Introduction
Knitting technology creates fabrics with interconnected loop meshes, and these spirals move in relation to one another, resulting in dimension shifts and stretching. Knitted patterns’ suppleness and softness provide either benefits or limitations for electrical applications. The Fashion & Apparel industry’s major brands, producers, and merchants operate in a competitive environment where everyone focuses on quality and pricing (Zhang and Ma, 2018). Businesses focus their efforts on brand development, adhering to current market trends, developing new and diverse product offerings, minimizing costs, and accelerating time-to-market. To accomplish this, businesses are launching next-generation digital art initiatives. These initiatives focus on reducing costs, enhancing item effectiveness, and accelerating time to market. Digital design techniques can assist design teams in fully leveraging their ventures in intellectual capital (Power, 2018). This paper aims to provide a deep insight into computer-aided design (CAD) in knitted apparel and technical textiles. In doing so, the report provides an evaluation of the external context of CAD, a summary of the technology, and the various potential applications and recommendations of CAD.
Analysis of the External Environment
From the development of embroidery to the emergence of e-commerce, design has always been at the forefront of technological innovation. Desore and Narula (2018) enumerated that fashion, like technology, is forward-thinking and progressive. Apparel is also one of the globe’s largest sectors, predicted to be valued at more than $3 trillion by the end of the decade (Desore and Narula, 2018). Garment technology is progressing faster than ever before (Hoque et al., 2021). From robots that weave and cut textiles to artificial intelligence (AI) analytics that forecast style developments and clothing that can be worn in augmented worlds, the clothing and textile industries are moving at a breakneck pace (Hoque et al., 2021). These slew of developments demonstrate how innovation is streamlining, customizing, and accelerating the modeling industry (Hoque et al., 2021). Moreover, external context legislation and guidelines on ecological sustainability have impacted the material that textile and apparel businesses use in their daily operations. The rationale for and implications of technology and environmental protection have affected and will continue to impact the fashion and knitting companies.
Corporate knitwear manufacturers use technology infrequently in the early phases of a project. The degree to which machines are utilized for design varies greatly among design fields. Designers, such as architects, working with the creation of complicated three-dimensional structures are susceptible to various limitations (Twigger Holroyd, 2018). Developers frequently utilize CAD devices in disciplines where they undertake productions from the concept phase to comprehensive technical growth, such as architecture, knitwear configuration, and typography. The computational methods utilized in the knitting sector are created by commercial knitting equipment producers for use with their machines. In complement to machine manufacturers, Minima, a software company based in Reutlingen, provides a CAD framework for controlling knitting devices that is interoperable with the machines manufactured by all flatbed machine manufacturers (Twigger Holroyd, 2018). These CAD techniques are intended to enhance the simplicity and efficacy of programming but do not aid in the creation of designs (Halbert, 2018). They are essentially visual programming contexts designed for technicians to convert finished blueprints into executable code.
Fashion brands could collaborate with software vendors, acquire startups, and even develop their technology to capitalize on the prospect and expand income sources and business strategies. Therefore, as discussed in the paper, some of the benefits that technology plays in the knitting and textile and ways of providing an ecological friendly context by the sector. Knitting designers rely heavily on design technologies such as CAD and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), which aids in boosting the designer’s inventiveness. These tools enable users to create shapes and forms using a single interface (Sun and Zhao, 2017). The current period of product creation is characterized by intense rivalry.
Manual modeling cannot compete with the precision of computer-aided design designs. The correctness of the CAD framework is unmatched, with nearly no errors (Sun and Zhao, 2017). Thus, this significantly outperforms manual design and execution, improving inventiveness. Naturally, the architect must continue to be concerned with the outcomes. The extract proportions function is not a substitute for a designer, as it does not, for instance, understand the base surfaces for readings. As a result, this can be critical when dealing with components such as shafts. In CAD, sophisticated structures and shapes may be generated effortlessly (Sun and Zhao, 2017). These textures are exceedingly challenging to attain with manual drafting, but with the features offered by digital systems, a faultless result is possible.
