Robotics in Clothes Manufacture

Abstract

Process automation and intelligent manufacturing are important factors for competing successfully in today’s international economy. The survey considers the use of these tools within the clothing industry where low cost labour has especially driven the marketplace, in recent decades, toward productive break-up, with relevant drawbacks on preserving the process control uniformity. Several hints are described for the use of modern manufacturing tools in the production flow of clothing and in the management of the related operations. Emphasis is placed on maintaining a high quality product in a customised production environment. The presentation begins by exploring the automated retrieval of fabric from a warehouse; it continues with a study of the laying and cutting process exploring mixed mode schedules, combining batch and one-of-a-kind delivery; and concludes by considering the assembly and sewing aspects of the manufacturing process. For clothing manufacturers in developed countries, the automation concepts presented here offer an alternative (and perhaps the only alternative) to out-sourcing and overseas production.