TEXTILE DESIGN AND THE CAD REVOLUTION

<div align="center"> <center><table border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td> <img border="0" src="../../graphics/Newfrontpage/scissorsNEWsmall.jpg" width="180" height="162"> </td> <td> <img border="0" src="../../graphics/Newfrontpage/newname2.jpg" width="686" height="50"> The Costumer's Manifesto is written by Tara Maginnis, and proudly hosted by William Baker. THE MANIFESTO IS MUTATING!  IT IS TURNING INTO A WIKI THAT CAN BECOME THE HIVE MIND OF ALL COSTUMERS, FINALLY LIVING UP TO IT'S SLOGAN: "COSTUMERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!" YOU CAN HELP IN THIS PROCESS BY MOVING PAGES TO THE NEW SITE AT <a href="http://thecostumersmanifesto.com">THECOSTUMERSMANIFESTO.COM</a>, HELPING TO EDIT THE PAGES THAT ARE THERE ALREADY, AND ADDING YOUR OWN ORIGINAL INPUT.  </td> </tr> </center> </table> </div>  </center> TEXTILE DESIGN AND THE CAD REVOLUTION <o:p> </o:p> <hr> by Amanda Oates Courtesy of <a href="http://www.textilefabric.com/">Textile Fabric Consultants, Inc.</a> <hr>      Is textile design part of the Computer Aided Design (CAD) revolution?  Absolutely!  The move to computerization is a major trend in the apparel/textile industry today.  Computers are changing the way designers all over the world are working.  For textile designers, CAD has become more or less indispensable.  Years ago the process of fabric design was extremely tedious.  A fabric first had to be visualized, and then the arduous process of rendering would take place.  The hand produced sample swatch would be time-consuming and therefore expensive.  If any changes were necessary, even minute changes, a whole new swatch would have to be rendered.      Today, with the introduction of CAD and its many software capabilities, the possibilities are endless.  The entire process of designing a fabric is revolutionized.  Where previously designers used to labor over graph paper and stencils, now they simply have to play with a mouse or stylus pen to come out with innovative designs.  And the result is not only an increase in speed, but greater accuracy than the manual process.  It is no wonder that even small-scale textile design and manufacturing companies are using CAD systems.      Using repeat generating programs such as StyleManager by Animated Images or U4ia by Lectra, an image may be scanned in and the designer may randomly select a small area to be repeated.  With a few clicks of the mouse a fabric swatch is available for approval or dismissal.  Instantaneous color changes can also be made. This technique offers the designer a trial and error method that was previously too time consuming to afford, one of the biggest benefits of CAD.       Knitwear swatch fabrication is revolutionized by software such as Lectras PrimaVision Knit Expert, which allows a designer to assign a knit weave using an effect option or painting over a swatch using a knit texture.  Computerized swatch fabrication for knitting techniques such as dobby, intarsia, and jacquard become almost effortless in dramatic contrast to the time consuming old method using pencil and graph paper.       Another benefit of CAD is that the swatches that are produced are extremely realistic and technically exact.  Specifying Pantone numbers can precisely duplicate colors.  This can aid manufacturers in maintaining color accuracy throughout the various stages of production.      Once a swatch has been produced, programs such as ColorVision by Age Technologies can produce colorways utilizing a nearly endless spectrum of color.  This program offers the designer time saving features such as the ability to change color schemes without loosing a fabrics texture, shading or details.        Software such as Pointarre Design by Monarch Designs Systems makes the creation of storyboards and presentation ready samples possible by offering a wide range of graphic tools as well as a library of flats, croquies, patterns, and textures.      Textile designers can save swatches on floppy disks, zip disks, CD-ROM. or the hard drive.  The actual artwork would otherwise fill an entire room.  These saved swatches are easily organized which can make for fast and easy retrieval.  The swatches can then be easily edited.      The amazing opportunities CAD provides do not end with swatch fabrication.  The production of point plans, manufacturing data, specification sheets, cost sheets and catalogs has also been revolutionized.       Samples and prototypes can be produced in a variety of software formats.  A human form may be scanned in or drawn and fabric can then be draped onto that form providing a 3-D effect.  This technique provides a visual representation of a fully produced garment without a single stitch of fabric being produced, cut, or sewn.   For this reason CAD has dramatically increased the efficiency of textile manufacturing and production as well.      There are countless CAD companies with very specific target markets.  Some of these companies offer services such as a pre-purchase evaluation of current and future needs, flexible contract terms, and various training and/or support agreements.  Many of these companies boast the ability to work with businesses whether they are small and independently owned, or large conglomerates.      While the benefits of CAD seem endless, there are some downfalls as well.  Before a business can purchase a system, time must be invested researching the large variety of software options currently on the market.  Often, new hardware must be purchased to support the software.  Once a company matches its needs with specific software, it has to plan ahead for training and support.  Training, in some cases, accompanies the software purchase.  In other cases training must be sought and can be time consuming and expensive.  Training is also available in large cities by way of traveling seminars, acquired through college courses or offered by the individual software company.         The C.A.D. revolution with all its positives and negatives has begun and the textile industry is definitely a part of it.   Computer Aided Design will allow the production of more accurate samples, prototypes and swatches.  It will allow our manufacturers and production teams to create products more efficiently.  It will increase time efficiency, thereby increasing customer satisfaction.  The C.A.D. revolution is upon us and we welcome it with open arms.   <o:p> </o:p> References: <a href="http://www.agetechnologies.com">h</a><a href="http://www.agetechnologies.com">ttp://www.agetechnologies.com</a> <o:p> </o:p>                       <a href="http://www.datatex-tim.com">h</a><a href="http://www.datatex-tim.com">ttp://www.datatex-tim.com</a> <o:p> </o:p>                       <a href="http://www.lectra.com/">http://www.lectra.com</a>  <o:p> </o:p>                       <a href="http://www.monarchcad.com">http://www.monarchcad.com</a> <o:p> </o:p>  <o:p> </o:p> <hr> Copyright Amanda Oates            Courtesy of<a href="http://www.textilefabric.com/"> Textile Fabric Consultants</a><o:p>    <div> The Costumer's Manifesto is proudly hosted by William Baker. </div> <a href="http://www.costumes.org">Home</a>   <a href="../1pages/questions.htm">Questions</a>   <a href="../../store/100pages/giftstore.htm">Buy Books and More</a>    <a href="../../classes/254pages/teacherbio.htm">About Me</a> This Page is part of <a HREF="http://www.costumes.org">The Costumer's Manifesto</a> by <a href="mailto:tara@costumes.org">Tara Maginnis</a>, Ph.D.  Copyright 1996-2010.   You may print out any of these pages for non-profit educational use such as school papers, teacher handouts, or wall displays.  You may link to any page in my site.  </body> </html>