Additionally, textile is one of the most polluting sectors on the planet, but that is changing thanks to modern technologies and market expectations for more eco-friendly techniques. According to Bhatia and Devraj (2017), the apparel industry consumes about 26.4 trillion gallons of water and 98 million tons of oil every year. The modeling firms are attempting to minimize environmental damage by using substitute textiles made possible by contemporary technology. Natural fabrics, such as linen, consume a lot of resources as manufacturing one cotton shirt, 713 gallons of water are required, roughly the amount consumed by one person in 2.5 years (Deng et al., 2020). Polyester, acrylic, and nylon are polymeric polymers that gradually disintegrate and may contain dangerous compounds.
Leading fashion brands have established collaborative techniques to help reduce their industry’s pollution rates. Companies like Gap, Burberry, Nike, H&M, and Stella McCartney have partnered to launch the Make Fashion Circular campaign to move the clothing business landscape to a cyclical management structure (Ki et al., 2020). The companies are collaborating with local authorities, design manufacturers, and innovators to develop business practices that maximize the useful life of clothing, use more sustainable methods, and recycle old garments into new ones (Ki et al., 2020). Moreover, several design companies are switching to farming waste items such as stalks and peelings to generate more eco-friendly textiles equivalents. For instance, the British corporation Ananas Anam transforms pineapple stems into Piatex, a leather cloth (Ki et al., 2020). The threads are taken from the fruit’s leaves and processed to form a non-woven netting that lays the foundation of the garment.
Summary of Computer-aided design (CAD)
Computer-aided design (CAD) is often used for design and drawing, report generation, three-dimensional modeling, and computational techniques and serves as an induction generator for computer-aided production. CAD has grown in popularity as a powerful instrument for designing and producing using computers. The CAD process is divided into three stages: developing the geometric paradigm, analyzing it against different physical qualities, and optimizing and visualizing the computer animation based on the findings and assessment (Sterman and Almog, 2022). CAD is a very effective tool for the manufacturing enterprise, providing several advantages like enhanced product development, excellent production, growing usage, and greater quality control. Although CAD mechanisms were initially designed to construct accurate devices, by the 1970s, they started to find usage in the garment industry (Sterman and Almog, 2022). Today, computer-aided design CAD is widely used in fashion and apparel innovation.
Different CAD Technologies: TexGen
A comprehensive geometric characterization of textiles is required to model fabrics and knitting composites’ physico-mechanical characteristics. TexGen is a piece of software created by a group at the University of Nottingham as a pre-processor for modeling textiles in numerous applications (Brown and Long, 2021). The kinematics of dry fabrics may be used to model shaping and compression, the transparency of polymer infusion can be used to replicate adhesive absorption, and the mechanics of synthetic structures can be used to predict future effectiveness (Brown and Long, 2021). TexGen is used to produce prognostic three-dimensional geometric paradigms of textiles and their combinations that are then included in experimental studies for examination.
JacqCAD (Jacquard Pattern CAD)
Jacquard fabric is a form of cloth woven on a Jacquard loom, a sort of computer loom designed in 1804 by Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French textile artist. While jacquard is mostly regarded for its decorative qualities it is also a surprisingly solid and substantial fabric, which can be enhanced by combining jacquard with wool or other tough materials (Kovačević et al., 2021). Due to its sophistication and comparatively expensive cost, jacquard is less usually employed in casual items. Instead, it is more typically used in formal attire such as formal attire and men’s clothing (Kovačević et al., 2021). Additionally, this fabric is preferred for various household goods, including draperies, duvet coverings, and furniture restoration.
Optitex
Optitex O/15 simplifies several areas of two-dimensional pattern design and provides ground-breaking breakthroughs and enhancements to three-dimensional simulation. Individuals and textile companies can create more realistic-looking computer-aided designs more easily and quickly than ever before (Chaudhary et al., 2020). Fashion and apparel enterprises may make more selections while remaining in an online realm, which stimulates creativity and saves time and money. The integrated approach from Optitex enables one to see every alteration in 2D or 3D instantly mirrored in the other as they develop their product, allowing for more efficient functionality (Chaudhary et al., 2020). Once a business creates a 3D depiction of its concept, it can reuse it throughout numerous business activities, ranging from product innovation and commerce to marketing and sales.
