Bonding Technology on Garments Industry

Laser Cutting Machine

2011-08-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

8. Laser Cutting Machine:

Science and technology has blessed us with a lot of improved and developed stuffs and systems. Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation called LASER cutting is the one of them with advanced cutting technique as compared to other traditional knife cutting processes which has start off from the industrial revolutions. Laser cutting is an advanced cutting technology which is initially used in the metal fabrication industry to cut materials like aluminum, carbon steel, copper alloys and stainless steel as it has ability to increase cutting capacity, cutting speed, increase productivity, reduce production cost and improve cutting quality.

Laser Cutting Machine

Nowadays, laser cutting machine has an important role of bonded garments technology to cut fabric pieces on various size and shapes that are difficult to cut by traditional knife cutting machine. Laser cutting is working with a device which generates a highly concentrated coherent and monochromatic beam of light and is control by a movable concave or convex lens. The focus length of lens must be adjustable according to working demand. Laser cutting machine requires several stuffs to operate properly in its different settings. It needs a computer system to work with vector graphical software called CAD (Computer Aided Design) or others drawing software. This software will inform the laser device or source of beam what to perform. Appropriate instruction is also desirable for people who operating such system.

There are lots of advantages for laser cutting machines over the traditional mechanical or knife cutting machines such as:

1. Wide range of applicable materials;

2. Smooth cutting profile without fringe;

3. Automatic close up;

4. No distortion;

5. Graphics could be designed and output via computer freely;

6. High precision and high degree of automation;

7. Fast processing speed,

8. Efficient for material saving;

9. A drawback of laser cutting in a laser cutting machine is the high energy which is essential required.

As a result, laser cutting machine has been increasingly recognized as an essential cutting technology in textile fabrics & flexible materials processing industries.
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Ultrasonic Cutting Machine

2011-08-01T04:58:00.000-07:00

7. Ultrasonic Cutting Machine:

The ultrasonic cutting machines are generally used for cutting and sealing edge of textiles and fabrics. The ultrasonic machines are suitable for cutting fabrics with content of synthetic fiber and multi-layer (2 & 3) coated fabrics ensuring fraying free edge with high-precision. The Ultrasonic cutters are specially designed to give the best possible edge seal on fabrics without adjust for different fabrics or thicknesses. As a result, it leads to higher productivity and less down time changing cutting tools for different fabrics.

Ultrasonic Cutting Machine

It is a unique edge sealing technology with high precision cutting methods. However, the ultrasonic machines should have some more merits for ease and flexibility when cutting:
1. User friendly than other cutting methods
2. Ensuring not create toxic fumes
3. It should provide clean fused edges
4. Quick tool change facility
5. Ensuring low noise
6. Adjustable cutter rest, adjustable cutter in free directions and
7. Should have ability to cut various shapes and sizes with a minimum angle of 20 degrees on ultrasonic cutter.

Slitting Machine

2011-07-26T05:16:00.000-07:00

6. Slitting Machine (Narrow Tapping):

In bonded garments industry, most of the rolls of a material need to be slit in order to make them functional for making bonded garments or its other things. The slitting machine should be designed to slit an extensive variety of materials and is preferably suited to papers, fabrics, laminates and films including Polypropylene, PVC & TPA that are widely used in bonded garments industry.

Slit Cutting Machine with Material Roll

It is to be wise for choosing the slitting machines which has two rewind shafts that to be driven through a variable speed motor and are controlled from a slipping clutch to give good control of tension. Also the machine is to be made of a high specification with a powerful self standing unit and should have a series of standard slit cutting blade which are easily adjustable and easy to quick-change.

