Page 15 - Industrial Cutting of Textile Materials

2 Industrial Cutting of Textile Materials

In accordance with the customer's specification, markers for all ordered styles, sizes,
quantities, and fabric colours required are created. Special nesting software allows the
creation of a marker on a computer screen and makes the work process quicker and eas-
ier by allowing the user to reconfigure the arrangement of pattern pieces to get the best
arrangement of the market. Nowadays, computerized management systems organize,
schedule, and monitor work process in a cutting room. Cut planning software creates
the best solutions to cut material for manufacturing orders. The most efficient marker
combinations for each production order are calculated automatically, taking into account
the availability of the specific raw materials and the technical parameters of the cutting
room. Lay planning and marker-making processes are described in Chapter 3.

1.4 The fabric spreading process

Spreading is a process during which fabric is cut in pieces of certain length and the
pieces are placed one above other in many plies. The length is determined by the shape,
size, and number of the components to be cut from it. The number of plies in a spread
is dependent on the number of articles required and the technical limits of the fabric
spreading and cutting processes. Spreading process may be either manual or automated.
General fabric spreading principles are described in Chapter 4.

1.4.1 Manual spreading process
During manual spreading, two workers move the fabric plies over the spreading table,
ensuring the correct placement of each ply in a spread. As they do so, they look for
faults in the fabric and make the decision to leave or cut them out. They also count the
plies required and cut the fabric at the end of the spread. If the fabric has an intricate
pattern, they ensure the pattern matches in all the fabric plies in the spread.
Spreading speed and quality are dependent on the properties of a fabric and the
skills and experience of the workers. There is no need for special equipment in manual
spreading. All kinds of fabric may be laid, but the process is both skilled and time-
consuming. Manual spreading is used in small enterprises or where, in the case of
larger enterprises, there is a need to spread fabrics with different kinds of intricate pat-
terns. Manual spreading is described in Chapter 5 and also in Chapters 15, 17, and 18.

1.4.2 Automated spreading process
Automated spreading is performed using a special spreading machine that unrolls a
roll of fabric, lays the fabric ply on the spreading table, cuts and counts the plies, and
ensures the correct placement of each ply on the top of another to complete a spread.
Different kinds of spreading machines are used. Their design and application depend
on a spread fabric qualities and the parameters of the fabric rolls processed. The fabric
feeding system is the most important part of a spreading machine. It ensures quali-
tative laying of the fabric ply on the spreading table. Spreading can be performed in
semiautomated or fully automated way.