Realise now! MICROFACTORY 4 Fashion at the MUNICH FABRIC START

Trends are changing at an increasingly faster pace – and the apparel industry needs new technical solutions and the right business models that can keep pace with the tempo of the consumers. Several well-known companies have joined forces to form a MICROFACTORY at the MUNICH FABRIC START from September 5-7, 2017. This will offer the apparel industry an interlocked solution, from design to the final garment.

Digitization is the magic word that is currently occupying companies in almost every industry and in the apparel industry, for example, the digitization of work steps is already in full swing. Now is the time to take advantage of the benefits of digitization, not only in the individual phases of product development, but also throughout the entire process chain, right down to the finished product. Microfactories are a model for the future.

Realise now! This is the motto of the MICROFACTORY4 Fashion shown at the MUNICH FABRIC START. The Microfactory is specifically tailored to the needs of the apparel industry and is oriented on Industry 4.0. The aim is to produce clothing cost- effectively and efficiently – even in batch size 1. This will benefit Germany as a producing country and create new, exciting jobs in a traditional industry.

Visitors to the MUNICH FABRIC START will be given the opportunity to accompany the development of a garment step by step, and become convinced on site by the continuity of the end-to- end processes. You can design your own running shirt made of materials from Schoeller design materials and ultimately hold the finished, sewn product in your hands at the end of the process chain.

The MICROFACTORY is coordinated by the German Institute for Textile and Fiber Research (DITF). Eleven technology partners and material sponsors will make it possible for visitors to experience the entire process chain in Munich, from the initial draft to the finished product. “The entire textile and apparel industry is talking about digitization and Industry 4.0 – but much of it is still theory. At the MUNICH FABRIC START, we’ll bring the practical experience to life and demonstrate just how efficient the implementation of trends and the fast response to market requirements can already be, even from batch size 1,” says Christian Kaiser of the DITF Denkendorf.

Munich Fabric Start – in four steps from design to product

CAD/DESIGN

The process starts with the creation of the appealing designs by Mitwill Textile. This is followed by the development of the design in CAD. The correct coloring is ensured thanks to the multispectral systems by the caddon company and by the digital color books the caddon systems produce. The design is then prepared for cutting and assembly with the aid of a 3D simulation. Identifying QR codes and position markers are integrated into the production order for later position detection. These steps are implemented by Assyst GmbH, a subsidiary of the Human Solutions Group together with Printcubator by Mitwill.

Printing

The TexPrint program by the company ErgoSoft enables the color- consistent preparation of the design data for digital printing. Printing of the individual designs on transfer paper from the Coldenhove company then takes place on the Mimaki digital sublimation printer. Thermal transfer on to ‘Heatjet’ calenders ensures a brilliant print image. The Multi-Plot company, a system partner, offers turnkey solutions for the entire process step. The can:view systems by the caddon company ensure simultaneous visual and metrological color control at all the sites involved – in real time.

Cutting

The order is detected with the help of cameras and the identifying tags. Exact position detection is possible thanks to the integrated position markers and the material is cut fully automatically in accordance with the selected order parameters. This work step is carried out using state-of- the-art digital cutting systems by Zünd Systemtechnik AG.

Piece welding

In the last live process step, ultrasonic welding machines from PFAFF are used to weld the individual pieces into a finished product.