Review Paper 1

Virtual Prototype 2

Abstract: Fashion and specialty garment manufacturers are currently focusing on lower- 6

ing development costs and speeding up prototype development. 3D virtual prototyping, 7

which was only recently introduced to the apparel business, has grabbed the curiosity of 8

both the computer graphics and apparel industries. It's too optimistic to imagine an ap- 9

parel business without paper fashion designs that become patterns, which are then cut 10

and sewed fabric to produce a prototype. 11

For some, science fiction, a future scenario in which a fashion designer is confident enough 12

with 3D technology to create the initial fashion drawing in a three-dimensional space, 13

making quick decisions, trying out different fabrics, colors, and contrasts, communicating 14

his or her ideas with the pattern maker and the entire development team in true to life 3D 15

and within hours instead of days or weeks, sounds exciting. 16

This paper will examine how 3D simulation technology is improved by high-quality data 17

visualization, and how it can ensure significant market competitiveness. 18

Based on the findings of numerous recent research, we can conclude that 3D virtual gar- 19

ment prototyping is a promising methodology that, due to its potential, will significantly 20

replace traditional techniques of developing clothing prototypes. 21

These technologies are very crucial when developing a garment prototype for a specific 22
function, such as competitive sports gear, protective clothing, or unique clothes. (1) 23

24

Keywords: Clothing, 3D virtual prototyping, women's apparel, and sportswear are some 25

of the terms used in this article. 26

27

Virtual Prototype 28
The textile and garment industry is an established industry that is attempting to res- 29
urrect its fortunes by embracing new technology and moving away from its traditional 30
roots. Digital prototyping, enabled by three-dimensional (3D) technology, is regarded as 31

a critical tool in today's design process. (2) 32

Introduction 33

With simultaneous increases in product and design variants, the garment sector is 34
facing growing innovation and competitive pressure, quickly rising production 35
costs, and increasing profit challenges. Product development ideas must be brought 36

online more quickly, preferably as physical concepts for decision-making. 37

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On the other hand, the consumer is becoming more sophisticated in his demands; 38
great quality, affordable costs, and constant novelty are what he is interested in to- 39
day. The market is becoming increasingly saturated, which, when paired with the 40
aforementioned factors, makes tried-and-true fashion strategies like geographic de- 41

velopment and internationalization more complicated than in the past. The fashion 42
industry will never be the same again. 43

Teams in responsible of design, development, and sourcing have been impacted, 44

and they are frequently under pressure to accomplish more with less. It takes time to 45

create various sketches, drafts, and samples. Fashion and apparel manufacturers 46
have had to take a hard look at themselves and rethink how they bring their prod- 47
ucts to market. Updating technologies is a good place to start, but changing the pro- 48

cess throughout the business yields significant outcomes. According to technology 49

vendors, large businesses can cut their development time by 20 to 50 percent by em- 50

ploying the right technologies. 51

It's too optimistic to imagine an apparel industry where fashion designers don't use 52

pencil and paper and don't send their designs to a pattern maker to digitally sew 53
and evaluate in a 3D model. A future scenario in which a fashion designer is confi- 54
dent enough with 3D technology to create the initial fashion drawing in a three-di- 55
mensional space, making quick decisions, trying out different fabrics, colors, and 56
contrasts, communicating his or her ideas with the pattern maker and the entire de- 57

velopment team in true to life 3D and within hours rather than days or weeks, 58
sounds science fiction. 59

While three-dimensional (3D) technology is well-established in many other indus- 60

tries such as automotive, aerospace, architecture, and industrial design, it is only 61
now beginning to open up new prospects for clothes designers. (1) 62

