Cutting machine (fabric)
An industrial fabric cutting machine sits at the start of the process chain in textile and garment production, so a breakdown slows the whole factory. IoT monitoring of the cutter detects faults early, such as blunt or broken blades.
Cutting machine (fabric) at a glance
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Industrial fabric cutting machine: monitoring the cutter
In the solution example, machine data is captured from the cutting machines, for instance cutters from Bullmer or Gerber. Temperature and vibration are measured and analysed for signs of problems so that faults are detected early. Alongside this machine data, process data feeds into the solution: the time taken for individual work steps and, via cameras, the sequence of hand movements. All the data forms a digital twin of the textile factory. A dashboard presents the results, and each employee sees their own data on a tablet and chooses suitable training themselves.
The example comes from the garment industry and covers temperature and vibration monitoring within condition monitoring as well as recording cycle times and utilisation. Joachim Hensch Consulting, a lean and digitalisation consultancy for textile manufacturing, digitised a textile factory in a pilot project. Cutting is the most automated step there: several layers of fabric are stacked and cut with as little waste as possible. In podcast episode #31, Joachim Hensch of HUGO BOSS explains that the company began creating digital twins of processes, machines and employees in 2015. Cutting has the highest degree of automation because it is the most standardised process.
Podcast episodes featuring Cutting machine (fabric)
Industrial fabric cutting machines: frequently asked questions
Why is it worth monitoring an industrial automatic fabric cutter?
Because the cutter sits at the start of the process chain and a breakdown holds up every following step. In Joachim Hensch Consulting's solution example, a failure can therefore have significant economic consequences. With machine monitoring, the cutter is watched continuously and faults or failures are detected. Maintenance can step in before sewing and assembly run out of cut parts.
How can blunt or broken blades on a fabric cutting machine be detected?
Blunt or broken blades show up as changes in the machine's temperature and vibration readings. In the solution example, both measurements are recorded on the cutting machines and continuously analysed for signs of problems. The Industry 4.0 solution thus detects faults early, rather than a blade problem only becoming apparent through faulty cuts or a breakdown.
How automated is garment cutting compared with other steps?
Cutting is the most automated step in garment production. According to the solution example, it has been done by machine for years, with several layers of fabric processed together to minimise waste. Sewing and pressing, by contrast, are hard to automate. In podcast episode #31, Joachim Hensch explains this by cutting being the most standardised process.
Which cutting room data feeds into a digital twin of a textile factory?
From the cutting room come machine data such as the temperature and vibration of the cutters. In Joachim Hensch Consulting's solution example, these are combined with process data such as the time for work steps and hand movements captured by camera. Together they form a digital twin of the factory. A dashboard shows the results, and employees see their own data on a tablet.
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