TECHNOLOGY APPAREL PRODUCTIONSPREADING (METHOD, MACHINE TYPE, SPREADING LOSSES & STANDARD) Submitted by, Anuradha Patil MFTech Gandhinagar 2012 - 2014 SPREADING The process of rolling out layer after layer of cloth, smoothly without wrinkles, in such a manner that the selvedge on one side of the cloth is straight, and parallel to that edge of the cutting table. It is the process of superimposing lengths of fabric on a spreading table, cutting table, or specially designed surface in preparation for cutting process. Number of layers of fabric dictated by the number of garments desired and the fabric thickness OBJECTIVES OF SPREADING PROCESS Understanding the process of fabric spreading Factors affecting spreading Face and nap of the fabric REQUIREMENTS OF SPREADING PROCESS Shade sorting Correct ply direction and adequate lay stability Alignment of plies Correct ply tension Elimination of fabric faults Elimination of static electricity SPREADING MODES . The availability of the proper spreading equipment may restrict the choices of spreading (and marker types) available for a particular facility All spreading machines can Not spread all modes of spreading. .CHOOSING SPREADING MODES The choice of spreading mode often dictates certain methods of fabric handling and the choice of machinery used for spreading. .SPREADING MODE The highest quality of spreading is achieved by the Face/ One/ Way. Each layer of fabric is spread with the face up (usually) permitting the spreader to see all of the face of the cloth to identify any flaws in the fabric. Nap/ One/ Way mode of spreading. METHODS OF SPREADING Spreading by hand Spreading using a travelling machine (100 to 150 yards per minute) . Fabrics with regular repeating patterns.SPREADING BY HAND Time consuming method Require operator on each side of table But necessary for spreading some typical fabrics. Fabrics with crosswise stripes. . like Checked fabrics design. Fabrics with a repeating design at intervals of a garment length. FABRICS PREFERRED FOR HAND SPREDING •Knitted fabric •Crepe fabric •Stretchable fabric (spandex blend) •Checks •Stripes •Regularly repeating pattern etc. . SPREADING EQUIPMENTS Spreading table Spreading machines Fabric control devices Fabric cutting devices . Splicing marks .Air floatation system as a conveyor 3. smooth.Pin/spike table for stripe matching 4.SPREADING TABLE 1.Spreading table surface must be level. even 2. Operator aligns the plies manually Ply cut with hand shears. Ideal for small-scale production .MANUAL SPREADING One operator at each side of table. Fabric package supported on frame. circular knife etc. MANUAL SPREADING FRAMES Fixed type A very basic fixed size manual spreading machine Eastman Pacemaker Light weight machine with fast pace . Turn Table Spreading Machine .MANUAL SPREADING FRAMES Expandable Basic •Spreading machine that is width size adjustable. •Has manual edge control. AUTOMATIC SPREADING TYPE It can be categorized into two categories •Stationary spreaders : portable and fixed Stationary spreaders remain in one position on the table during the spreading process •Travelling spreaders : semi automatic and automatic Travelling spreaders traverse the length of the spread during the spreading process . SPREADING USING A TRAVELLING MACHINE Spreading machines carry the piece of fabric from end to end of the spread. . dispensing one ply at a time. Components of spreading machine Frame or carriage Wheels travelling in guide rails at the edge of the table Guide collars to aid the correct unrolling of the fabric. . BASIC AUTOMATIC SPREADING MACHINE A motor drives the carriage A platform on which the operator rides A ply cutting device with automatic catcher holding ends of ply in place A ply counter Automatic sensing of flaws . AUTOMATED SPREADING MACHINES WITH SPECIAL FEATURES •Single ply fabric feeder •Tubular systems •Turntable spreader •Spreader synchronic may . AUTOMATIC SPREADING MACHINES . . FABRIC CONTROL DEVICES These are those mechanisms that control fabric as it is carried up and down the table and unrolled by the spreading machine These include-Tensioning control mechanisms -Positioning devices 1. End catcher 2. Turn table . Width indicator -End treatment devices 1. Edge sensor 2. FABRIC CUTTING DEVICES •Knife box contains a cutting unit •Usually a small rotary knife •It cuts across the fabric width when engaged . FABRIC CUTTING DEVICES MAY . SPREADING TABLE WIDTH It can support 50-1000kg . The task of rearranging the blocked out patterns is tedious and expensive. since the patterns are cut out with a blocking tolerance. Traditional methods tend to waste a lot of material.PROBLEMS Matching of checks and stripes in the garment production has always been difficult and time consuming. The workers involved in this process have to be skilled. . PIN TABLE FOR CHECKS. Each Needle-Bar has pins positioned inside the slots of the table top. I. The Needle-Bars can be moved freely along the length of the table.e. they can be positioned exactly according to the matching conditions of the marker. . STRIPS AND PATTERNS SOLUTIONS The patented