Cutting Technologies in 

Apparel Industry    

Swarnim Singh
 Cutting
Cutting is a pre-production process used to separate fabric
parts as replicas that are of precise size and shape as the
pattern of pattern pieces in a marker plan.
 Requirement of cutting

• Precision of cut- To ensure the cutting of fabric aquirtly according to the

linedrown of the marker plan.
• Clean edge- By avoiding the fraing out of yarn from the fabric edge. Cuttingedge
must be smooth clean. Knife must be sharp for smooth or clean edge.
• Consistency in cutting- All the sizing safe of the cutting parts should be sameof
knife should be operated of the right angle of the fabric lay
 Processes involved in cutting room

• Planning and , if appropriate , drawing and reproduction of the marker

• Spreading of fabric to form a lay
• Cutting of fabric
• Preparation of cut work for the sewing room
According to the working process, the
cutting machine may be classified in three
categories. Such as- 

1.Manual cutting machine

2.Semi- Automatic cutting machine
3.Fully Automatic / Computerized cutting machine
 MANUAL CUTTING Machine

• These are used for cutting one or two piles and are often used in the sample
room.
• The lower blade of the shears passes under the plies, but the subsequent
distortion of the fabric is only temporary and accurate cutting to the line can be
achieved with practice.

• Advantage-Almost every type of cloth are cut by scissor. Scissors are mainly
used for cutting single ply fabric.
• Disadvantage - It takes huge time for fabric cutting .It is impossible to cut the
fabric lay of any height
 Semi-Automatic
Straight knife
• Knife is driven by electric power.
• Blade edge: straight edge, wave edge, saw edge,
serrated edge, mostly straight edge is used.
• Can cut heavy fabric such as canvas & denim.
• ADVANTAGE -Comparatively cheap & transferred
easily from one place to another .Higher lay of fabric can
be cut easily. Round corner can be cut more precisely
then even round knife,Production speed is very good &
fabric can be cut from any angle.
• DISADVANTAGE- Some time deflection may occur due
to the weight of motor.Knife deflection is high in risk,
when lay height is too high.Sometime accident may
happen.
 Band Knife
• Band knife comprises a series of three or more
pulleys, powered by electric motor
• Cutting knife is shapeless in shape & flexible.
• Blade is usually narrower than on a straight knife.
• Machine is stationary but fabric is moveable.
• ADVANTAGES-Used when higher standard of
cutting accuracy is required,very sharp corners &
small parts such as collars and cuffs,used more in
men’s wear.

• DISADVANTAGES-Work load is high as machine is

stationary and fabric is moveable.Not suitable for
cutting large amount of garments part.
 Round knife
• Elements- Base plate, electric motor,handle for
directing the blade and rotating circular blade.
• Blade diameter varies from 6-20cm.
• Blade is circular.
• Blade is driven by electric power.
• Circular knife is driven by 1000-3500cm.
• ADVANTAGES-Suitable for single as well as multiple
layers around 20 to 30 and easy to operate.
• DISADVANTAGES-Difficult to cut small components
and not suitable for cutting very curvy lines in higher
no. of layers
 Die Cutting Machine
• Two types – Presses and clickers
• Main parts of machine are blade, arm head, die motor & operating system of
arm.
• Die is made by metallic strip.
• Most useful to cut sharp and small components.
                                   
 Working  principle
• Die is prepared with metal strip according to the shape of pattern.
• Die press generally has a cutting die just penetrates the cutting pad in order
that the fiber of the lowest ply are completely separated.
• The spreader is cut into sections to allow transport to the cutting pads.
• The gap between two dies 2-3mm are placed when die is taken to cut fabric
lay.
ADVANTAGES-Used to cut sharp corners
of small parts of dress accurately.
• Most useful to cut any shape or any
angle.
• Comparatively less time required.
• Best method of cutting knitted fabric.

DISADVANTAGES-Fabric loss is high due

to the need of the fabric lay.
-High labour cost.
-To change the style quickly is impossible.
-Difficult to cut large component
 Notcher cutting machine
• Special type of cutting machine,used in special case.
• Used to cut notch in the edge of some components.
• The invention of notcher machine was done to make notch.
• Notch can be made in U or V shaped.
ADVANTAGES-Special type of cutting machine and used in
special case.
• Useful to cut small notch.
• Useful to make consistency in notching.
    DISADVANTAGES -Only used to make notch.
-Thermoplastic fiber can not cut by this machine.
-Use of the machine is limited.
-Time loss
 Drill Cutting
• Needed to mark on the components specially for pocket and
dart setting.
• For tightly woven fabric, making of hole by drill is permanent
for long.
• In hypodermic drill some color is sprayed along the hole so
that it can ease to find the marked place.

   ADVANTAGES -Need to mark on the components.

-Make the hole permanently for long time.

 DISADVANTAGES-Only used for making the hole in the fabric.

-For loose woven fabric it cannot make the hole permanently for
long time.
Automatic Cutting Machine
 Computer Controlled Knife
• This method provide the most accurate possible cutting at high
speed.
• Marker is not necessary to put over the fabric lays during cutting.
• Cutting knife is oval shaped & very hard.
• Sharpness is also high & blade is made of stainless steel.
• Cutting knife itself moves according to the
• direction of computer memory.
• This m/c is CAM system m/c & works through CAD system.
                                                               ADVANTAGES
 -Very fast cutting operation.
• Very active cutting by computer controlled system.
• Suitable for very large production and less labour cost
• Speed can be controlled and Intensity of accident is low.
• No need of marker and Fabric can be cut 6-8 times than manual methods.