ScotWeave CAD
This CAD Exchanger enables seamless information output in traditional data representations, considerably increasing the interoperability of ScotWeave programs. While the ScotWeave broad portfolio enabled textile artists to make representations of complex fabrics, the simulations could only be stored in file types, limiting their applicability in diverse applications such as structural analysis (Sinha, 2020). ScotCad required a solution for exporting 3-D models of textiles in conventional CAD formats to meet client requirements. The software module enables the development of 3-D reconstructions of yarn data sets using native mathematical details supplied by the ScotWeave interface (Sinha, 2020). The latter contains a cross-section resume, circles, ellipses, regular polygons, and a collection of Bezier curves that define each yarn path (Sinha, 2020). As a result, the generated 3-D structures are expressed using B-Spline surfaces.
Modaris CAD Expert
Modaris CAD Expert is Lectra’s most sophisticated patternmaking software. It enables textile and clothing architects to expedite garment development by providing patternmakers with easily categorizing, preserving, recovering, and exploiting critical digital information associated with the apparel creation process (Jankoska, 2020). By optimizing low-value operations, designers may devote considerable time inventing new and exciting patterns rather than adjusting and quality-controlling existing trends (Jankoska, 2020). The modeling industry can attain better levels of effectiveness with Modaris CAD than it already has with other Computer-aided design systems.
Textronics CAD
Textronics CAD innovation is a computer-aided design (CAD) system primarily geared toward the textile industry. This CAD program is brimming with features that assist textile manufacturers in refining their layouts and producing higher-quality fabrics (Gandhi, 2019). Designers may now visualize their prototypes by mapping them to images of prototypes. Textronics CAD Systems are utilized regularly by large textile sector heavyweights. This textile CAD program keeps track of all production workflows and includes facilities for monitoring assembly line operations (Gandhi, 2019). Moreover, the technology is the industry’s most advanced program for designing and developing textiles.
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a vector-based modeling application where all drawings are based on the X, Y reference frame, 2-D or 3-D. Blaga (2022) insinuates that it has a high degree of precision, and the capacity to function at the commercial level, revise design concepts, and make quick modifications. AutoCAD enables designers to envision and view their imaginative designs in their complete version without creating sample swatches (Blaga, 2022). Occasionally, clients will make suggestions for design based on their specific requirements. These are painted artworks, fabric patterns, and sometimes film negatives. The cloth developers turn them into functional designs using AutoCAD (Blaga, 2022). To do this, the specimen is photographed using scanners or camcorders and then altered to produce the final artwork.
Starfish Program
Starfish is a fabric simulation program used to generate knitted textiles with the desired shapes and characteristics. Before beginning the design process, it is necessary to choose the type of completed project that will be created (Atalie, 2020). The end-user of any final product can be a person or entity that places a high premium on the item’s effectiveness. Users provide their needs with a datasheet that includes information about the product’s mass, breadth, shrinkage, and design. STARFISH enables the practicality of intended materials to be determined (Atalie, 2020). As a result, this helps cut sample costs and provides a quick, uncomplicated response, which increases consumer satisfaction.
Potential Application and Recommendation
The textile sector has boomed in recent years, both domestically and internationally, and the apparel designing sector is riding the tide of success. Due to the high level of competitiveness and consumption in the garment industries, conventional production methods are no longer viable. Therefore, firms and businesses must be knowledgeable about utilizing innovation in the future. By strengthening the connectivity between the actual and the virtual worlds through technologies, the designer’s inventiveness is boosted, their efficiency enhanced, and operational costs and time are minimized. Currently, CAD is used in virtually every aspect of textile production, including fabric studies, yarn architecture research, weaving, knitting, coloring, and printing. This section provides the various CAD applications outlined above in the technical textile subsectors.
