Introduction to Apparel CAD

Applications of
CAD/CAM
CAD/CAM Applications
➢ Fashion Illustrations- Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
➢ Fashion Flat Drawings- Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw
➢ Advertising materials like Line Brochures- Corel Draw/ Photoshop
➢ Specification Sheets- Illustrator / CorelDraw
➢ Textile Designing- Illustrator / CorelDraw
➢ Garment Pattern Digitizing using CAD/CAM software-
Lectra/Gerber/ReachCAD
➢ Pattern Design Softwares (PDS)
➢ Texture Mapping- Gerber / Lectra
➢ Grading Garment Patterns- Gerber / Lectra
➢ Marker Planning- Gerber / Lectra
➢ Other Control Processes in Garment Manufacturing
Raster & Vector Softwares for Designing
➢ Vector Softwares: Vector graphics software allows users to design and
manipulate computer images using geometric and mathematical
commands, rather than clicks and strokes as used in drawing software.
Vector images created using these programs can be scaled indefinitely
without losing quality. Example: Illustrator & CorelDraw
➢ Raster Softwares: A raster graphics editor is a computer program that
allows users to create and edit images interactively on the computer
screen and save them in one of many "bitmap" or "raster" formats such as
JPEG, PNG, GIF. Example: Adobe Photoshop
 Lectra
PLM Digitizing
Stage 2

Lectra 3D CAD/CAM
Digitizing
Modeling Applications in Stage 3
Fashion Industry

Drafting
Garment
Patterns
3D Body
Scanners
 Pattern Making CAD / CAM Softwares

1 3
2
Digitizer- Pattern Design Software (PDS)- Manually the patterns can be
It can scan the outline It can automatically generate drafted on a computer screen
of the pattern placed patterns by taking inputs of body using softwares like Lectra
on a table with help of measurements and image of the Modaris
a digitizing tool which design.
looks like a mouse It can also be used for
and can capture the x re-designing or re-shaping an
& y corordinates of existing pattern.
points on a paper It can also map the texture of the
patterns. fabric on a body formal (virtually)
Ex: Modaris (Lectra), inside a mesh like grid which fills
Gerber up the pattern shape that is
placed on the body form.
Ex: Optitex software
Advantages of CAD/CAM in Production
1.Speed: All basic pattern and previous styles are stores in the computer’s memory. A
pattern maker begins by calling up the selected previous pattern. No tracing of
existing pattern is required.

The pattern making programs add selected seam allowances and hem allowances to
selected edges very quickly. If the design is modified later in the design process,
changes in the pattern can be made more quickly by Pattern Design Software than is
usually required to modify paper pattern manually.

1.Accuracy- Eliminates incremental growth that can occur when hand tracing a
pattern.
Ergonomics concerns- it is usually not necessary for Pattern Marker to cut soft or
hard paper patterns when making a pattern by computer. It is easier on the body
ergonomics compared to bending over a pattern table.
Advantages of CAD/CAM in Production
3. Integration with production- Production is faster if the pattern pieces have been
stored already in the computer.

4. Quick Response- It is an umbrella term used to describe various management

systems and business strategies in textile and apparel industries that reduce the time
between fiber production and sale to the ultimate consumer.

In general, the strategies include increasing, the speed of design and production
through the use of computers, increasing the efficiency with which companies
communicate and conduct be business with one another,, reducing the amount of
times goods are in warehouses or in transit, and decreasing the amount of time
needed to replenish stock on retail floor.
Pattern Digitizing
The digitizer work much like a scanner. It is a rectangular electronic device. here , the base
patterns which are drawn by hand on paper or pattern board are captured into the system
using digitizer. In other words, digitizing is the process of converting the physical patterns
into electronic patterns.

Patterns are taped on the surface of the board and with the help of cross-haired cursor; the
patterns are captured by clicking on the pattern perimeter.

The keys on the cursor can be assigned many functions that can denote, identifying or
distinguished between various pattern attributes such as grain lines, seam line, notches,
center line, dart line, orientation, pattern annotation such as style name, piece name, size
name etc.

The advantage of capturing coordinates is that greatly simplify subsequent processes such
as pattern alteration, manipulations or pattern grading.
Pattern Drawing on Screen
Free hand designing- A more advanced method of creating the first patterns is to
actually draw patterns from scratch on the computer screen using CAD software.

Pattern designing designing software usually comes with advanced drawing tools and
grids and provide for seams, notches, facings, darts and dart manipulations, pleats etc.
This requires a skilled / professional pattern designer to get the best results out of the
system.
Drafting in Pattern Design Softwares
Pattern Grading
The next step would be grading for other sizes.
More the number of sizes, the more the time it
takes to complete a size set.
To create patterns for the base size let us say ‘M’
size for a woven shirt style, it may take upto an
hour manually and the grading process assuming
there are five sizes would take another 1 hour.
Using a CAd system, we should be able to
complete the entire process just in one third of
the time. More importantly, designs once created
can be stored for them after a lot of searching
only to find they are faded or torn!
One can imagine the waste of time,
space and cost when we are dealing
with thousands of designs.
Using a CAD system, you can fetch
any design instantly and that too
the way we want- Buyer wise,
season wise, year wise etc, and then
print them any time.
Pattern Grading
II. Pattern Grading Stage: It is the process whereby patterns of different sizes are produced
from the original master plan. The process can be performed by a computerized system. In
typical manufacturing environment when the base patterns, let us say for size ‘M’ has been
designed, they would be approved by the Buyer, for fit before it can be graded for other sizes
and issued for production.