VEITH SYSTEM PIN TABLE consists of a slotted aluminum top and NeedleBars underneath. i. fast and avoids tension in the lay package. Each pin can be individually locked down. and not outside in the waste region The PIN TABLE is an abstract copy of the .e. where it is needed. Each pin has a rounded top. only the needed quantity of pins have to be used. which avoids damages to the fabric.e. So the spreading and pinning is convenient. with our special pins we can pin the fabric inside the piece area and produce the quality. i. The height of the pins can be adjusted with the turn of a hand-wheel. ADVANTAGES Improve your quality. Prepare your lay for CNC-Cutting . Spread and match in one step. Do the fine cutting after spreading without relaying. Reduce your relaying operations. Have lower fabric consumption. FABRIC LOSSES: Spreading loss is the fabric loss outside the marker. remnant losses. edge losses. The various fabric losses outside the marker can be broadly classified into different groups. splicing losses. ticket length losses . namely ends of ply losses. ends of piece losses. As the fabric is the major raw material in a garment. Proper investigation of the fabric losses during the cutting process can help the management to minimize material wastage. It is necessary for the management to have good understanding of the spreading performance and the distribution of various types of fabric losses in the cutting process for proper material management. which can increase the profit of the organisation substantially. the saving of very less amount of fabric per garment can save quite a large sum of rupees per annum. . Higher is the fabric length the lesser is the loss. . In case of some stable fabrics it may be less and for some unstable fabrics it may be more.ENDS OF PLY LOSSES These losses may be up to 2 cm at each end or 4 cm per ply. The ends of ply loss is 1-2% of the total fabric usage. If the fabric edge-toedge width is 150 cm. and also on the precision of edge control during spreading. Thus wider width fabrics have other benefits besides improved marker efficiency. the consistency of fabric width.EDGE LOSSES The usable fabric width depends upon the quality of the selvedge. the loss is 2%. . Let the fabric edge-to-edge width is 100 cm. and the marker width is 3 cm less than the fabric width. The edge loss is 3%. The splicing losses may vary up to 5% of the total fabric usage. Splicing is necessary as one roll of fabric is finished and a new roll is taken into use.SPLICING LOSSES Splicing is the process of overlapping the cut ends (the end of one length of fabric and the beginning of another) of two separate pieces of fabrics so that spreading can be continuous. These faults are removed by cutting the lay at the fault point and incorporating splicing position into marker plans . .REMNANT LOSSES: Remnant lengths are produced whenever companies separate different shades of fabric pieces and lay up only complete plies. and are returned to the stores. Remnants may also be generated when short lengths of material are left over after the completion of a lay. All remnants are put to one side and cut separately. shading problems can occur. If the fabric is spread incorrectly. then the pieces could be cut improperly. it could cause pieces to be cut too small. It is important to have well trained employees spreading the fabric so that these problems do not occur.SPREADING QUALITY CONTROL Poor spreading can cause many problems in the manufacturing process. If the fabric is stretched too tightly. and if the spread fabric leans. . the spread should contain plies .SPREADING STANDARDS Alignments of the plies Every ply must comprise at least the length and width of the marker. It must be eliminated by different methods. Because nature of fabric is such that fabric width varies piece to piece Elimination of the Fabric Flaws Fabric flaws may be identifies by the supplier or by the spreader. In addition it should have minimum possible extra outside those measurements. Correct Ply direction For fabrics designated both one way only and one way either way. increase the humidity of the atmosphere in the cutting room . The spreader will experience in laying a ply neatly on top of the others due to either attraction or repulsion of those plies according to how they are charged. Method to reduce static electricity: .Elimination of Static Electricity In spreading plies of fabric containing man made fibres. friction may increase the static electricity in the fabric. A layer of glazed paper. Also gives stability to the lay if it is to be moved on a table. is normally placed at the bottom of the spread. It contains a lubricant which lubricates the knife blade as it passes through the spread. Avoidance of Fusion during cutting Anti-fusion paper may be used in the same way as interleaving. . This helps to avoid disturbing the lowest plies on the material in the spread when the base plate of a straight knife passes underneath. 2. Avoidance of distortion in the spread 1. laid glazed upside down. 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