Different Types of Fabric Cutting Machines Used

in Garment Production

Cutting is one of the processes in garment manufacturing. In bulk garment

manufacturing, multiple fabric layers are cut at a time by means of cutting
machines. Different types of cutting machines and equipment are available for
cutting fabrics and machines are used as per requirement and production
volume. Semi-automatic and automatic improves cutting room productivity and
improves cutting accuracy.

Different Types of cutting Machines

Cutting machine and equipment can be categorized as following

 Manual cutting.
 Semi-automatic cutting machine.
 Fully automatic cutting machine.

Manual and Semi-automatic cutting machine –

 Hand operated scissor

 Round knife
 Straight knife
 Band knife
 Die cutting
 Notcher
 Drill
Fully automatic or computer controlled cutting machine –

 Cutting by water jet

 Laser cutting
 Plasma torch cutting
 Straight Knife Cutting Machine

Introduction

A straight knife is a cutting machine used to cut components of differing sizes.

This is the most frequently used equipment for cutting garments in bulk. It is
moved along the cut contours, while the fabric spread remains in a fixed
position.
Over a century ago, a Canadian inventor named George Eastman developed
the first fractional electric motor that could be mounted on a platform that
would serve as a cutting base. The motor was attached to a reciprocating knife
mechanism and the first electric fabric-cutting machine was born–The
Eastman. The Eastman revolutionized the apparel industry with a tool that
ended tedious manual cutting-room labor.

Fig - Straight Knife Cutting Machine.

Uses of Straight Knife Cutting Machine

 It is suitable for mass trimming cotton, woolen, linen leather and

chemical fiber goods etc.

 It is neat cutting, small curvature radius curvilinear cutting.

 Low noise, stable running, easy to operate and high efficiency.

 Incorporated with an auto knife grinding device, easier to operate.

 Advantages of Straight Knife Cutting Machine:

Different advantages of straight knife cutting machine have mentioned in the

following:
 This type of cutting machine is used in the readymade garments sector in
more than 99% of cutting cases.
 It can be easily transferred from one place to another.
 Straight knives cutting m/c is comparatively cheaper than others.
 A higher layer of fabric can be cut easily by using straight knifes cutting
m/c.
 Automatic grinding.
 Excellent efficiency in cutting high curve lines than the round knife.
 By using these types of machines, round corners can be cut more precisely
than even round knife cutting m/c.
 Fabric can be cut from any angle by using straight knifes cutting machine.
 Production speed is very good by using these types of cutting machines as
up to 10 heights can be cut at a time.
 It was also suitable for straight line and curve line.
 Here, garment or apparel or clothing components can directly be separated
from fabric lays.

Disadvantages of Straight Knife Cutting Machine:

Disadvantages of straight knifes cutting machine have pointed out in the below:
 High risk of damages because of the higher speed of the cutting machine.
 In the case of straight knives cutting m/c, sometimes deflecting may occur
due to the weight of the motor.
 After a definite period, the knife needed to replace.
 Knife deflection is at high risk here when the layer height is too high.
 The faulty knife can damage the fabric layer.
 The operator is at high risk here for physical damage.
 Round Knife Cutting Machine

Introduction

This machine is called round knife cutting machine because its cutter is round
but slightly octagonal in shape. It is also called rotary knife cutting machine.
This machine is small in size, flexible and used for small production. It is also a
popular cutting machine.

The first-round cutter was introduced by the “Olfa” company in 1979 for
garment making; however, it was quickly adopted by quilters. Prior to the
invention of the round cutter, quilters traced handmade templates of the
necessary shapes onto the wrong side of the fabric and added 1/4-inch seam
allowances all around.

Fig - Round Knife Cutting Machine

Uses of Round Knife Cutting Machine

 It is suitable for cutting single ply as well as multilayer (say 20-30layers).

 Round blade cutting machines are used to cut large and medium-size
components of simple shape from low-fabric spreads or to cut single
articles from one or two material plies.
 Round-knife machines are the most effective for cutting slippery
materials as the rotary movement of the knife ensures the continuous
compression of the fabric plies.
 Advantages of Round Knife Cutting Machine:

 Suitable for cutting single ply as well as multilayer (say 20-30layers).

 Easy to handle and operate.
 Suitable for small scale cutting.
 Suitable for gentle curve line cutting.
 To cut the larger part of the garments.
 With a same r.p.m. its efficiency is 10 times greater than the straight knife.

Disadvantages of Round Knife Cutting Machine:

 Very low r.p.m. and knife height.

 Manual grinder is used.
 Low productivity since few numbers of lay can be cut.
 Difficult to cut small components and high curve line.
 Not suitable for large production.
 Lubrication is manually done.
 Band Knife Cutting Machine

Introduction

Band knife cutting machine is important equipment used in garments

manufacturing factory. A band knife is a power tool used for cutting cloth.
Very similar in operation to a band saw, it has an endless loop blade and the
material to be cut is supported by a flat table.

