Introduction to Textile Software

Scope of computer-based technology for textile applications

The textile and apparel industry comprises a complex network of interrelated sectors that
produce fibers, spin yarns, fabricate cloth, and dye/finish/print and manufacture apparel.
Computer technology is one of the most important tools contributing to the significant
advancement of this industry.
The transition towards digital solutions and computerization is an irreversible trend today and
will accelerate in the future.
Just as in many other industries, computer-based technology in textile applications may be
divided into many branches and sub-branches in terms of its applications. Generally speaking,
there are three terms that are frequently used:
(1) CAD (computer aided design),
(2) CAM (computer aided manufacturing),
(3) CIM (computer integrated manufacturing)
(4) CAT (computer aided testing)
Although it is difficult to summarize all the industrial applications based on computer technology
alone, it is possible for us to describe some typical applications in these fields.
CAD has become particularly important for textiles and apparel design. It has been widely used
in the design of yarns, fabrics and garments. CAD technology enables textile designers to
develop and demonstrate virtual samples on the computer screen and to simulate the appearance
of textile products without wasting materials and manufacturing processes. The development of
CAD technology over the past decades has the advantages of lower product development costs
and a greatly shortened design cycle with increased creative variation. These achievements have
encouraged and simplified textile and garment manufacturing, material utilization, easier
customization, and mass production.
CAM can be defined as the computer technology used for controlling textile manufacturing
processes. Computer-based textile machines are used to support spinning, weaving, knitting,
printing or finishing processes through programmable controllers, industrial computers, data
gateways, cell controllers, data acquisition, batch controllers, and drive master controllers. CAM
is one of the key parts of the computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) system.
CIM is the manufacturing approach of using computers to control the entire production
process, typically relying on closed-loop control processes and based on real-time input from
sensors. This allows individual processes to exchange information with each other and to initiate
actions including planning, management and production. The final target of CIM is mainly to
provide a digital platform of process control and information communication for textile design,
manufacturing, testing, quality control and final product marketing/retailing. Through CIM,
manufacturing can be faster and less error-prone, as well as easier to manage. Another term that
may be related to CIM is CAE (computer aided engineering), which is a general term including
all the engineering work based on computer equipment and technology used for the
modernization of the textile industry.
CAT (computer aided testing) provides a digital and automatic solution for quality testing,
evaluation and control of textile processing and products by using computer-related testing
techniques, such as computer vision and artificial intelligence. In the textile industry, testing
traditionally relies on heavily subjective estimation without objective testing instruments.
Computer aided testing technology and methods have been used to replace these traditional
subjective evaluation methods.
In addition, textile products can also be components of electrical devices and sensors used for
data acquisition and information media, and could be developed as intelligent sensing,
monitoring and control units worn on the human body. We call these E-textiles. For example,
the development of wearable computers is one typical application, which integrates textile and
computer technologies into one wearable and controllable device embedded in different
functional garments. E-textiles constitute a new direction for computer-based technology which
has undergone rapid development in recent years. The integration and embedding of electronic
sensors and controlling units can offer clothes higher levels of functionality than common
garments. It can provide information exchange between wearers and the monitoring system.
Thus an E-textile solution can establish a wearable computational linked system and wearable
electronic textiles can be worn in everyday situations. Computer and textile products will be
merged seamlessly in the future.
Thus digital technology for textiles is broad in its scope. Loosely speaking, it refers to the
utilization of computer hardware, software, networking, software computing technology,
robotics, and wearable sensing, monitoring and controlling technology directly or indirectly for
textiles. Typical applications of computer technologies for textiles and apparel are illustrated in
Fig.
Fig.: Scope of digital technology for textiles and apparel
which includes the CAD for product design, CAM technology for product manufacture and CAT
for the quality testing and evaluation of product, while E-Textiles are a new technology focused
on the development of wearable computing devices directly used for the textile and apparel.

Some popular software, which are vastly used in Textile & Apparel
Industry of Bangladesh are mentioned in the below:
Yarn Manufacturing Technology:

1. USTER HVI,
2. USTER AFIS,
3. USTER EVENNESS TESTER
4. USTER Bale Manager.
5. USTER Classimat

Weaving Technology:

1. Auto Cad:

 ARAH WEAVE,
  NED GRAPHICS,
 TEXTRONIC.