The Garment Sample Development Process 63

The Garment Sample Development Process Most manufacturers begin the design 64
phase in the traditional manner with stylists’ creative ideas originating essentially 65
from a 3D shape (a 3D conceptual idea in mind or a completed garment already ex- 66
isting) from which 2D information are extracted, such as 2D sketches, 2D patterns 67
with corresponding fabric layers (3D-to-2D stage). Tis creative output then passes 68
through the classical product development cycle, to sewing the prototypes to get a 69
3D garment shape as close as possible to the original stylist’s idea (2D-to-3D stage), 70
and after innumerable iterations finally reaches the production stage. Once the sam- 71

ples get to their destination, the product decision cycle begins in order to finalize the 72

collection. Right at this stage the product coordination becomes an intercultural ad- 73

venture: the more personalities involved, the more difficult it is to establish stringent 74

and efficient communications. This is the case in particular when the fundamental 75
for decision-making leave a lot of room for interpretation. (1) 76

Traditional garment sample development process 77

Most manufacturers begin the design phase in the traditional way, with stylists' cre- 78

ative ideas originating primarily from a 3D shape (a 3D conceptual idea in mind or 79

an existing completed garment), from which 2D information, such as 2D sketches 80
and 2D patterns with corresponding fabric layers, is extracted (3D-to-2D stage). Alt- 81

hough some designers still use pen and paper as design tools, the textile and cloth- 82
ing industries have been encouraged to use this versatile medium to help create and 83

develop their designs (technical illustrations and visuals), presentations, and 84

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clothing ranges, as well as manage their workflow, thanks to the introduction of 85

powerful and relatively inexpensive computers, systems, and graphics software 86
such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and CorelDraw. Other industries have integrated 87
strong CAD apparel and textile suites into every aspect of the product development 88

process, from textile and fashion design to pattern making, grading, garment manu- 89

facture, and data administration. 90

Lectra, on the other hand, claims that the typical product development method is no 91

longer effective. "While automating formerly laborious procedures has its benefits, 92
basic technology alone is unable to compete in today's market." New technology 93
must be accompanied by change and agility. ” The traditional prototype method, 94
according to Heikki Haldre, Co-Founder of fits.me, "definitely works." It is still the 95
same price as before. It clearly works, and businesses utilize it, but updated technol- 96

ogies may offer additional benefits, such as making it faster and less expensive. 97

The issue is that the old style of operating is already in operation. Zara, one of the 98
major retailers, has already established a method for getting things to fit as quickly 99
as possible; new technology such as 3D virtual prototyping or 3D visualization was 100
not available at the time that method was established. They've figured out a way to 101
make items without using this technology. However, this does not negate the posi- 102
tives; with so many samples in product development, the problem still persists, as 103
explained by the CEO of an open-source product development start-up in the fash- 104
ion business. It's only a question of whether firms are interested enough to investi- 105
gate it or whether they choose to focus on the retail side for the time being because 106
there is so much technology available, and then gradually migrate to the other end. 107
Yes, change is happening, but it is happening slowly. (3) 108

Today's Challenges 109

Unlike other sectors, fashion is a fairly traditional one. 110

However, not all the traditions must be preserved, particularly the current chaotic 111
industrial system, which requires a great deal of time, money, and guesswork. 112

Designers must attach 2-D designs to a variety of attachments and glued fabrics in a 113
typical production process, which is then followed by multiple shipping rounds to 114
vendors in distant countries. The lack of standardization of software solutions, as 115
well as the designer's separation from production processes, combined with the 116
above-mentioned poor specification, results in queries being sent back up the chain 117
to the designer, resulting in significant waste due to poor interpretations of the de- 118
sign [8]. In short, communication between factories is generally difficult, delayed, 119
and challenging for the majority of apparel manufacturers who outsource. 120

Fashion innovation is frequently driven by technological advancements. However, 121

today's fashion sector is more complicated. The rise of fast fashion and the impact it 122
has had on practically every section of the industry is one of the parts of explana- 123
tion. Although the clothing inventory is smaller, there are more of them. This means 124
there will be additional sizes, colors, and variances to deal with. When we com- 125
pound it by the number of geographic variations in which the company operates, 126
the complexity keeps rising. Automating manual procedures provides a distinct ad- 127
vantage, but basic technology alone is no longer sufficient to compete in today's 128
market. To overcome the communication barriers that has controlled the fashion and 129
clothing business for so long, new technologies must be accompanied by change and 130
adaptability. Manufacturers must test innovative items before spending real-world 131
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production expenditures. Fashion companies can benefit from 3D visualization tools 132
to improve their workflow. (1) 133

