Factory organisation

• Cutting slips


  Documents that contain information required by the cutting department and lay planning department
• Information required on cutting slips

  • Size combinations required
  • Width of the lay
  • Whether the lay must be planned for plain, chock or one-way designs
• Information the layer-up needs

  • Number of lays
  • Number of plies in each lay
• Information the marker maker needs

  • Number of lays
• Cutting slips


  Prepared so that the cutting will be carried out in the most economical way
• Factors to consider when preparing cutting slips

  • Time it will take to cut the order (labour cost)
  • Amount of material that will be required (material cost)
• Pattern making


  Connects design to production by producing paper templates for all the components, such as cloth, linings, and fusibles, which have to be cut for a garment
• Industrial pattern making


  • Highly skilled technique which calls for technical ability, a sensitivity for design interpretation and a practical understanding of the process
  • Has two basic stages: block pattern and garment pattern
• Block pattern


  Patterns without any style features, incorporates the measurements, proportions and posture of the body for which garments, developed from the pattern, are intended
• Garment pattern


  Styled patterns used for the cutting of sample garments
• Marker


  A diagram of a precise arrangement of pattern pieces for the sizes of a specific style that are to be cut out at one time
• Marker planner


  Studies the cut order plan and codes every pattern piece with its size as the marker has planned it
• Marker making


  Arranging pattern pieces in a specific area at the most economical manner for cutting
• Marker mode


  The orientation of pattern pieces within the marker such as nap-either-way (N/E/W), nap-one-way (NOW), nap-up-and-down (N/UID)
• Layout of pattern components methods

  • Using full size patterns
  • Reducing full size patterns to 1:5 scale
  • Using miniature patterns on a planning board
• Computerised systems


  Used for marker planning, where the marker planner works interactively with the system
• Work tables and working surfaces

  • Must be sturdy and strong with a smooth surface
  • Height of table must be correct for workers to avoid stress by reaching over
  • Length and width of the pattern table is determined by the need of the factory
• Pattern making

  1. Block pattern

  2. Garment pattern
• Block pattern

  Patterns without any style features, incorporates the measurements, proportions and posture of the body for which garments, developed from the pattern, are intended
• Garment pattern

  Styled patterns used for the cutting of sample garments
• Marker

  A diagram of a precise arrangement of pattern pieces for the sizes of a specific style that are to be cut out at one time
• Marker making

  1. Marker planner studies the cut order plan

  2. Codes every pattern piece with its size as the marker has planned it
• Marker mode

  The orientation of pattern pieces within the marker such as nap-either-way (NEW), nap-one-way (NOW), nap-up-and-down (N/U/D)
• Layout of pattern components

  1. Uses full size patterns to arrange them in the most economical manner on the marker paper

  2. Reduces full size patterns to 1:5 scale to facilitate the work of the maker planner

  3. Computerised systems are used and the marker planner works interactively with the system to plan the markers
• Pattern working surfaces

  • Flat surface or a large adjustable drawing board suitable for tracing of blocks and the making of markers
• Pattern grading

  1. Patterns of different sizes are produced from the original master pattern

  2. Can be performed manually or automatically by a computerised system

  3. Patterns are graded according to size charts
• Pattern grading machines

  • Small effective machines to large complicated ones
• Manual grading (Varigrader)

  Patterns are graded manually
• Computerised grading

  Patterns are graded automatically using computerised systems with large printers (plotters) to print full size patterns
• Pattern tools

  • Paper, cutting board, pen, pencils, chalks, eraser, ruler, curved ruler, tailors square, set-square, measuring tape, french curves, tracing wheel, Zawl, pattern punch, pattern notcher, pattern hangers, grading machine, computer, plotter table
• Pattern paper

  • Comes in a variety of weights and colours, each serving a special purpose
  • Heavy pattern papers are commonly referred to as tag paper, manilla or hard paper
  • Lighter paper weights are called marking paper
• Cutting orders are those orders passed to the cutting room by headquarters and provide information such as style of garment, cloth number and description, details of lining and other trimmings, delivery date, sizes required, quantities of each size, and approximate amounts of materials required
• Cutting orders

  1. Combine orders which can be cut together to make each cutting as big as possible

  2. Split some orders when garments are required from different cloths (e.g. checks and plains)

  3. Prepare separate cutting slips for each order or combination of orders that are to be cut together

  4. Prepare separate cutting slips for linings
• Cutting slips should give details of how the cutting operation is to be carried out, such as size combinations, number of lays, number of plies in each lay, fabric width, and fabric design
• Cutting slips are required for the cutting department, lay planning department, layer-up, and marker maker
• Cutting slips should be prepared so that the cutting will be carried out in the most economical way, considering the time it will take to cut the order (labour cost) and the amount of material that will be required (material cost)
• Equipment

  • Select and describe the correct cutting tables in connection with height, working surfaces, sturdiness, manufacturing
  • Identify different cutting machines
  • Compare the advantages and disadvantages
  • Identify different kinds of spreading (laying up) machines
• Learning outcomes

  1. Select and describe

  2. Identify

  3. Compare

  4. Identify

  5. Briefly discuss the use of spreading (laying up) machines

  6. Briefly discuss their advantages and disadvantages

  7. Identify ticketing machines (Sobar) and mention its uses, identify marking machines such as the cloth drill and briefly describe its operation and uses
• System and techniques

  • Identify different methods of spreading (laying up) fabric, e.g. mechanical versus manual labour
  • Briefly describe the different ways of laying up fabric like face up, back up, face to face, on the fold and open laying up
  • Determine which method will be the best for different kinds of fabric, e.g. knitted fabric, sheer fabric, horizontal, vertical and diagonally striped fabric, one-way designs and pile fabric
• Lay planning

  1. Determine and describe the most effective method of power supply

  2. Arrange tables and equipment to ensure the most effective work flow and briefly describe or present them schematically