Fabric Spreading and Cutting Machines

Presented by:

Kundan Ganvir

Garment Manufacturing Process

Marker and Marker planningMarker:• It is a long thin paper which contains all

necessary pattern pieces for different sizes for a particular style of garments

The length also depends on-• Number of garments to be produced from

a spread lay• Length of cutting table• Production planning etc.

Purpose of Marker Making• For optimum utilization of fabric• Reduction of fabric wastage• Speeding up the production process• Get maximum number of pattern pieces from one lay of fabric

Spreading• Spreading – The process of unwinding large rolls of fabric onto long, wide

tables in preparation for cutting each piece of garment

• Types of Fabric spreading:i. Flat Spreading

ii. Stepped Spreading

• Precautions needed while spreading fabric:

i. Alignment of plies

ii. Elimination of fabric defects/flaws

iii. Correct ply direction

iv. Correct ply tension

v. Fabrics must be flat and free from any crinkle & crease

Spreading related Equipment• Tables

- Normal table

- Vacuum table

- Conveyor table

- Pinned table

• Fabric Loaders

• Fabric weights/Clamps/Pins

Pinned Table

Vacuum Table

Fabric clampsFabric Weights Fabric Roll Loader

Spreading- Methods

Spreading

Machine Assisted Spreading

Semi-Automatic

Fully Automatic

Manual Spreading

Manual Spreading Machines

Advantages:• Easy to operate• Low investment• Suitable for small scale garment industries

Limitations:• Speed limitation• Skilled labor required to operate• Chances of improper selvedge alignment • Small roll size

Operating procedure:• Fabric is carefully pulled out with help of hands• Then, fabric is spread and cut to appropriate

requirements• Process is continued to form layers

Semi-Automatic Spreading Machines

Operating Procedure:• Same as Manual Spreader• Movement along the table and fabric pulling can be

controlled by buttons

Advantages:• Fast and economical• Proper selvedge alignment• Ease to operate with electronic clutch

Limitations:• Fabric roll loading, cutting is still manual• Not suitable for large scale manufacturing houses• Small roll size

Fully Automatic Spreading Machines

• Automatic loading/unloading device for fabric rolls• Automatic roll turning arrangement for face to back

lay• Automatic leveling device for fabric edge

alignment.• Automatic cutting device at the end of a run• Automatic tensioning device to control fabric

tension• Automatic lay height sensing elevator• Programmable lay length, ply height and step-laying• Spreading seeds up to 140 m/min

Features:

Cutting• Cutting – It is the process which cut out the pattern pieces from specified fabric

for making garments

• Types of Fabric cutting machines:i. Manual, e.g. scissors, cutters

ii. Semi-automatic, e.g. Round knife cutter, band knife cutter, etc.

iii. Fully computerized, e.g. Laser, water jet, etc.

• Precautions needed while spreading fabric:

i. Safety first, gloves, eye covers, clothing etc.

ii. Stability of fabric layers

iii. Care of cutting blades and machine

iv. Selecting correct type of cutting equipment for a cut

v. Precautions for heating of blades

Scissors Are normally used when cutting only single or double plies

Advantages:• Almost all types of cloths are cut by scissors• Very cheap

Limitations and disadvantages:• Cannot be used for mass production• Cannot cut more than 2-3 piles of fabrics• Low speed• Impossible to work continuously for long hours

Manual Cutting Equipment

Laser guided scissors

Electric Scissors

Decorative Edge scissors

Semi-Automatic Cutting Equipment

Advantages• Comparatively cheap• Production speed is very good• Rough work can be easily done by hands

Disadvantages• Faulty knife could damage fabric layer• Knife required to change• Weight of the motor creates knife deflection

which may be creates faulty pieces

Straight knife Round knife Band knife Notcher machine

Fully-Automatic Cutting Equipment

Advantages• Cutting defects are less• Less labor cost• Suitable for very large scale of production• No need of marker paper

Disadvantages• Very expensive machines• Very high on maintenance• Not suitable for cutting multi level fabric

(water-jet, laser)• Not suitable for synthetic fabric(laser cutting)

Computerized cutting machine

Laser cutting machine Water-jet fabric cutting Plasma cutting machine

Thank You