Technology in Fashion Product Development and Manufacturing

Technology in port output outgrowth and ManufacturingINTRODUCTIONAccording to Tyler, (2008, p.1) Clothing manufacture is an activity dominated by the need for human skills, with a great range of raw materials, result qualitys, production technologies, production volumes, retail markets and brands.These days, consumers argon creation influenced by trend trends, thereby having the enticement of the ongoing impertinentness and needs to buy and keep up with the latest appearance cl ask become the order of the day. People moot their look is what matters most and so ar very much stinging in updating it with contrive.The term mode differentiates the current prevailing trends in the society for example, concerning a particular way of dressing, lifestyle, pattern of thought and the nurture of the arts (Eberle et al, 2004, p.217)The move towards so-called Fast- means within many retailers means that the designers have a much shorter ontogenesis period so that the store wash stand act to peeled trends within a matter of weeks (Goworek, 2006, p.31). Fast direction in my own understanding simply means the ability to respond immediately to current modality trends. Hence, because of the change magnitude demand of products by customers, vernal technologies atomic number 18 constantly being introduced to form industries to improve and quicken production.The aim of this study is to discuss the technologiesinvolved in the development and assemblage of impertinently product and find out how it has contributed to fast hammer.Technology is the process of applying proficient devices and k straightwayledge to suit a particular work or purpose, therefore, fashion applied science is the process by which these technical devices and knowledge ar use to the construction and manufacturing of fashion products. However, working in the fashion industry requires an lodge knowledge and understanding of technologies involved in the development and assembly of s ensitive products.LITERATURE REVIEWThe aim of this literature review is to establish that relevant work has already been completed in the field. In particular I am keen to demonstrate in this parting that this term newsprint is based upon a thorough understanding of the field, and to establish evidence that I have researched into the subject.Fast fashion is a term that refers to affordable rudimentary principle and disposable trends. It has also been apply as a term to describe clothing collections which argon based on the most recent fashion trends. (App bel search, 2009) excogitate products have a limited life cycle, more so than early(a) products. (Gowerek, 2004, p. 142) According to Tyler, (2008), Fashion requires a quick response, that is to say that fashion apparel has a short product life and differentiation advantages erect be built on the images and styles of brands which can be quickly imitated. Fashion producers have continually worked hard to provide new product s to capture the vision of the consumers with these innovative styles and images and so technological advancement has brought about the introduction of ready-to-wear/mass production apparel.Integration of quick response has given the fashion producers a lot of advantage as they have developed new capabilities known as quick response strategies to supplant timing and know-how which helps them in the assembly and development of exclusively clothes that sells.DISCUSSIONGARMENT meeting placeThe steps involved in garment assembly are called operations. (Frings, 2008, p. 260) the trine methods of operations are the progressive-bundle system, the tailor or hale garment system, and the modular manufacturing system. Automated systems are now being use in fashion factories to rush along up production and cut lead while. There several(prenominal)(prenominal) computer technologies being apply in the process of garment assembly computer-aided manufacturing(CAM), unit production system(UP S), computer-integrated manufacturing(CIM) , computer simulation, and flexible manufacturing.PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTProduct development is a process of creating new style within a given companys image or identity. (Frings, 2008) The two technologies involved in the development and assembly process of new product are Seam engine room and Machinery technology.SEAM engine roomThe seam technologies are seam type, stitch type, needle, suck up and exhaust implement.SEAM TYPEA seam is a formulate where a sequence of stitches unites two or more pieces of material. (cooklin, 2006, p. 110) Seams have several properties strength, extensibility, elasticity, security, durability and near(a) appearance all of which will be rolled during product development. According to Tyler, (2008), the British standard has classified seam into eight classes jibe to the minimum number of part that make up the seam. These classes are family 1- superimposed seam that consists of Plain, French and Piped s eams, Class 2- lapped seam which consist of basic lapped, lap-felled and welted seam, Class 3- bound seam, Class 4- flat seam- consisting of butt and flatlock seams, Class 5- nonfunctional stitch, Class 6- edge neatening, Class7- addition of trims, and Class 8- one-place components. (Tyler, 20008)STITCH TYPE lift and stitches are the primary means of garment assembly. (Glock et al, 2000, p.427) British standard has also classified stitches into six categories Class 100- single meander twine stitches, used for temporary stitching, Class 200- hand stitches used for stitching edges, Class 300- lockstitches that are satisfactory for closing, lapping and decorating, Class 400- multi-thread chain stitches used as breed over seams and side seams, Class 500- overedge chain stitches used to neaten and dumbfound of cut edges of a woven and knitted fabrics, and Class 600- covering chain stitches used to make flat extensible seams on knitted fabrics. from each one of the above classifi ed stitches has various stitch types within them. (Eberle et al, 2004, p. 167)SEWING work NEEDLESMachine needles come in various shapes and sizes and should be used on person cable cars, stitch types, wind and fabrics. The two basic classes of needle points are Round and Cutting points needles. Round points needles includes slim set points which are used for blind stitches and for fine densely woven fabrics, set cloth points, plodding set point used especially for button run up political machines, light-hearted eyeball points used for sensitive fabrics such as knits, metier ball point and heavy ball points. Cutting points needles which are used run up leather and films or coated and laminated textiles are leftover press clipping points and peter points. (Eberle et al, 2004)SEWING THREADThe threads are used to form stitches on fabrics. They are made from either pictorial or synthetic parts or both and are chosen according to suitability for run up in relation to unif orm thickness, smoothness, elasticity and strength. Cotton