Summary
- The cutting plan is like a puzzle, where the goal is to fit the patterns as efficiently as possible.
- A well-designed cutting plan improves fabric utilization and boosts production profitability.
- Optimize your production. Try Audaces360 multi-solution for free.
Making clothing production profitable is a challenging task. To achieve better results, maximizing material usage is crucial for better results, and the cutting plan is a decisive step in this.
Excellent cutting plans balance fabric utilization and quality. Today’s technologies can automate this process. The best cutting rooms are equipped with this setup.
In this post, we’ll explain what a cutting plan is and how to quickly apply it to your business.
Enjoy your reading!
Sumário
What is a fabric cutting plan?
A cutting plan is like a puzzle. Imagine the fabric as the canvas, the base. The patterns, on the other hand, are the pieces you need to fit.
Making this fit efficiently is the key differentiator. The better the assembly of this puzzle, the higher the fabric yield will be. Waste is reduced, bringing more efficiency and sustainability to your production.
A good fashion manager knows better than anyone: the difference is in the details. Piece by piece, a well-executed cutting plan transforms your production.
Why include a cutting plan in your manufacturing process?
One aspect that distinguishes excellent productions is their strategic outlook.
Analyzing the big picture, projecting scenarios, and making more informed decisions. Implementing a cutting plan drives your business in that direction.
No matter the size of your production, a good plan is key for:
Maximizing fabric usage
The fitting of pieces can save precious centimeters of fabric. Centimeters that turn into meters, meters that result in profit.
Precise cutting
Technologies like Audaces ICF (Intelligent Cutting Flow), integrated into cutting rooms, create cutting plans with extreme precision.
Whether the patterns are symmetrical, asymmetrical, straight, or curved, the fitting is done without compromising final quality.
Production predictability
The cutting plan allows you to know in advance the fabric yield per layup. It also helps estimate waste due to defects.
Fewer unpleasant surprises, more informed decisions, and deadlines met.
Consistent deliveries
Once the cutting plan is created, it only needs to be replicated. This ensures standardized cuts and, consequently, uniformity in garment fit.
The production flow also becomes smoother, with faster assembly and deliveries. And to put all this into practice, technology is a key ally.
Let’s discover how to create 100% digital cutting plans!
How to create a fabric cutting plan online?
Industry 4.0 has transformed textile production with automated cutting machines and management software.
When physical patterns give way to digital ones and fitting is done automatically, the puzzle becomes easier to solve.
Before activating the machine, an excellent cutting plan must follow 5 detailed steps. Find out what they are:
1) Understand fabric specifications
Each fabric has unique characteristics that influence its cutting. Knit fabrics tend to stretch and distort more easily, for example. Denim stretches less but usually has a heavier weight.
Different materials require configurations tailored to their flexibility, drape, and grain direction. Including this in the cutting plan ensures precision and avoids distortion in the pieces.
Another point: due to manufacturing variations, the usable width of the fabric doesn’t always match its nominal width. If possible, measure it again before setting up your plan.
Learn more: The best types of fabric for your clothing company
2) Choose the layup method
Fabric preparation for cutting can be manual, semi-automatic, or automatic.
In the manual method, it is done without the aid of machines. The fabric is spread on the cutting table manually, usually by a layup worker and an assistant.
In the semi-automatic method, there is mechanical assistance from a layup machine, which transports the fabric roll from one side of the cutting table to the other. An operator is needed in this case.
In the automatic layup, the cutting room operates on its own. The machine works from a nesting file that serves as a guide. Only one person is required to supervise the process.
3) Set the number of layers
To determine this number, consider the resistance of the cutting blade and the compressibility of the fabric.
Sturdy materials can handle more layers. Others, more delicate, cannot. This care prevents distortions during cutting.
In smaller productions, with little room for waste, caution must be even greater. The uniform compression of fabrics is also important.
Learn more: Discover what automatic fabric spreading is and how to make it properly
4) Define the pattern placement
Pattern placement is crucial for optimizing fabric usage. The goal here is to organize the pieces with minimal leftover space.
Nesting software makes a huge difference. It analyzes the shape of the patterns and determines the best arrangement automatically.
5) Check nesting prioritization
With the patterns arranged, the prioritization involves ensuring the fabric is used to its fullest.
Check, for example, if smaller patterns are well placed between larger ones.
It’s also time to review everything before cutting. Simulations of nesting and cutting, with small configuration changes, can be helpful to predict outcomes.
Benefits of using an online cutting plan in your manufacturing
With the help of technology, your production gains a lot. The initial investment can be considerable but brings substantial returns, especially in large-scale productions or those aiming to reach that level.
An online cutting plan is not just a technical tool but a strategic differentiator for your manufacturing. By centralizing information, you can better manage resources and make more accurate decisions.
Here are other important advantages:
Less fabric waste
Nesting software maximizes fabric yield.
Manually, small spaces often go unused. The precision of technology quickly finds the best possible combination.
By wasting less, your production becomes more economical and sustainable.
Learn more: Learn more about fabric yield and avoid waste in your production
Increased productivity
A digital cutting plan, along with cutting room automation, speeds up various processes. Manual pattern organization, nesting, and layup all take time.
In an automated process, your production delivers more with fewer complications. This allows your team to focus on other areas like innovation and quality control.
Better labor investments
The less automated your process, the more reliant you are on specialized labor. By using technology, your production becomes more independent. Many stages start functioning with just machines.
Another benefit is the reduction of errors, thanks to the precision of the digital cutting plan. You can reallocate investments in staff, such as streamlining your team or investing in professionals from other areas.
Reduced rework
Poor planning—or lack thereof—is one of the main causes of rework.
With an online cutting plan, the preparation and cutting of pieces are organized from the start. This way, problems can be anticipated and avoided.
With less rework, your production speeds up delivery times and improves return on investment. The team also benefits, with a clearer understanding of processes and less daily stress.
Execute your cutting plan with the best Audaces technology
Audaces is a leader in fashion industry technology, offering machines and software that transform the numbers in manufacturing.
To create high-quality 100% digital cutting plans, using reliable solutions is essential.
Let’s talk more about Audaces ICF, which helps organize the plan, and Audaces Neocut Bravo, the cutting machine of Industry 4.0.
Audaces ICF
An intelligent technology that connects people and cutting room equipment with high security.
Managers receive all piece requests directly on their mobile or computer and can already start the cutting plan online.
Moreover, Audaces ICF monitors and alerts about differences between planned and actual results, with automatic correction suggestions.
Audaces Neocut Bravo
Audaces Neocut Bravo is where the entire cutting plan is put into practice. A complete machine with technology that offers real-time production data.
Integrated with the Neocut Mobile app, it allows for maintenance, diagnostics, and troubleshooting directly on your phone. The cutting machine is essential for executing the processes defined by the cutting plan in the best possible way.
We hope this content has helped you visualize your online cutting plan. It will certainly make a big difference in your business production.
We’ve also created a free e-book, where we explain in more detail the differences in the cutting room of Industry 4.0. Download it now!
FAQ
A cutting plan is like a puzzle. Imagine the fabric as the canvas, the base. The patterns, in turn, are the pieces you need to fit.
It allows for a more strategic approach to production, with scenario analysis and better material utilization.
There are five steps: check the fabric specifications, choose the layup method, define the number of layers, determine the pattern placement, and finally, verify the nesting prioritization.