It is usual for Buyer to suggest changes in the patterns. This is where a CAD system can be
a boon to the management. Any alteration in the patterns can be affected very easily and the
patterns can be sent as an email attachment to the buyer for approval.

Computerized pattern Grading is the link between pattern design and generation and the
preparatory stages of cutting. The grades produced by the computer can be used in two
ways-
1. The patterns can be cut out and used to plan cutting markers manually if
necessary
2. The graded sizes can be stored in the model files of the computer and recalled
when cutting markers for that styles are to be planned on the system
Marker Planning
There are two ways of planning markers:
This is a two way electronic communication
function between the planner and system
which enables the operator to plan markers
with the aid of a computer.

During the planning process the system

automatically applies the relevant constraints
ans also indicates to the planer the length of
the marker at any given stage. As the system
controls all important details, the planner can
concentrate on efficient positioning and
reiterations.
Marker Planning- method 2
Automatic - When using this mode another constraint has to be input: the maximum permissible
length to particular marker to be planned. The system plans the markers without any manual
intervention and automatically rejects markers which exceeds the permissible length.

One more benefit is that markers can be planned overnight without operators being present, thus
freeing the system and staff for other productive purposes during the regular working day.

The cutting plan can be very complex exercise. Handling constraints like the ones mentioned
below is simply time consuming and sometimes impossible to balance by the human mind.
However, this can be easily accomplished by CAD systems-

The number of sizes: More the sizes, more the combinations

Table length: The more the table length, the lesses can be the number of plies or the stack height.
It may therefore make sense to make a 4-piece marker instead of a 2-piece marker. However, in
practical situations, fabric defects such as bowing or shade variations determine the length of the
lay.
Marker Planning
III. Stack height: The number of plies or the stack height have an inverse relationship with
the cut quality. Generally, it would be true to say that more the number of plies or stack
height, the lesser the cut quality since the knife may not trace the pattern contours uniformly
(especially curved segments) as it reaches the bottom.

If this is an important consideration, the number of plies has to be necessarily smaller. But
this would mean more spreads to cut the same quantity. This in turn results in high
spreading, marking and cutting time costs.

It is apparent that an important issue here is the trade-off between quality and costs, which
basically boils down to management objectives, quality philosophy and commitment.

IV. End bit management: Fabric wastage in Indian context is enormous. Proper planning
can greatly reduce wastage arising out of end bits. This means quite apart from arriving at
marker combinations for cutting, it is important to allocate the markers to available rolls in
the inventory in such a manner as to minimum wastage.
Simple Texture Mapping Using Illustrator

Texture mapping is a graphic

design process in which a
two-dimensional (2-D) surface,
called a texture map, is "wrapped
around" a three-dimensional
(3-D)object.

A complex pattern can, in some

cases, be seamlessly wedded to the
surface of a 3-D object using a
sophisticated graphics program.
You may want to know
how to create mesh Illustrator could be used for simple
repeat texture mapping on a croqui.
Drawing Patterns in Adobe Illustrator
Digital pattern making is achieved in much the same way that traditional
(paper) patterns are created. If you do not have manufacturing softwares,
Illustrator could be used for Pattern Drafting.

A plotter is a computer hardware device

much like a printer that is used for
printing vector graphics. Instead of toner,
plotters use a pen, pencil, marker, or
another writing tool to draw multiple,
continuous lines onto paper rather than a
series of dots like a traditional printer.
Pattern Grading Software
Pattern grading is the process
of turning base size or sample
size patterns into additional
sizes using a size specification
sheet or grading increments.

This can be done manually or

digitally using computerized
pattern cutting software. These
increments are referred to as
garment grading rules.
Pattern Grading Software

Marker is a long thin paper which

contains all necessary pattern pieces
for different sizes for a particular
style of garments. It is planned in
such a way that fabric wastage would
be least.

By making a marker it is possible to

achieve more benefit by producing a
garment with reduced wastage.
Making Spec For Art Work
Design freedom is a huge Watch also How
to Draw neck
advantage, but do not forget that Ribbing
professionals know the technical
concerns of t-shirt design.

If your printer does custom colors,

make sure you have the Pantone or
CMYK color codes so that
everything turns out looking like
you want.

Include details about colors, logos,

visual style, t-shirt type and
printing specifications.
Design Spec for Casual Wear

In spec sheet, each page should

have a heading, to include a date,
reference number, style, fabric,
factory or customer and buyer,
and page number.

This will give a unique identity

to each specification and each
page of the specification. This is
especially useful when amend
any part of the specification.