is used to make natural fibre threads and nylon is used to make synthetic fibre threads. stitchery threads undergo the same process of production with yarns. The fibres are carded, combed, displace and spun into yarns which in turn are twisted into sewing threads. Sewing threads can either be Z or S twist. The fibre on the surface of a Z twisted thread are approach to the right when the thread is held vertically while the fibre on the surface of an S twisted fabric are faced to the left when the thread is held vertically. The properties of threads are colours, diameter, finish, size, twist and cord content. Characteristics of sewing thread are colours, fastness, flexibility, elongation, strength, shrinkage, twist balance, etc.FEED MECHANISMIt is essential to consider the issues of feed mechanism in the process of product development. nutrition mechanism is a process used in a sewing machine to join fabrics together where by mechanism feeds the fabrics past the needle to achieve good fit, style appearance and performance. The sewing machine feed system are drop feed, differential feed, variable top and bottom feed (before and arsehole the needle), compound feed, alternating compound feed, puller feed (roller feed) and clamp feed(jig). Feed mechanism is made up of three sewing machine parts presser foot, throat plate and feed traverse. Material feed is achieved by the feed dog which contains several rows of serrated teeth. The feed dog is moved up and forwards through slits in the throat plate to engage with the other side of the material being sewn and to advance it by a distance of one stitch length. Contact between feed dog and material is is controlled by the spring-loaded presser foot. The feed dog is then move and moved back to its starting position. (Eberle et al, 2004, p.162)MACHINERY TECHNOLOGYMachinery technologies are basic sewing machines, simple impulsives, automatize workstations a nd reprogrammable automated system. Machinery is a very important cheek of product development because it is very important to note the available machines as well as their capabilities. There are various classes of sewing machines used in clothing manufacture and these include basic sewing machines, simple automatics, automated workstations, reprogrammable automated systems.BASIC SEWING MACHINEBasic sewing machines consist of a stand, table, electric motor, and a head. It offers one stitch type and has various shapes with means which helps the operator to control the speed of sewing, stitch stringency and presser foot position. (Tyler, 20008) there are several types of basic sewing machine flat bed, raised bed, post bed, cylinder bed, feed-off-arm bed, side bed, etc. wide AUTOMATICSThese are controlled manually but the movement of the components to be sewn are being controlled by special cams during the entire sewing operation. Simple automatic machine produces only one configura tion of sewing. Examples of simple automatic machines are buttonholers, buttonsewers, bar tack machines and label sewers. (Tyler, 20008) change WORKSTATIONSThese make use of electric, electronic and pneumatic control and incorporate sophisticated conveyor and clamp technology and perform complex functions in addition to sewing. (Tyler, 20008) These machines are, profile sewing system, CNC sewing machines and robots. Examples are patch pocket setting on jeans and shirts, run stitching collars or flaps, long seam joining, making jetted pockets, serging trousers and sequential buttonholing. Apart from burden and removing the garment after sewing, the machine controls the rest of the handling and sewing. (Tyler, 20008) Sophisticated automated workstations have numerical control, automated loading, unloading, edge sensors and other intelligent features. (Lecture note)REPROGRAMMABLE AUTOMATED SYSTEMSIn reprogrammable automated system, garment parts are loaded and a series of machines car ries out a series of operations to a section of a garment, for example, one system utilises robotic handling to assemble a three-part jeans pocket. (Tyler, 20008) However, these reprogrammable automated systems are not yet being used commercially.ANCILLARY MECHANISMS FOR utmost SPEED SEWING MACHINESThese are industrial machines known as noble speed machines, generally provided with several ancillary mechanisms whose function is to reduce the time needed by the operator for non-sewing activities. (Eberle et al, 2004) The ancillary equipment for industrial high speed sewing machines are thread cutter, thread wiper, automated presser foot, needle positioning, stitch compression, bar tacking, automatic start using an optical sensor, automatic pulley-block using an optical sensor, edge trimmer and edge trimmer(stepped). (Eberle et al, 2004)CAD TECHNOLOGYCAD which means computer aided design is another technology identified as quick response element. CAD systems are now the essential t ools required to integrate and achieve success taking the exercise of the comfigurator between manufacture and retail. (Beazley and Bond, 2003, p. vii) CAD is used in the designing of new styles, as well as ethical specifications and functions of pattern creation, grading, production of cutting markers and lay planning in garment production.CONCLUSIONTechnology is a very important part of product development as it ensures quality, with suitable fit, fashionable and attractive appearance and speeds up production to meet with consumer satisfaction. Fashion needs depend on the creative technical development of the fashion industry because only innovative technology and manufacture can die out through into the ongoing fast fashion.Much innovation and interest in fashion has given consumers a lot of choice in belongings up with fashion trend. The fashion industry is now being faced with a lot of challenges because fashion is an everyday activity which we can neer do without. Accordin g to Fan (2004, p.1), our appearance is our most apparent individual characteristicsrelying on appearance to guide personal decisions and social interactions is not only natural, but inescapable. The body and the way it is clothed and presented is a primary medium of expression, for it makes statements on the condition of society itself. Hence, fashion demands are drastically increasing every now and then so as to meet up with the fast fashion.The ultimate goal of manufacturers and retailers of clothing is to provide clothing for the whole range of their target market that constantly fits well to increase customer satisfaction and ultimate sales. (Ashdown, 2007, p. 348) To achieve this ultimate goal, manufactures must always arrive at and interpret new trends, thereby making sure they comply with the norms and technologies that are involved in the day-to-day process of product assembly. Hence, current technologies are the basic requirements of product development which helps to bri ngs about an innovation known as quick response. Quick response is a term used for the strategies being used to achieve fast fashion.