Preproduction Operations: marker making, spreading, and cutting

1. Marker Making Preproduction operations are depend on perfected patterns Pattern makers develop the patterns for styles All the patterns of a style are verified Pattern makers checked very carefully before sending the patterns to cut order planning. How create patterns we looked at last lesson.

Cut Order Planning The result of cut order planning are cutting orders Cut order planning translates customer orders into cutting orders It is the process that coordinates customer orders with all the variables of marker making, spreading, and cutting to minimize total production costs and meet customer demand for timely products It seeks the most effective use of labor, equipment, fabric and space The result of cut order planning are cutting orders Cut order planning can be done manually or by computer. New computer technology is much faster, more accurate, and supported with more data on all the variables. Computerized cut order planning allows experimentation with alternative cutting plans to develop the most effecient options. Cut order planning is a prerequisite to tight markers.

Common Variables: may affect cut order planning Number of colours in order Maximum spread length, depend about cutting table Maximum ply height, depend about material and cutting equipment Fabric cost per meter/yard Useable cloth width Etc. Each marker requires a lay of fabric. A lay is a stack of fabric plies that have been prepared for cutting. Lay planning is the basis of managing cutting room labor and table space. Spreading and cutting schedules are affected by table length, type of equipment, spread length, spreading time, and cutting time. The cutting room manager must minimize throughput time by efficient use of equipment, table space, and personell.

A Marker A marker is a diagram of a precise arrangement of pattern pieces for a specific style to be cut from single spread Marker making is the process of determining the most efficient layout of pattern pieces for a specified style, fabric, and distribution of sizes Manually produced markers Computerized marker making Plotting is the process of drawing or printing pattern pieces or markers on paper so they can be reviewed or cut. Manually produced markers may be created by arranging fullsize pattern pieces on marker paper or directly on the top ply of fabric in a spread. Pattern pieces are traced using a pencil or tailor`s chalk. Manual methods of marker making are time-consuming and require a graet deal of space. Full size pieces must be manipulated, adjusted, and readjusted on normal fabric widths. Production patterns may be developed on the computer or digitized into the computer. Computerized marker making is more accurate and provides the greatest opportunity for pattern manipulation, marker efficiency, reuse of previosly made markers, and shotest response time. With new marker-making software, markers can be automatically created.

Marker with detail names

Dimensions of Marker Markers are made to fit the cut table widths of fabrics Cut table width is the usable portion of the fabric width. Selvages are often not usable If a marker is narrower than usable width, the unused fabric is wasted If a marker is wider than the specified fabric, chair parts located on the edge of the marker will not be complete

Normal layaout. Effecient is OK. The waste of material is small.

Marker is narrower than usable width, the unused fabric is wasted Marker is narrower than usable width, the unused fabric is wasted. Efficient is come smaller.

a marker is wider than the specified fabric, chair parts located on the edge of the marker will not be complete

Sectioned Markers Sectioned markers contain all of the pattern pieces for one style in one or two sizes Sections may be used separately or joined together to form multi size marker Sectioned markers may be used to adjust the volume requirements for various sizes or as a remnant marker. Example: In upholstery industry we can put together sofa and chair markers witch are cut out from the same material.

Splice marks Splice marks are points in a marker where fabrics can be cut and the next piece overlapped to maintain a continuous spread Splice marks may be from 10cm to 1m, depending on the overlap needed to accommodate the pattern pieces in the area of the splice. The rectangular box indicates the amount of overlap needed. The lower ply should be stratify at the end of the box and the new ply of fabric should be aligned with the beginning of the box.

Marker Efficiency Marker efficiency is determined by fabric utilization, the percentage of the total fabric that is actually used in upholstery textile parts The area not used in product parts is waste Marker efficiency depends on how tightly the patterns pieces fit together within the marker Factors that affect marker efficiency are: Fabric characteristics Shapes of pattern pieces Grain requirements

Fabric Characteristics Fabric characteristics that affect utilization include: Differences in face and back Lengthwise directionality Crosswise symmetry Need for matching the fabric design Length of design repeat Fabric width These fabric characteristics frecuently limit the arrangement of pattern pieces. Matching fabric designs requires special marker preparation end extra piece goods.

