Scales of production, industrial processes and CAD/CAM
Using computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacture (CAM) in a manufacturing setting
There are three terms used to describe the scale of production in relation to An item of clothing. production:
- The first working model of a design used for testing, development and evaluation. and one-off production
- Where one group of identical products is made at the same time, before moving onto producing the next group.
- When the same product is manufactured many times.
Prototypes and one-off production
Made as a one-off product that matches the client requirements exactly., Made as a one-off product that matches the client requirements exactly. or made-to-measure garments can be made for a In business, a client is a person or organisation that wants a product manufactured, eg a retailer. - such as wedding dresses or couture outfits. These will be original garments and can be produced to a very high quality; however, they can be very expensive to make and highly skilled workers will be needed.
Batch production
Where one group of identical products is made at the same time, before moving onto producing the next group. is where many items of the same product are produced - such as swimwear and fashionwear. A range of specific and identical products can be produced, including fashion and seasonal items which are regularly changed, but time is lost when Set up a production line with different tools for a new task., and skilled workers are needed. When a product is made in a batch, it is often far cheaper per product than making just one.
Mass production
Mass-produced products are manufactured in large volumes, and are often made by automated machinery with A series of workers and machines in a factory by which a succession of similar items is progressively assembled. workers used to fit parts together or to add standard components, such as buttons or zips. Examples of mass production for textiles are plain T-shirts, school shirts and socks. Products are kept at a low cost as large amounts are made and bulk materials are cheaper to buy. There is, however, a large cost in setting up such an assembly line. Continuous production is used to make high numbers of identical products. Factories run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with high levels of automation.
Manufacturing systems
Line production
A production system used in clothing manufacture where each stage of the construction is sewn by one machinist who passes it to another, in a synchronised way, until the whole garment has been constructed. is used in industry when garments are being sewn in large batches. As the name suggests, the work flows in a straight line through a series of workstations, each of which is synchronised to the next by ensuring the time spent at each station is exactly the same - this is called When the work is synchronised so that exact same amount of time is spent on each part of the garment in line production.. At the end of the line, one garment will have been fully assembled.
Each A person who uses a sewing machine in the industrial production of textile products. performs exactly the same task over and over again, which can lead to mistakes being made.
Progressive bundle
Bundles of garment parts are passed from one machinist to another via a central location. Each completes a specific operation and in one single process. Once checked for quality, the completed bundle will go to another machinist to complete another process until the garment is finished. is similar to line production in that each machinist performs the same task; however, this could take place anywhere in the factory. Teams of operators are formed and the work is divided between them, making it a flexible system as they are able to start and stop. Usually time is wasted as the machinists have to stop and leave their workspace to look for their next bundle, making it an ineffective practice. It is used commonly in the fashion industry and often associated with 鈥榩iece pay鈥 - the machinist is paid a fixed amount for each unit made regardless of time.
Cell production
A manufacturing system whereby teams of machinists work together to produce either a significant part of, or a completed product. Each team is responsible for the quality control of each product or process. involves a number of machinists working together in 鈥榗ells鈥. Each team or 鈥榗ell鈥 is responsible for a significant part of a finished garment, or sometimes the whole garment, including A set of checks intended to ensure that a product will meet the specified customer requirements once it has been manufactured. These procedures are followed before work is complete, as opposed to afterwards. checks. Rather than each person carrying out only one very specific task, team members are skilled at a number of tasks, allowing for job rotation. As they are highly skilled, they tend to earn more.
Computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacture (CAM)
Technological advancements mean most clothing and textile manufacturing is controlled by computers. An example could be a garment designed in the UK with the fibre grown in America and then woven into a fabric in China, dyed in India and then the garment itself assembled in Indonesia.
Computer aided design (CAD)
Designers use The process of creating a 2D or 3D design using computer software. programs to illustrate their designs:
- many can be displayed in 3D
- CAD enables designers to easily manipulate and change their designs
- popular designs can be revisited with little effort
- designs can be sent electronically to A person or company that makes something from raw materials or from an assembly of component parts. allowing garments to be made without delay
- highly detailed fabric prints have emerged in recent years because of CAD design programs
- CAD programs are used to Altering a pattern to fit more than one garment size. and to How the pattern pieces on fabric should be laid out., saving on both time and material wastage.
Examples of CAD programs include Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD or CorelDraw.
Computer aided manufacture (CAM)
Computers now control much of manufacturing processes, although the textile industry still requires human machinists to sew and assemble garments.
Digital and roller printing, A machine that uses a laser beam to vaporise material and cut out shapes very accurately., and A collection of decorative stitches that can be produced by hand, a sewing machine or an industrial CAM embroidery machine. machines can now be fully automated and controlled by The manufacture of a part or product from a computer aided design (CAD) using computer-controlled machinery, such as a 3D printer.:
- purchase of machines and set-up costs are high
- output increases rapidly
- economies of scale and a reduction in price to the consumer are produced