Application of CAD in Knitting Product Design
There are two aspects to the employment of computer animation in knitting sector CAD systems: knitting architecture and knitting pattern form generation. The second characteristic relates to a knitting device’s ability to produce items using the fully-fashion (FF) methodology (Chang and Hu, 2022). It indicates that the equipment knits product pieces or entire goods. This procedure eliminates the need to cut the materials, minimizes the number of operations, and minimizes wastage to a minimum level. The FF knitting approach is dependent on the hand knitting technique (Chang and Hu, 2022). CAD frameworks must include displayed editors since the representations depicting knitting components and pattern forms are entirely dissimilar.
The first will construct a knitting architecture, while the second will create an FF knitting process commodity paradigm. The structure of a knit item, such as a cardigan, jacket, or sweater, is built on a few conventional designs, as per traditional building. The term construction describes the merchandise’s overall strategy, including the quantity and shape of its components (Luján-Ornelas et al., 2020). Each model can be formulated in various sizes depending on knit product criteria. They determine the cut sizes of knitted items. To create original and authentic models, designers employ a variety of knitting processes, including aran, jacquard, cables, gusset, lace, intarsia, and others (Luján-Ornelas et al., 2020). The applied strategies are incorporated into the model, and this indicates that the construction of knitting constructions is an integral aspect of the knitting design system.
Application of CAD in Knitting Shapes and Patterns
CAD can be used to create structures for knitting shapes, and this section discusses some of the CAD software used for knitting. 3D materials with 3D design have a greater density than single yarn thickness textiles. These procedures apply to knitted fabrics manufactured on Stoll’s E7, CMS 530 E 6.2, and CMS 330 TC machines (Spencer, 2001). Numerous CAD applications are used in knitting shapes and patterns, as discussed herein. ProCAD is an ideal tool for pattern creation because it is user-friendly and highly useful in today’s highly competitive fashion houses. ProCAD developer and ProCAD knit helper are only a few of the components used in knitting. These units are compatible with all knitting machines, including Jacquard electronics, LIBA, and Karl Mayer (Xing, 2020). ProCAD can also import printed graphic drafts or CAD information that can be transformed into layouts. ProCAD uniquely contributes to 3D modeling and is the appropriate instrument for textile manufacturers’ development units (Xing, 2020). Rachel templates can be produced and modified using the high-end ProCAD computer programmer.
Additionally, Shima Sheiki® has developed Shima One to design flat-knitting, intarsia, and jacquard techniques. It can be used to simulate mohair, slub, and lustrous yarns, considering the needle take-up and frequency of the coating. Shima One additionally increases the operational effectiveness by utilizing a database of over one thousand patterns linked to knitting CAD applications for Shima Seiki knitting equipment (Baxtiyorovna, 2022). The textiles stretch to conform to the seat’s curves and support therapeutic compression garments. With the introduction of high-performance strands and extra detectors or computers, a unique blend of comfort- and function-oriented fibers is created (Baxtiyorovna, 2022). Such advantages as customized aesthetics, well-being administration, and massage properties have helped heal. Pre- and post-operative shapewear offers support, while some surgical treatments can be postponed or prevented. To boost a user’s efficiency, sportswear requires high-performance clothes. Seamless clothing focuses on promoting muscles and locations where support is needed. Blending technology fibers and yarns yield a garment with an engineering fit, micro-messaging characteristics, and technological improvements (Baxtiyorovna, 2022). These models are designed for workouts and undergarments. A variety of goods, including hand gloves, caps, and socks, are apparent possibilities.
CAD in Fashion Knitwear
CAD is utilized in whole knitting to produce knitwear of a superior standard due to the elimination of the sewing step. If there is a flaw in an entire item, there is more wasting than a knitted item. To prevent cut and sewn manufacturing problems, pattern parts could be positioned for trimming on a horizontal piece of cloth. Knitting full clothing with little or no trimming or sewing is called whole-garment knitting (Blaga, 2022). By minimizing cutting wastage, efficiency can be enhanced. In knitting, performance can be measured in patterning rows per finished garment, which can be accomplished using round knitting equipment or a flat (V-bed) knitting tool (Wang et al., 2020). Unlike the Santoni® machine, Shima can produce multiple knitted tubes simultaneously, and the cylinders are linked to the device (Blaga, 2022). Whole outfits created on circular knitting machines may require minimal trimming.