DISADVANTAGES
• Very expensive.
• Higher maintenance cost.
• Skilled manpower is required.
• If correct disc not loaded error will be indicated.
 Laser Cutting Machine
• Fabric is cut by a ray of light in a very fine spot using a laser.
• Radius of spot of light is 0.25 mm & high powerful.
• When the ray falls on a material, it generates heat
on the material and cutting is done by vaporization.
• Fabric is cut at speed of 13m per minute.
• Cutting head is controlled by computer.

Advantages-Very fast cutting operation.

• Can be cut in a proper line as the cutting head is controlled
by computer.

Disadvantages -Not suitable for higher depth of lay of fabric

• Cutting edge of fabric is wetted by water.
• Sometimes water spot should be seen in the fabric.
• Need of filtering & deionization of water.
• Need of controlling the sound of jet.
 Plasma Cutting Machine
• This system, fabric are cut by a thin through a nozzle which is made by Argon gas.
• One or more fabric piles can be cut.
• Most useful for cutting single ply of fabric.
• Fabrics are cut by placing in a table , the surface (85%) of which must be placed in a
perforated blanked place.

Advantages -Automatic torch height control system.

• Automatic oxy-fuel gas control system.
• Automatic torch explosion system.
• Pneumatic band clamping.

Disadvantages- Synthetic fiber not cut.

• Higher number of fabric is not cut.
• Need higher skill operator
• Costly
 Water Jet cutting Machine
• This system, thin jet of water is passes through a nozzle in a very
momentum.
• Pressure of water is 60,000 pounds per square inch.
• Water is worked as like as hard &sharp knife which can easily cut the
fabric.
• A catcher in the bottom of fabric jays & it used with the same speed &
same direction of water jet.

Advantages-High cutting speed.

• There is no need of knife to cut fabric so that no need of sharpening
operations
• Better to cut hard materials.

Disadvantages- Not suitable for higher depth of lay of fabric

• Cutting edge of fabric is wetted by water.
• Need of filtering & deionization of water.
The following table summarises the problems of powered
knives and how to rectify them:-
Innovation in Cutting Technologies
in Apparel Industry
 Bullmer

• Topcut-Bullmer is the supplier of innovative cutting technology

and is one of the leading international companies in this sector.
• The technology by topcut-bullmer stands for trend setting
manufacturing solutions which deliver the highest level of
efficiency and productivity.
• Topcut-bullmer serves the entire process chain not only with the
machinery, but also with the design.
http://www.apparelviews.com/latest-apparel-manufacturing-technologies/
 Powerful Cutting: PROCUT 1800 Efficiency

• Efficiency in mass production: The PROCUT is the automatic cutter for

producing large quantities.
• Available in cutting heights of 50mm or 80mm(compressed)
depending on type of material. Features include:
1. Easy programming and change of cutter parameters
2. Besides cutting, drilling and marking
3. Great operational flexibility
4. Programming of simple pieces directly on the cutter
5. High precision cutting for more productive sewing
6. Operator friendlyhttp://www.apparelviews.com/latest-apparel-manufacturing-technologies/
handling & menu navigation
7. Entry into proffesional cutting
8. Convincing cost performance ratio
9. Cost-efficient production
10. Increased productivity
11.Little space requirements
12. Easy to operate
13. Intuitive operating system
14.Unlimited flexibility for part-shapes

http://www.apparelviews.com/latest-apparel-manufacturing-technologies/
 Automation Possibilities in Cutting
Production

• The best type of automated cutting production is that which has the lowest costs
for each of the following items:
1. Capital equipment cost
2. Cutting production inventory-in process
3. Yardage per product
4. Cutting production labor
5. Rent and utility

Apparel Manufacturing
Handbook- Solinger
• In order to have minimum lag time and inventory-in process,
these cutting production operations would have to follow each
other for each individual garment.
• Therefore, a cutting machine designed on the roller principles
of a roller printing press or roller mangling machine could yield
these conditions.
• The top roller would need a disc or arrangement of blades on
its perimeter which would be equal to the marker design for a
garment marker block.
• The surface of the complementary roller would be such that
blade surfaced roller would cut a ply of fabric as the ply was
pulled between the rotating rollers
Apparel Manufacturing
Handbook- Solinger
• This takes care of spreading and chopping.
• The exit side of the rollers would have to have a stacking recess or
dynamic stacker on either a swivel or rotating principle.
• Such an action can remove the different cut sections appropriately as
they were ejected by the rollers.
• The machine would have the following basic divisions:
1. Frame
2. The loading rod for the bolt
3. The die roller
4. The bed roller
5. The motor and drive system
6. The stacker
7. Feedback automation system
Apparel Manufacturing
Handbook- Solinger
• The automation feedback system should automatically correct
any of the following factors if one of them starts going out of
control:
1. Fabric linear tension (slack and tenseness)
2. Fabric width alignment
3. Cutting quality re frays, complete incision, tears, etc
4. Precision sorting and stacking
5. Control over automatic bolt loading
• Electric eye devices could be undoubtedly be used to control
most of these quality factors.
• Mechanical tensometer devices may have to be used for
controling linear tension.
Apparel Manufacturing
Handbook- Solinger
 References Used :-
• Introduction to clothing manufacture – Gerry Cooklin
• Guide to apparel manufacturing – Peyton B.Hudson
• Apparel manufacturing handbook- Jacob Solinger
• Tehnology of clothing manufacture (4th Edition) – Carr and Lathem
• Introduction to clothing production management – A.J.Chuter
• http://www.apparelviews.com/latest-apparel-manufacturing-technologies/

Images from - Tehnology of clothing manufacture (4th Edition) – Carr and Lathem