AU TO M AT I O N
29
AUTOMATION IN APPAREL INDUSTRY Dr. PRAVIN UKEY
Akash Deshmukh
Trupti Pawar
DKTE Society’s Textile and Engineering Institute, Ichalkaranji
A
bstract Automation is most often defined as, "automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process or system by mechanical or electronic devices that take the place of human organs of observation, effort, and decision". The purpose of this paper was to investigate the status and the effects of technology adoption on the level of organizational factors within the context of the apparel industry. Introduction Definition Automation is often defined as, "The automatic operation of an instrument, process or system by mechanical or electronic devices that replace human organs for observation, effort, and resolution". The intensified competition in the global market, it became important for manufacturers to thrive, to gain sustainable competitive advantage by innovations in technology or concepts as well as in production. Typical production in the garment manufacturing process still involves large manual operations and automatic assembly. Garment manufacturing is still more labour intensive than technical work, so the need for technical support may not be significant in apparel industry technology. Faced with the rising cost of labour, advanced textile manufacturing technologies have been called upon to increase productivity and produce high-quali-
ty goods, at high volume, in short cycles, at low cost [1]. The adoption of advanced technology is a way to improve such areas and meet export standards. Recent automation in apparel industry includes computerized data monitoring, computer-aided designing, automatic fabric spreader, automatic fabric cutters, high-speed sewing machines, advanced pressing and finishing machines, etc. This contributes to the development of advanced goods in the global supply of clothing and provides a new understanding of how manufacturers can embrace technology and remain competitive in the global market. The need for Automation in Apparel Industry The adoption of technology has emerged as an important competitive decision in recent global trade. The most important reasons for moving toward more mechanization and automation are to be able to reduce cost or to increase production without increasing cost. If the industry can decrease the cost per item, it will increase production without increasing total cost. The ability to increase the quality without increasing cost per item was nearly as important. Flexibility, quality, inventory reduction, efficient production cycle, and shorter lead-time in manufacturing became essential for firms to achieve global competitiveness. It is apparent that reducing cost and improving production capacity are most important for firms, which are seeking
an increased share of the market today. The common introduction and adoption of new technologies become an important factor in the competitive advantage of the global market because firms can maintain rapid responses and market demands using technology [1]. Developments in various department of the garment industry CAD CAD stands for Computer-Aided Design. It is nothing but the use of computer in the creation, modification and optimization of a design. CAD software is used to improve the efficiency and productivity of a designer by providing a tool using which, they can visualize how the 3D model of that product design will look like. CAD is used in many applications including automotive, ship building and aerospace industries and many more. CAD also widely used to produce computer animation and to produce special effects in movies. CAD plays important role in designing and manufacturing industries [2]. Nowadays, CAD software becomes an essential tool for fashion designers and garment manufacturers by providing functionality such as pattern making, virtual test fitting, pattern grading, marker making etc. With the help of CAD, software designers can visualize the final product and can inspect these models to make modifications. Along with the conversion of the 2D model into the 3D model, the system also provides tools to give animations FEBRUARY 2021