Problems Facing the Industry vs. Technology 134

The most difficult problem confronting fashion's relation with technology is break- 135
ing a conceptual framework that sees technology's function in the business as 136
merely a marketing tool. Instead, fashion enterprises require a significant internal 137
investment of resources as well as a willingness to plan and spend in time incre- 138
ments far longer than a fashion season. They need to create a new ecosystem of play- 139
ers and strengthen collaborations between fashion designers and technology. 140

The system's Avatar is not asymmetrical, with a wide range of personal specializa- 141
tions. The physical model vs. the digital model causes certain difficulties to think 142
about and to calibrate. These debates between real-life fitting versus fitting on an fit 143
model dummy are well-known–they never end. 144

Every material has its unique set of physical characteristics. Some materials are 145
thicker, some thinner, some are more soft, some more fluffy, some more stiff - all of 146
this has to be factored into the algorithm to achieve a realistic outcome. Every CAD 147
vendor has worked on this issue in recent years, and we've seen a lot of progress 148
compared to previous versions. Essentially, all systems examine genuine material 149
against a series of tests before assigning it to the appropriate "digital clone." 150

Every store and designer have their own procedure; for example, a designer in Bra- 151
zil has a different process than one in the United States or Italy. Software businesses 152
must continue to communicate with them and enhance technology so that it can 153
work with all of them. 154

To allow designers to produce a garment's layering effect—the most important com- 155
ponent missing from viral clothes—technology must be enhanced in all aspects, in- 156
cluding collision detection. Designers can use this method to produce puffs, pleats, 157
and cushioning that they would use in real life. (1) 158

How 3D virtual technology has changed the traditional way of clothing prototype 159

On the one hand, the traditional sample-making process has not changed, but fash- 160
ion companies that use it face numerous challenges, including time spent develop- 161
ing and approving samples, a lack of standardization of software solutions, a will- 162
ingness to adopt new technology, and poor fit of clothing products. New software 163
tools with 3D visualization capabilities offer a more innovative, creative process. 164
Because of the strain on fashion companies to go to market quickly, the digital pro- 165
totype is at the heart of this transition. Everyone believes in the promise of 3D print- 166
ing in the apparel industry; however, some are more hopeful than others. In an at- 167
tempt to address the question "How has the traditional approach been impacted by 168
the use of 3D virtual technology?" the research revealed that there are many diverse 169
perspectives on how 3D prototyping technologies have modified (and to what ex- 170
tent) the traditional development process. However, the most interesting finding of 171
the study is that the industry (aside from being slow to change traditional methods) 172
and, in particular, those companies that have adopted 3D virtual as part of their de- 173
velopment cycle, have experimented with this technology beginning with the devel- 174
opment of the final garment in order to reduce samples. They piloted the process 175
early on in the design and presentation of the concepts in order to improve the crea- 176
tion phase. At first glance, it appears that there are numerous viewpoints on how 3D 177
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prototype technologies have altered (and to what extent) the traditional develop- 178
ment process. They piloted the process early on in the design and presentation of the 179
concepts in order to improve the creation phase. 180

181

Advantages 182

Fashion has never moved as quickly as it does now. The websites of online clothing retail- 183
ers are updated on a daily basis. Customers expect their needs to be met at the right price, 184
on the right day, and in the exact size they require. If a trend emerges, shops must have it 185
on their websites in less than a week. 186

The time it takes to create a collection has shortened dramatically. 187

Furthermore, brands provide capsule, short, medium, and long collections, and the prod- 188
uct development staff must manage multiple cycles simultaneously. The frequency with 189
which a company releases new designs and styles is a significant cost element in product 190
development and manufacture. 191

Reducing the number of physical prototypes: The elimination of delays and errors due by dif- 192
ferent time zones and languages, as well as the decrease of physical prototypes and related 193
shipping costs back and forth, add up to significant savings. Designers may test the fit of 194
products using 3D virtual prototyping technology, which reduces not only the number of 195
prototypes manufactured and the cost of raw materials and labor, but also the time it takes 196
to get clothes to market. This means that apparel producers can take advantage of market 197
trends while lowering returns due to poor fit. 198