2. Others:

 PIXEL ART,
 EAT DESIGN SCOPE,
 MULLER MCAD.

Knitting Technology:

1. TOTAL DESIGN SYSTEM SHIMA SEIKI,

Wet Processing Technology:

1. MACBETH OS,
2. DATACOLOR OS.

Apparel/Garments Industry:

1. OPTITEX,
2. AUDACES,
3. GERBER,
4. GRAFFIS,
5. LECTRA MODARIS.
6. STARFISH
7. GEMINI CAD SYSTEM
8. RICHPEACE GARMENTS CAD

Fashion Industry:

1. DIGITAL FASHION PRO,

Simulation:

1. GERBER VIRTUAL STITCH,

Management:
 1. ERP

Advantages of computerization in textile industry:

Computerized operation system has been an integral part in recent years in textile industries.
On the virtue of its data processing, display, portability, maintenance, reliability, computer,
microcomputer, microelectronics. The most important advantages are printed out here-

In Spinning Section

― The most important contribution in spinning is the is the CIM system which assures long
storage & collection of data, quality control, order supervision, material management & graphical
representation. E.g.USTER MILL DATA

― Bale management system has eliminated manual mixing removing faults and ensuring better
production

― Automatic extraction of fiber and interactive blending UNIFLOC

― Foreign color detection technology used in Vision shield has improved the quality of the yarn.

― Autolevelling, removing of irregularity, reduction of silver breakage, speed control & display
of all important parameters in carding & drawing m/cs.

― Classimat fault in winding predicts the final product quality

― Spectrogram analysis eases the finding of fault source

― Monitoring of all machine functions and rapid reaction in the event of faults, emergency stops.

― Online monitoring of quality due to high material throughput and to enable high efficiency

― Collection of operation data & produced statistics for service personnel, production manager.

― High functional reliability , simple & speedy elimination of faults, low cost design & high
productivity in Rotor spinning , introduction ROTOR DATA, ZAG, PEYER System.

― Reduced end breakage rate, improved efficiency in ring frame by RING DATA.

In Weaving Section
― The best computerization development in weaving section is the creation of an integrated of
an integrated like between the creative and analytical aspects and actual control of the loom.

― Easy pegging plan & efficient dobby mechanism by introducing solenoid, ribbon cable and
optical sensor.

― Computer aided design in jacquard loom allowing frequent pattern change elimination design
error increasing flexibility.

― Diversification in the design of woven fabric.

― Direct loom control as in SULZER RUTI loom.

― Display of all required value like weft insertion rate, loom speed, thread breakage rate,
stoppage time etc.

― Improvement in yarn cleaning, fault diction, length measuring unit, piecing as in CONEDATA
system.

― Closing of socks & trimming automation.

― Computerised patterning & control in knitting machines.

In Dyeing Section

― Comouter color matching system provides optimum & economic colorant concentration
necessary for matching.

― Data color system provides the measurement of required shade % and determination of color
shade of a sample.

― BEACON controller provides uniform dyeing condition.

― Process data link chemical concentration, speed, temperature, shad % can be monitored &
displayed from different computer system.

― Improved efficiency of discontinuous dyeing process.

In Garment Section

― Computerized interactive marker making by CAD system.

― Different automatic like auto trimming, speed control, auto thread cutting mechanism of
sewing machinery.

― Auto display of process data of the sewing m/c like model DDL 5550 JUKI.

― Introduction of CPD__ Computerized pattern design system.

― CED & CEM_ Computerized embroidery design and manufacturing system.

― Reduction in labor cost & high production from different stage of manufacturing.

In Testing Section

― For fibre testing

― For fibre length measurement

― For cotton color & grade

― For measuring micronaire of cotton

― For measuring florescent variation

― For measuring strength & elongation

― For sampling of specimen

― For measuring fibre end alignment & length

― For measuring fibre fineness

― For filament testing

― For measuring breaking load & breaking elongation

In Textile Management Section