). Protect your fabric by making sure that the color and composition of the thread is high-quality. The needle should be approximately a size 7. Manufacturers

label the needle packages as sharps (dressmaker) or betweens (tailor). Either can be used for tailor tacks. 2. Place your shears on the pattern and fabric at the end of the thread (where a knot would be). Press the point of the shears down on the fabric to keep it and the pattern from becoming bunched between the stitches. Pull the needle and thread until all stitches lay flat and you have 1" of thread at the end. Cut the thread 1" on the other side of the stitch. Again, pull the thread until it's 1" from the tack, and cut on the other side. Continue until all thread tacks are cut. Lift the pattern up and off. TO MARK AND CUT TAILOR TACKS: 1. Use an unknotted, double thread. Place your needle straight in the fabric as if it were a thumb tack. Put the index finger of your left hand on the fabric in front of the needle, the same way you would put a pin in the fabric. Make a big stitch and push upward with the needle. Then go through both layers with as small a stitch as you can make. Do not put your hand under the fabric layers as you work, or slippage will occur. Place all stitches in a line at one time, pulling the thread loosely as you go.
Copyright 2003 Hip Line Media
HIP LINE MEDIA

Fabric Markers Another easy way to mark the inside detail on your fabric is with special fabric markers. RULE: All pen and pencil markers need to be tested on the fabric before using. Not all markers can be removed from all fabrics. Some can only be removed before heat is applied with an iron. Make holes at the pattern's dart points to allow the marker point to mark the fabric accurately. 3. Now you must cut the tacks apart between the layers. Hammer a tailor tack down with your shears. (The tailor tack needs to be held down or it might pull out when lifting up the second layer.) Roll one layer away from you until you can see the thread color of the tailor tack. Cut the thread. The shorter you cut the tailor tack, the longer it will stay. Cut all the tailor tacks apart. On the top side of the fabric,

trim the long thread as close as possible. Contrary to belief, long ends are more likely to pull out of the fabric and short ends stay in.
Finishing Your Tailor Tacks

Making the Most of Your Time The length of time it takes to cut out a garment will vary due to the fabric and pattern style. A simple pattern may have five pieces, while a complicated one may have thirty. A simple pattern can be cut in thirty minutes. Others may have interfacing, underlining, or lining and will take longer to complete. Do not work until you become tired. Your hands, back, and feet become tense, and then mistakes are easily made. Time your work so that you will enjoy the cutting step. When all of the cutting is finished you can say to yourself, Now I know that my pajamas are half finished.
4

Cutting machineries and equipment for garment manufacturing

By onlineclothingstudy.com In the majority of cutting rooms today, the cutting process makes use of hand shears, a mechanised knife blade in one of the several possible types, or a die press which stamps out the garment shape. Some of the methods currently in use are described below:

Hand Shears Hand shears are normally used when cutting only single or double plies. The lower blade of the shears passes under the plies, and some distortion of the fabric might occur which can be avoided with practice. Both left handed and right handed shears are available for left or right handed people. The major disadvantage of the method lies in the time it consumes and the consequent high labour cost per garment, but it is appropriate for made to measure garments. Straight Knife A straight knife is used where the quantities for cutting do not justify purchase of a computer-controlled cutter. The elements of a straight knife consist of a base plate, usually on rollers for ease of movement, an upright or a standard carrying a

straight, vertical blade with varying edge characteristics and an electric motor above it, a handle for the cutter to direct the blade, and a sharpening device. The base plate on its rollers slides under the glazed paper which is spread below the bottom ply of fabric in a lay. Normally, available blades heights vary from 10 cm to 33 cm and strokes vary from 2.5 cm to 4.5 cm. The greater the blade movement, the faster the blade cuts the fabric and the more rapidly and easily the operator can push the machine.

The straight knife is a common means of cutting lays in conventional cutting rooms because it is versatile, portable, cheaper than a band knife, more accurate on curves than a round knife and relatively reliable and easy to maintain. Even if a band knife is used for the main cutting operation, a straight knife would be used to separate the lay into sections for easier handling.

Round Knife - The elements of a round knife are a base plate, above which is mounted an electric motor, a handle for the cutter to direct the blade, and a circular blade rotating so that the leading edge cuts downwards into the fabric. Blade diameters vary from 6 cm to 20 cm. Round knives are not suitable for cutting curved lines in high lays because the blade does not strike all the plies simultaneously at the same point as a vertical point does. Therefore, a round knife is used only for straight lines or lower no of lays of relatively few plies.