Better visualisation: The design specifications for production must be comprehended across 199
countries, cultures, and languages, necessitating more accuracy of data through increased 200
visualisation and less text . Visual communication, particularly with 3D prototypes, can 201
help academics from many disciplines clarify complicated challenges and communicate 202
study results to end-users. 203

Visual Communication: Furthermore, when designers collaborate with pattern makers, they 204
gain a better understanding of the technical aspects, as 3D design effortlessly integrates 205
3D models with pattern design. On the other side, pattern designers can see full size 206
ranges on screen, from the tiniest to the largest. It is possible to switch from a two- 207
dimensional to a three-dimensional visualisation and vice versa at any time, and all 208
changes are reflected in both. This prospect is not insignificant, and it represents a 209
tremendous benefit. (4) 210

Disadvantage 211

Although it should and could have been years ago, 3D fashion is steadily evolving and 212
will accelerate. It's fascinating to watch how each group responded to the question, "What 213
are the drawbacks of 3D Virtualisation?" 214

Many fashion courses in higher education were ignored by non-technologists and non- 215
industry facing or economics aware lecturers, and ineffectively developed by 216
inexperienced practitioners who focused solely on design and were generally afraid of 217
change 218
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Fabric qualities like as feel, drape, and body reaction are the next hurdle to overcome. 219
Understanding the complicity, or relationship, between the different strands of the fabric 220
is the cornerstone for creating remarkable things in 3D. 221

The lack of communication between diverse 3D software tools is the next major issue for 222
organisations who connect with manufacturers in Asia. If the headquarters has one 223
solution and the factory has another, the stitching information and physical parameters 224
utilised in the shared file are lost. Despite the fact that communication has improved and 225
the development team can now perform virtual iterations before visiting the factory. (5) 226

VP's Future Research 227

VP offers a lot of promise to improve the present product development process by replac- 228
ing physical prototypes. The following are some possible future study or development 229
directions, in the hopes of generating greater interest and conversation in this field.4. Dis- 230
cussion 231

Integration of design, analysis, and simulation tools. 232

The lack of a seamless approach for data interchange between multiple tools is one of the 233
shortcomings of today's VP technology. Presentation of product data and database re- 234
search will continue to be hot topics. It is necessary to design new ways that make tool 235
integration easier. 236

Authors should discuss the results and how they can be interpreted from the perspective 237
of previous studies and of the working hypotheses. The findings and their implications 238
should be discussed in the broadest context possible. Future research directions may also 239
be highlighted. (6) 240
241
VP System Fault Tolerance 242
243
When compared to physical prototype, current virtual prototyping methodologies 244
and technologies have significant flaws. The faults could be caused by a delay in calcula- 245
tion or a picture. The user's unease in a virtual environment due to processing time delays. 246
Product information during trade on numerous platforms, the data may deteriorate or 247
corrupt. As a result, a fault-tolerant system is created. The VP system will be investigated 248
to ensure that it provides reliable engineering testing data. Any potential inaccuracy 249
should be measured. (6) 250
251
Design Optimization Using VP 252
253
A quantitative design optimum may be achieved if numerous product aspects can be ad- 254
equately characterized by virtual prototypes. However, VP-based design optimization 255
has its drawbacks. Traditional optimization faces new problems. The VP-based optimiza- 256
tion must first be completed. Because the VP is largely computation-intensive, it is partic- 257
ularly efficient at locating the optimum present and in the not-too-distant future Second, 258
typically, VP-based design optimization. It can be formulated since it incorporates several 259
design goals from various disciplines as an issue of interdisciplinary optimization. Finally, 260
design optimization using VP has to account for the possibility of virtual prototyping er- 261
rors, i.e., the results. The best solution must be resistant to model imperfections and com- 262
putation faults. Multidisciplinary optimization approaches and simulation-based design 263
optimization may be useful to help the VP-based design optimization. (6) 264
265
Concurrent Design Environment for VPs 266
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267
In industry, concurrent design is now accomplished through teamwork. This method fre- 268
quently results in information pandemonium, duplication of effort, and management is- 269
sues. Furthermore, the design optimum is impossible to quantify. VP allows you to statis- 270
tically describe product behavior from a variety of perspectives, therefore it could be a 271
key component of a quantitative concurrent design. 272
The 3D transformation (6) 273
274
Fashion and textile design, boards and technical drawings, ft development, spec 275
packets, costing scenarios, supplier feedback and compliance, and calendar mile- 276
stones all require advanced technology. However, making the transition from 2D to 277
3D virtual prototyping takes time and requires a thorough examination of present 278
practices. Physical abilities such as pattern forming will continue to be required in the 279
process. In 3D, not everything can be replaced. The deployment of this new technol- 280
ogy should benefit processes by making them more adaptable, allowing organiza- 281
tions to benefit from it, and gradually establishing a culture. 282
Every CAD vendor has worked on Avatar (every human is asymmetric, with 283
several personal specialties, whereas the system's Avatar isn't). As previously stated, 284
much scholarly research on the substance and its physical consequences has been 285
conducted in recent years. To acquire a realistic result, what has to be placed into the 286
system [33]. However, dialogue between software businesses, industry, and ad- 287
vanced technology research must continue in order to collaborate with all of them. 288
We don't have a mature system or a mature method for it. However, it will be the 289
industry's next move to work with. (6) 290