1854 J.F. Flanders and J.A. Marden with a patent for a band knife machine,

1912: Foundation of blade manufacturer Rudolf Alber.

Fig - Band Knife Cutting Machine

Uses of Band Knife Cutting Machine

 Band knife cutting m/c is suitable for any type of line.

 The blade of the band knife cut the fabric lay at 90-degree angle.
 For the cutting small parts accurately, this machine is used in many
garments factories.
 Advantages of Band Knife Cutting Machine:

This type of cutting machine has a lot of advantages which are mentioned below:

 Band knife cutting m/c is suitable for any type of line.

 It has higher productivity for limited products.
 It is also suitable for cutting small parts of fabrics.
 In-band knife cutting m/c, the automatic grinder grinds the knife instantly.
 It is used especially.
 It is suitable to cut very sharp curves.
 Band knife cutting m/c cuts the fabric at 90° angle of the lay.
 Here, the air blower helps to decrease the fabric weight which ultimately
increases the smooth movement of fabrics.
 Accident possibly is very low here.

Disadvantages of Band Knife Cutting Machine:

Band knife cutting machines have also some disadvantages which are narrated in
the following:

 Band knife cutting m/c is comprised of a fixed space.

 The workload is higher.
 Here, it’s not possible to cut the fabric directly from the lay.
 The running cost is higher.
 Fabric wastage is higher here.
 Band knife cutting m/c is not suitable for large fabric components due to the
shortage length of the table.
 “Die Cutting” Cutting Machine

Introduction

Die cutter is a special type of cutting instrument. It is generally used for leather
technology. It is not suitable to cut large parts. Sometimes, it is used for
garment cutting. Basically, die-cutting machines are used to convert web or
sheet materials into shapes. Therefore, they are used for processing woven
fabrics, non-woven textiles as well as rubber sheets.

Die cutting was created in the mid 1800's as a way to cut leather for the shoe
industry more efficiently. At the time the holes in the leather were punched by
hand, which made making shoes very labor intensive.

Fig - “Die Cutting” Cutting Machine

Uses of “Die Cutting” Cutting Machine

 For very accurate and perfect cutting of small parts, die cutting is a very
good and widely used method.

 For obtaining good cutting in die cutting method, the die needs to be
accurate, the cutting blade is to be accurate, the ram surface, cutting
blade, fabric lay and die are to be controlled in parallel conditions and
pressure has to be exerted as per the needs.
 Advantages of Die Cutting:

 Very much suitable for accurately cutting the small parts of a garments.

Suitable for cutting in any shape or in any angle.

 Can be cut comparatively in a lesser time. This method is the best for the

knitted fabrics.

Disadvantages of Die Cutting:

 As blocks of fabric lay is required, there happens much fabric wastage.

Labor cost is high.

 Frequent changing of styles is inconvenient because for making new die

bothtime and money are required in bigger amount.

 Inconvenient to cut the big parts of the garments

 Laser Cutting – (Cutting by laser beam)

Introduction

In this method fabric is cut by reflecting the light ray in a very minute shape
with the help of a laser. This minute light spot is in 0.25 mm diameter and it is
of high powered. When it is reflected on any material then it creates heat in that
material and performs the cutting by evaporation. The tendency of charring is
prevented by flowing the inert gas in a jet form and by flowing gas the dust ash
material from the cutting place is removed.

Since its invention in 1963 by Elias Snitzer, the fiber laser required 20 years of
development before the first commercial devices appeared on the market in the
late 1980s. The 1990s was the golden age of laser cutting development. More
high-powered lasers were on the market, with the ability to cut in large
volumes.

Fig - Laser Cutting – (Cutting by laser beam)

Uses of Leaser Cutting – (Cutting by laser beam)

 In a very high speed, that means 13 meters can be cut per minute.

 As the cutting head is controlled by the computer, cutting can be made

along the correct line.

 As the fabric is cut by light ray, sharpening of the cutter is not required.
 Advantages of laser cutting machine:

 Laser cutting machines are highly efficient and design replicas are the exact
copies of each other.
 It requires and consumes less amount of energy to cut sheets of all types of
materials.
 In comparison with the traditional scissors, laser cutting machines take less
time to cut large sheets and the outcome is extremely accurate.
 The entire process is monitored by the computer programs which reduce the
amount of work and workload.
 Much human intervention is not required except for maintenance and
observation. No danger of accidents or injuries
 Very flexible, can be used to cut almost all types of materials.
 Precise cuts can be obtained within short time.

Disadvantages of laser cutting machine:

 Energy consumption is not fix. It is depended on the piece or amount that

you want to cut. Sometimes it might consume a lot of energy.
 Human involvement is not much but humans come in the contact with laser
beams sometimes for repairs or inspection.
 Production rate may differ depending on the type of the material and the
thickness of the sheet.
 Every metal cannot be cut in the laser machine, for example, copper and
aluminum.
 Improper settings of laser machine can cause burns.
 Expensive when compared with other techniques of cutting sheets.