Band Knife A band knife comprises a series of three or more pulleys, powered by an electric motor, with a continuously rotating steel blade mounted on them. One edge of the blade is sharpened. The band knife passes through a slot in the cutting table in a fixed position and the section of the lay to be cut is moved past it. Band knives are used when a higher standard of cutting accuracy is required than can be obtained with a straight knife. Pieces to be cut are first cut on a block, and then cut exactly on a band knife. Notchers Many garments require that notches be cut into the edges of them to enable alignment during sewing with other garment parts. Specialized notching equipment provides greater accuracy because a guide lines up the notcher with the cut edge to give consistent depth of notch at a consistent right angle to the edge. Drills and thread markers Where reference marks are needed away from the edge of a garment part, such as for the position of the pockets, darts and similar features, a hole is often drilled through all the plies of fabric in the lay. The drill mounting includes a motor, a base plate with a hole to allow the drill to pass through, and a spirit level to ensure that the base is horizontal and hence the drill vertical. On many fabrics, the drill is used cold and the hole remains visible until the sewing operator comes to use it. On

looser weave fabrics, where the hole may close up, a hot drill is used which will slightly scorch or fuse the edges of the hole. A hypodermic drill may be used which leaves a small deposit of paint on each ply of fabric. If it is important that no mark remains on the fabric, a long thread may be passed through the lay which is then cut with scissors between each ply, leaving a few centimeters visible on each garment panel. All drill holes must eventually be concealed by the construction of the garment.

Computer controlled cutting knives This method provides the most accurate possible cutting, at high speed, and to keep the larger systems fully occupied they are frequently used in a central cutting facility that supplies a number of separate sewing factories. A typical computer cutting system has a table with a cutting surface consisting of nylon bristles which support the fabric lays but are flexible enough to permit penetration and movement of the knife blade which is supported only at the top. The bristles also allow the passage of air through the table to create a vacuum, reducing the height of the lay and holding it in place. The carriage supporting the cutting head has two synchronised servomotors, which drive it on tracks on the edges of the table. The cutting head contains a knife, automatic sharpener and a further servo motor which rotates the knife to position it at a tangent to the line of cut on curves. A sheet of airtight polyethylene covers the top of the lay, which assists the creation of a vacuum and allows significant compression of the lay. Control cabinet houses the computer and the electrical components required to drive the cutter, its carriage and the vacuum motor. The spreader spreads the lay on a conventional cutting table equipped with air floatation. Paper is spread below the bottom ply so that the lay can be moved onto the cutting table without distortion and so that the bottom plies are supported during the cutting operation. This paper is perforated to enable the vacuum on the cutting table to operate to compress the lay. The cutting table does not need to be as long as the lay and its bristle surface can consist of a conveyer which assists in the transfer of the lay, in sections, from the spreading table and of the cut work onto the bundling tables. Die Cutting Die cutting involves pressing of a rigid blade through the laid fabric. The die is a knife in the shape of the pattern periphery, including notches. Free standing dies generally fall into two categories. They can be of strip steel, manufactured by bending the strip to the shape required and welding the joint. These cannot be sharpened and must be replaced when worn. Alternatively, they can be heavier gauge, forged dies which can be re-sharpened but which are five times the price of strip steel. They provide a high standard of accuracy of cutting but, because of the cost of the dies, they are only appropriate to situations where large quantities of the same pattern will be cut. Die cutting also offers much faster cutting than knife cutting for the same depth of cut. It is proportionally more economic for small parts which have a greater periphery in relation to their area.

Straight knife Cloth Cutting Machine KS-AU, Straight knife cloth cutting machine with automatic abrasive belts sharpener, is the most popular cutting machine in the garment industry. It's suitable for cutting all kinds of fabrics from thin to thick materials. Features 1. Motor: The motor is an originally developed motor. It assures a smooth cutting operation with excellent cutting power and low motor temperature. 2. Automatic Oil Lubrication Device: Oil can be supplied automatically from oil reservoir to the guide metals and cross head. And the internal oil guard keeps other interior parts clean. 3. Automatic Sharpening Device : There is an abrasive belt sharpening device. Just press down the sharpening lever, and the blade can be sharpened automatically to maintain the most suitable edge of the blade. 4. Standard: Thinner and flat type standard makes the resistance of cutting material lower, and bigger blade stroke makes cutting smoothly. 5. Base Plate: The base plate is low and the surface is smooth to make the material travel on it smoothly before and after cutting. 6. Other: Fan-guard and starting switch cover are equipped for safety reason. 7. Option: Knife Protector