Automation in Garment Manufacturing

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Automation in Garment ManufacturingAutomation in Garment Manufacturing ItsIts

likely impact on advanced and emerginglikely impact on advanced and emergingeconomieseconomies

A presentation at the

International ConferenceInternational Conference

onon

Steering Mature BusinessSteering Mature Business

A leadership challenge to the Textile IndustryA leadership challenge to the Textile Industry

byProf. Ashwin Thakkar

Department of Textile Technology

L. D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad03.10.2009


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Historical Review

Pre quota period (Till 1974) Trade shift from western countries to JapanShift from Japan to the Asian Big ThreeHong Kong, Korea and Taiwan

Quota period : MFA Regime(1974-1994)


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Source : Technopak


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Quota phase out period : ATC Regime (1995 to 2004)

Source : Technopak


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Textiles & Clothing major markets (2005)Textiles & Clothing major markets (2005)

TextilesTextiles ClothingClothing Total (T&C)Total (T&C)CountryCountry

ValVal

((US$BnUS$Bn))ShareShare ValVal

((US$BnUS$Bn))ShareShare ValVal

((US$BnUS$Bn))ShareShare

WorldWorld 203203 276276 479479

EUEU-- 2525 65.8365.83 30.830.8 128.7128.7

0044.844.8 194.53194.53 40.6140.61

USUS 22.5422.54 10.510.5 80.0780.07 27.927.9 102.61102.61 21.4221.42

ChinaChina 15.5015.50 7.27.2 1.631.63 0.60.6 17.1317.13 3.583.58

MexicoMexico 6.026.02 2.82.8 2.522.52 0.90.9 8.548.54 1.781.78

JapanJapan 5.815.81 2.72.7 22.5422.54 7.87.8 28.3528.35 5.925.92

CanadaCanada 4.324.32 2.02.0 5.985.98 2.12.1 10.3010.30 2.152.15

Source: Dr. J.N.Singhs presentation


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Filiep Libeert


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Filiep Libeert,President of Euratex

6 June 2005

However, the same conclusion was reached by the EuropeanCommission almost 2 years ago in its communication to the Council andthe European Parliament entitled The Future of the Textile and Clothingindustry in the enlarged European Union. This led, supported by the

European Parliament and the EU member states, to the creation of the EUTextile-Clothing High Level Group in early 2004.

This High Level Group in its June 2004 report concluded that research,

development and innovation is one, if not THE ONE driver of futurecompetitiveness of our industry in Europe. Based on the findings of theworking group on Research, Development and Innovation, the High LevelGroup made 6 central recommendations in this field, among which theestablishment of a European Technology Platform (ETP) for Textiles and

Clothing stood out as the one with the most strategic long-termperspective.


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3 visions of ETP

1. To move from commodities towards specialty products fromhigh-tech processes; fibres, filaments, fabrics and final productswith highly functional, purpose-targeted properties based onnano- micro- & biotechnologies, new coatings and laminations,digital processes etc.

2. Establishment and expansion of textiles as raw material ofchoice in many sectors and application fields (transport

systems, construction, medical applications, consumerelectronics)

3. To prepare the end of the era of mass manufacture of textileproducts and to move towards the new industrial eracharacterised by customisation, personalisation, as well asflexible, on-demand production coupled with intelligentlogistics, distribution and services.


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The Objectives of the Research Module


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In order to achieve the long-term industrial transformation of theClothing Industry the LEAPFROG initiative focused on 3 major

objectives:

1 A step-change in productivity, quality and cost efficiency in the garmentmanufacturing process.

Radical reductions in the product design and development time andcost through direct 3D design and virtual prototyping, fabric andgarment simulation, fit and comfort evaluation on animated virtualmannequins representative of real consumer morphotypes, cost and

manufacturability prediction.

Radical reengineering and intelligent automation of the key tasks ofhandling and sewing for significant reduction of labour costcomponent in garment manufacture and a massive quality increase.

A significant improvement of fabric preparation facilitating subsequentclothing manufacturing operation through fabric pre-forming andtemporary or permanent fabric stiffening.

Overall integration and organisation of all individual processes andtechnologies into a highly efficient and flexible manufacturing shopfloor.

