CAD/CAM SYSTEM FOR APPAREL MASS CUSTOMIZATION BY LECTRA

The automation technologies for apparel manufacturing, compartmentalized by the engineering science as CAD/CAM systems, give fashion experts the opportunity to construct customized garments on a large scale, freeing them from the routine work and providing more time for the creative designer's work. At the same time these technologies ensure precise and fast production of the selected garment model, which fits customer's individual measurements, taken by a body scanner in the shop. The fashion CAD/CAM system by Lectra is highly flexible and practical, establishing immediate connection between customers in the boutique and the apparel production site via the Internet. Let's follow the steps which the whole process - from choosing the model and taking customer's measurements to manufacturing and online support – is going through.

In the fashion shop

The fashion shop is not a traditional one because it is equipped with specific software web application called FitnetStore for collecting customer's preferences, selected model and style of the clothing item, its options, as well as customer's measurements. There is another device in the boutique which is not typical for a fashion shop- the Body Scanner, a device containing CCD cameras and a laser, running a specific software under Windows NT or Windows XP, the Vitus smart 3D BodyScanner. It scans the surface of customer's body and prepares the so called Digital Twin, which is kept in the computer by means of FitnetStore for further processing. The customer's specific data gathered by FitnetStore are sent to the server called FitNet server via Internet.

In the production site

The construction and production of the garment is accomplished in the production site based on the customer's data kept in FitNet server. Customer's measurements are taken by means of ScanWorX the Digital Tape Measure. It is an application software, included in the standard 3D BodyScanner bundle, for extracting body measurements, needed for garment construction, from the Digital Twin. There are various tools to this program enhancing its performance regarding preparing and calculating customer's measurements (ScanWorx AutoMeasure, ScanWorx InteractiveMeasure, ScanWorx Professional, ScanWorx SizeFit) and a Graphic User Interface for use by non-experts in the boutique together with FitnetStore.

On receiving the order, the FitnetServer automatically activates its programs Modaris and Diamino for processing the input data and preparing the data needed for construction of the garment. The Modaris pack MODEPRO is an application software used for adapting the model with the specific measurements and body structure of the customer. Its option called Modaris Expert adjusts automatically linings, heat sealing and other supplemental construction pieces from the main fabric. The result is the customized model pattern. Then DIAMINO Expert makes the marker for this pattern automatically either on plain or on patterned fabric. The marker is cut by the TopSpin automated cutting system. The entire process including pattern design, marker making and cutting is completed automatically very quickly.

The Fitnet server and its software in the manufacturing site, the application software and the body scanner used in the boutique, and the automated cutting machine in the production site, form a complete distributed CAD/CAM system using Internet for communication. The Fitnet server keeps the fashion collection which is to be customized at the manufacturing site but it can be also accessed in the shops through Internet. This CAD/CAM system is completed by Software Evolution, a subscription service for obtaining the latest versions of Lectra software, Remote Expertise which ensures real-time IT support for software problems  via  Internet and by phone, and training. So the difficult process of garment customization which once consumed fashion experts' time and endeavors is made easy for mass production through implementation of modern automation and information technologies.