Potential of Digital sample 291

1. A truly excellent 3D system would eliminate the requirement to physically sample 292
each of a product's size (size ranges). 293

2. The cost savings would be enormous if the technology could get the industry to create 294
only one or two samples. 295

3. Having a physical sample may not be a top priority, but it will be available. 296

4. It is far too easy to claim that it will cut sample sizes; but, in the long run, it will. (7) 297

6. Conclusion 298

It was all about style and design in the early days of 3D clothing technology. More re- 299
cently, technological advancements have enabled users to check the actual ft of clothing 300
on virtual models, make alterations across entire size sets, and eliminate the need for sev- 301
eral paper patterns and ft-checking. When paired with computer-aided design pattern- 302
making, 3D ft technology aligns perfectly with businesses' growing desire for environ- 303
mentally friendly practices: Fewer prototypes imply less energy is spent on shipping and 304
transit, fewer chemicals are needed in fabric preparation, and less waste is generated. This 305
new product development model necessitates clear design visualization, as well as a wide 306
range of references and descriptors for translating and explaining theoretical and practical 307
findings from this complex collaboration to a wide range of stakeholders from various 308
disciplines in plain language. 309

Virtualization will contribute to this resource-saving and environmentally friendly proce- 310
dure, and this is only one of the many possibilities that 3D technologies will open up for 311
the fashion and textile industries. 312
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3D is clearly gaining traction, and many participants in the study believe it is not too soon. 313
Early adopters of the technology, such as Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, Target, Coach, 314
and others that have previously adopted 3D, have experimented with it for years and are 315
putting pressure on manufacturers to create solutions that work. One thing is certain: this 316
technology is now, not in the future. It's an exciting technology that promises to shake up 317
the fashion industry by blurring the distinction between "realities" and "virtuality’s." It 318
continues to evolve at a rapid rate, and as research has shown, only by solving obstacles 319
and confronting industry challenges can it fully realize its promise to help revolutionize 320
the entire product. 321

(5)This technology is not only in the future, but it is also here and now. The fashion busi- 322
ness should not be stuck in the past. The distinction between "real" and "virtual" starts to 323
blur. Virtual stores with virtual changing rooms are on the verge of becoming a reality. 324
Image virtualization is now widely used on a daily basis. This will aid in better compre- 325
hension. 326

The structure of the company. Is 3D a part of technical design or of the creative and col- 327
lection development departments? Pattern making and marker creating are both possible 328
in 2D systems; one is more creative, while the other is more technical, but both can be 329
done in the same software environment. The industry should explore a variety of ap- 330
proaches to discover the best arrangement. 331

332

333

334

References 335

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