2 A radical move towards rapid customised manufacturing in one of thet d d l til t th h fl ibili ti d i t ti f


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most demand-volatile sectors through flexibilisation and integration ofcost-effective and sustainable processes from fabric processing throughto customer delivery.

Development of concepts and tools for a flexible organisation ofgarment production in extended supply networks - the extendedSmart Garment Organisation (xSGO).

Methods and systems for efficient product development and fastproduction ramp-up and roll-out in geographically spreadmanufacturing networks.

3 A paradigm change in customer service and customer relationshipmanagement with a focus on value-adding product-services.

Further development of concepts and tools for industrial masscustomisation and made-to-order of clothing and their effective

integration with the point of sale.

The Objectives of the Research Modules


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Research Module A: Fabric Preparation

The overall objective of the RMA is two fold:

to develop stimuli sensitive filaments and coatings based on shape-memory nematic polymers, to be combined with natural and man-madefibers in high quality yarns and fabrics;

to investigate a proper formulation of inorganic nanoparticles and bio-degradable coatings to permanently and temporarely increasestiffness of the fabric, including physical removal after garmentintegration.

Critical Technologies employed for objective achievementRaw stimuli sensitive polymer, yarn, fabric derived thereto

Fabric surface functionalizing and stiffening

Permanent and temporary stiffening

Research Module B: Automated Garment Assembly


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The overall objective

is the complete automation of the garment assembling activities by

means of innovative fast and highly re-configurable robotic devices(multi-points gripper, re-configurable mannequin, sewing head) with asyet unforeseen dexterity, cooperation ability and efficiency in handlingand working with limp material.

Critical Technologies employed for

The grasping and handling of near 2D parts

The reconfigurable mannequin

3D sewing (the joining head)

The handling robot

Research Module C : 3D Virtual Prototyping


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The overall objective is to revolutionise the design and prototyping of garments by

the development of a 3D Virtual Prototyping platform targeting the reduction of:

the number of required physical prototypes,

the time to develop a new collection

the cost of the complete new product development cycle from sketch drawing topattern making.

Technologies EmployedModeling human bodies based on statistically significant parameters

Libraries of representative virtual 3D mannequins

Library of fabrics

Direct 3D garment design

Virtual prototyping components

Integration Module IM:


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Integration Module IM:The Extended Smart Garment Organisation (xSGO)

The objective of this module is to enable integration of the results ofthe research areas within a flexible organisational structure. This willbe achieved by the development of a validated framework for theextended Smart Garment Organisation (xSGO) conception togetherwith related integration components.

Development Tasks

The xSGO Conception

The xSGO Knowledge Infrastructure

The xSGO Product Tracking Infrastructure

New Garment Ramp Up Framework

Quantifiable Results of LEAPFROG


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# reduction of 60% of physical prototypes through 3D virtual garmentdesign and prototyping.An average time gain of 60% in garment design by reduction of trial-errorloops before acceptable prototype is reached from 5 to 2

# an average 50% decrease of time of production ramp-up of newproducts in geographically spread production networks

# a reduction of average lead times at the future garment factory of 25%

# a reduction of machine times of complex garments by up to 50% incase of part automation of joining and up to 80% in case of full automation

# a reduction of production errors and quality faults in garment made-up from current 15-20% to close to zero due to removal of the humanerror

# an average decrease of fabric stocks at textile & garmentmanufacturers of 35% by intelligent, real-time distributed productionplanning systems and direct feedback from retail partners enabled in the xSGO

# an overall reduction of garment stock levels and waste resulting from

unsold items at fashion retailers through an enlargement of the masscustomisation and fast fashion segment from today's below 5% to 20% of thetotal market by 2015


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The first target of this line would be the estimated 12million nurse's uniforms required every year in Europe,followed up by further public uniform contracts.

"These new developments give us enormously powerful


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new tools which, given the necessary level of industrial

commitment, will change the rules of the game as weknow it today, especially in the more conventionalclothing and interior textile markets.

"A quantum leap in automation, highly efficient andflexible functionalisation and customisation in thedevelopment and production of textiles and apparel,

combined with intelligent logistic and service conceptscan make Europe regain its global leadership. It canreverse the current commoditisation trends which clogour supply chains and distribution systems with cheapand often ultimately unwanted products with a doubtfulenvironmental and social profile."

Dick HendriksChairman of the Governing Council of the ETP.


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Automation in Garment Manufacturing