Processes and Machines for Clothing Manufacture

The German Industrial Standards (DIN) provide the details on the manufacture of ready-made clothing (DIN 61400, DIN ISO 4916, DIN 5300). 

In the middle of the 18th century C. F. Wiesenthal built a sewing apparatus/ machine. Saint invented a kind of warp stitch machine in 1790. The first sewing machines were produced in the 19th century (Schierbaum, 1993). Even at present, making up is dominated by manually operated sewing machines. Sewing machines were only partly accepted (Section 10.4). Labor costs are hence of crucial importance. 

The major part of the clothing industry has already been relocated to countries with low wages (Eastern Europe, Asia). For that reason, companies that intend to continue their production in countries with high wages need to develop new strategies to cope with this situation. Hartmann et al (1996) propose the following  

Clothing manufacture can be divided into separation, joining, and forming. 

The task of this production step is the production of contoured pieces for which a separation process is required. The separation itself and the necessary pre- and postfinishing processes are known as cutting.  

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Chapter 10 Processes and Machines for Clothing Manufacture Volker Niebel... 

In some ways, mass production has become so sophisticated that it is no longer true mass production. Many products come with a variety of options, and the customer can choose whatever combination of options he or she desires. When buying a computer from some manufacturers, for example, a customer can specify the size and make of the hard drive, how much memory they want and other details. Many theorists see a time in the near future when clothes are customized too. People would have their measurements taken, and when they order clothes, the clothes would be cut to their precise size by lasers at the clothes factory. The product would be created by specialized labor with the aid of machines, each shirt or pair of pants would be made using the same process, but by virtually any definition, this no longer would be mass production. 

Nonwovens The textile and paper industries are based on the two oldest (wet and dry) processes. Manufacturers of nonwovens for plastics draw on both. With the wet, there are basically two types namely the Fourdrinier and cylinder machine types that have been modified. In addition, two basic types exist for the process formation of the web and application of the bonding agent or system where mechanical carding of fibers is used. The particular equipment and method of operation to be used, with their many modifications, is influenced by desired requirements such as mechanical properties, softness, surface condition, tenacity, etc. There are certain t) es of so-called nonwoven fabric that are directly formed from short or chopped fiber as well as continuous filaments. They are produced by loosely compressing together fibers, yarns, rovings, etc. with or without a scrim cloth carrier assembled by mechanical, chemical, thermal, or solvent methods. Products of this type include melted and spun-bonded fabrics. 

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