Characteristics of Pattern Pieces Patterns are sometimes modified to increase fabric utilization. The following pattern adjustments may be used to improve fabric utilization: Splitting pattern pieces and creating a seam Rounding or slanting corners Reducing seam allowances Adjusting grain lines Modifying the grain lines Adjusting pattern dimensions

Types of Markers Markers made with full-pattern pieces are called open markers Markers made with half pattern pieces for laying along the folds of the tube are called closed markers Marker maker must consider the symmetry (side to side) and directionality (end to end) differences on fabric: Symmetric fabrics are the same side to side Asymmetric fabrics are different side to side Non-directional fabrics are the same end to end Directional fabrics are different end to end

Modes of Marker Nap-either-way: symmetric, non directional fabrics, considering only grain line Nap-one-way: asymmetrical and directional fabrics, all pattern pieces be placed on a marker in only one direction Nap-up-and-down: some directional fabrics all the pattern pieces of one size to be placed in one direction and another size placed in the opposite direction There are three types of marker modes: A marker is made fo a specific style, fabric and size! The length of marker determines the length of lay that will be spread. Completed markers are sent to the cutting room electronically for the spreading and cutting process.

2. Spreading Spreading is the process of superimposing lengths of fabric on a spreading table, cutting table, or specially designed surface in preparation for the cutting process A spread or lay-up is the total amount of fabric prepared for a single marker A spread may consist of a single ply or multiple plies The height of a lay-up is limited by fabric characteristics, size of the order to be cut, cutting method, and the vertical capasity of the spreader The number of plies in a spread may range from 1-300

Spreading Modes A spreading mode is the manner in which fabric plies are laid out for cutting Two fabric characteristics that determine the spreading mode are: The direction of fabric face The direction of fabric nap The fabric face may be positioned in two ways: face to face FF or with all plies facing one way FOW- face up or face down. Placement of the nap maybe nap one way NOW or nap up and down NUD

Spreading Quality A high quality spread has the following characteristics: Is free of noticeable defects in the fabric Is tension free Is flat Selvages are accurately aligned at least on one edge Is free of static electricity Is accurately spliced with minimal waste Is the precise length, mode, and number of plies specified

Spreading Equipment Basic spreading equipment consists of: spreading surfaces spreading machines fabric controll devices fabric cutting devices Spreading requires a flat, smooth surface Spreading and cutting surfaces are available in standard width that correspond to fabric width

Spreading machine and table

Spreading Machines https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjoV8iB2IWs Automatic fabric spreading means the smooth laying out of various types of fabric according to specific length. Fabric Spreading Machine is one type of machine by which the smooth laying out of various types of fabric according to specific length automatically instead of pulled by workers.

Parts of Automatic Spreading Machine Cutter device: Dismountable fabric spreading auto-cutter is available here and travel length and speed of cutter can be easily adjustable. Automatic Lifting device: This device automatically lifts the layer of fabric at the time of spreading and the lifting gauze is changeable. Edge control sensor : This device controls the edge of fabric. Emergency stop:  It has break line under the two side of table these break lines are can be pulled at the time of emergency to stop the machine immediately. Bucket for roll fabric: This device automatically relaxes the fabric in tension and release the tension of fabric. Fabric loading sensor: This device returns the spreader machine back to original position when fabric runs empty. Expander roller: It catches the fabric both one way and face to face during spreading. Operation panel : This display enables the user to set up the length of fabric and control the number of layer of fabric easily

Advantage Spreading Machine Auto ply cutting device for spreading of fabric Auto ply counting arrangements Auto catcher to gold the ends of the ply Auto fabric tensioning device is used for spreading of fabric Fabric selvedge alignment is done by photo electric guide Fabric fault detector is used in spreading of fabric Macine gives automatically a signal when spreading of fabric is done All kind of fabric can be spreaded and all kind of fabric lay can be prepared in this machine Fabric spreading can be done very quickly. Less labor cost by spreading of fabric

3. Cutting Cutting is the preproduction process of separating a spread into upholstery cover parts that are the precise size and shape of the pattern pieces on a marker Stright knive, rotary knive, automated cutter

Cutting Quality Cutting quality can be judged by: The accuracy Condition of cut edges Precision of cut upholstery cover parts Factors that cause cutting inaccuracies are: Wide or vague lines on the marker Imprecise following of lines on the marker Variation in the cutting pitch Shifting of the spread or block Fabric bunching up or pushing ahead of the knife Improper equipment Improper cutting sequense as parts are cut

Cutting equipment Portable cutting knives- can be moved to and through a spread by an oprator: Rotary or round knives- is used primarily for stright cuts and large radius curves Stright knive- make only lateral cuts into a spread Automated cutting systems: Blade cutting Laser cutting Water jet cutting Plasma jet cutting Operator controlled cutting. Operators controll the speed of cutting, the sequence, and the shape being cut. There are four types of automated cutting:

Gerber Paragon Continuous Cutting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMLyodv1nT0

Home Task Find the cutting equipment for your project: Pattern and marker making software Spreading machine and table Cutting machine and table Present the technical specifications for all equipment Form correctly as a part of final report