In addition, circular knitting equipment still demands minimal seam connecting on a single body tube, two shoulder channels, and completed edges for complete outfits. Santoni introduced the SM4 TL2 technology, which creates knitted lines without cutting (Blaga, 2022). Santoni, whose clients include Adidas, Nike, and Sara Lee offers fourteen versions of CAD circular knitting machines ranging in pitch from 7 to 32 (Blaga, 2022). The CAD machines manufacture swimwear, athletic apparel, outerwear, and undergarments.
Conclusion
Knitting technology produces fabrics with interwoven loop meshes, and these spirals move relative to one another, culminating in dimension changes and stretching. The elasticity and softness of knitted patterns can be advantageous or disadvantageous in electrical utilization. From the invention of needlework to the birth of e-commerce, fashion has always been at the cutting edge of technological advancement. Apparel, like science, is a forward-thinking and innovative industry that accounts for a sizable portion of the global economy. Fabric technology is advancing at a faster pace than ever recorded previously. The apparel and textile industries are growing at a dizzying rate, from machines that knit and cut materials to artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that predict style trends to garments that can be worn in enhanced environments. These advancements highlight how the invention simplifies, personalizes, and speeds up the modeling industry.
Additionally, external circumstances such as environmental standards and sustainability rules have influenced the fabric that textile and garment firms employ in their everyday operations. Knitting manufacturers highly depend on design technology such as computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), which enhance the creator’s originality. These elements enable companies to customize shapes and patterns using a unified interface. Additionally, textiles are one of the most polluting industries on the planet, but this is improving due to new advancements and consumer demand for more eco-friendly approaches. Leading fashion businesses have developed collaborative ways to aid in the reduction of pollution levels in their industry. Companies including Gap, Burberry, Nike, H&M, and Stella McCartney have teamed up to start the Make Fashion Circular movement aiming to transform the garment industry’s management structure into a cyclical one (Ki et al., 2020). The corporations are engaging with police councils, design producers, and entrepreneurs to establish corporate initiatives that optimize the serviceability of clothing, employ more environmentally friendly processes, and recycle old items.
The use of computer animation in knitting sector CAD systems has two aspects: knitting architecture and knitting pattern form development. The second attribute refers to the capability of a knitting machine to manufacture objects utilizing the fully-fashion (FF) method. Shima Sheiki® has also created Shima One for the design of flat-knitting, intarsia, and jacquard techniques. Considering the needle take-up and coating frequency, it can be utilized to replicate mohair, slub, and glossy yarns. Shima One further improves operating efficiency by linking a database of over one thousand patterns to the knit CAD application for Shima Seiki knitting machines. CAD is applied in the whole knitting to produce knitwear of more outstanding quality by eliminating the sewing stage.
If there is a defect in an undamaged item, there is more waste than if the thing is entirely knitted. To avoid issues in cut-and-sew production, pattern pieces may be positioned for trimming on a horizontal piece of fabric. Knitting an entire garment with minimal or no trimming or stitching is known as whole-garment knitting. By reducing and decreasing waste, productivity can be increased. In knitting, performance is assessed by the number of patterning rows per finished garment, which can be created on a round knitting machine or a flat (V-bed) knitting machine. Furthermore, round knitting machines still necessitate reduced seam joining on a single body tube, two shoulder streams, and finished margins for full clothing and without cutting, Santoni’s SM4 TL2 technique delivers knitted threads. Santoni, whose clientele include Adidas, Nike, and Sara Lee, offers fourteen variations of CAD cyclical knitting equipment with gauges varying from seven to thirty-two needles per inch. The CAD devices make swimwear, sporting gear, apparel, and underwear.
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