Slit Cutting Machine with Slitted Material Disc

High Frequency Machine

2011-07-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

5. High Frequency Machine:

The high frequency machine is generally used for welding, embossing clothes, shoes, trademark, air tool, carpet, package bag, heat water bag, stationary, garment logo, inflatable toy and cutting of thick PVC sheet, PVC coated leather cloth, PVC sheet and leather cloth, synthetic leather, etc. In bonded garments industry, this type of machine is used for embossing and sometimes making seam by welding.
In High Frequency machine, it develops enough heat by using the high frequency electromagnetic waves which is finally apply to welding two pieces of fabrics or plastics or embossing on fabric using metal molds in different size & shape. When a press head of high frequency machine or desired molds or die go down to apply pressure on the surface of two pieces of material or molds, the high frequency wave is passed through the mold / die and table. As a result, the high frequency field forces the molecule to vibrate and generate heat from vibration and this process should be nonstop and capable to perform localized heating. High frequency machine is usually made with two-press head and operated with foot pedal.

High Frequency Machine

As this machine is using high frequency electromagnetic waves to produces heat, so the machine must be constructed with self-protective devices. Also should have below characteristics for better productivity in bonded garments industries.

1. It should have a high sensitive anti-sparkle device which can avoid damaging mould.
2. It should design with pneumatic pressure device with the high precision pressure regulator for saving time and strength as different needs.

3. It should have both pedal operated and automatic welding mode to choose.
4. It should have high precision temperature controlling device which can assure the coherence of welding, tolerance of the less temperature.

5. It should have high precision self-protection system which can be stops the high frequency when the machine is overload.

6. It should have pre-set function.
7. It should have adjustable timer for tuning welding time or embossing time.

8. It should have a high Q value vibration tube to support stable output and reliable performance

9. It should have a convenient positioning system for welding or embossing object which is hard to positioning.
10. It should have two heads for facilitate alternate working.

Die Cutting Macine

2011-07-21T00:42:00.000-07:00

4. Die Cutting Machine:

In the bonded garments industry, die cut machines generally used to cut tougher multi layer materials like adhesive sheet, fabric and leather in different shape & size. Here, die cut machine must be strong enough to cut multilayer materials. Various type of die cut machines are using in industrial purpose as swing-arm clicker presses, traveling head cutting presses, manual & automatic full beam die cutting machines and sophisticated automatic CNC die cutting

Die Cut Machine

systems.

Side view of Die Cut Machine

Of them, the swing-arm clicker presses are widely used for cutting multi-layer materials for unconventional application of bonded garments feature. The most interesting feature of swing-arm clicker presses is operated with the hydraulic system. It must be allows the machines to generate a cutting power up to 25 tons using an electric motor which electric power absorption is very limited. Evaluating a swing arm cutting press, the main features to consider are:

1) Structural features like cutting power, size of cutting pad and cutting arm,

2) Control systems like power setting, fine adjustment of the stroke end & the devices which make the cutting arm easier to move.

Ultrasonic Line Bonding

2011-07-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

3. Ultrasonic Line Bonding:

Ultrasonic Line Bonding Machine

Bonded or sew free garment (as underwear, sportswear, medical and outerwear) now is popular on the world market like , and people are using many technique to bond with adhesive & fabric and giving lots of unique shape & design. Ultrasonic bonding is such an industrial technique where high-frequency ultrasonic acoustic vibrations are locally applied to work pieces being held together under pressure to create a solid-state weld without adhesive. In ultrasonic line bonding machine, there are no connective bolts, nails, soldering materials, or adhesives necessary to bind or cut and seal the fabric edge with smooth curve & design.

It is mentionable that this machine can give good result on bonding synthetics and non-woven features where the process is to cut and seal the fabric edge. It is also give expected result on bonding fabric as non-woven, chemical fibrous cloth, nylon cloth, knitting cloth, non spin cloth, gush glue cotton, PE paper, PE + cloth, and so on. For designed oriented bonded garments, the ultrasonic machine should have capability to work with stretch fabrics, coated and laminated, knits and fleece materials providing smooth uninterrupted seams. The seam is strengthened by applying a tape either to the outside or the underside of the seam.

Ultrasonic bonding machine must have some merits over conventional stitch methods as:

a) Provides a fully watertight seam by eliminating needle and thread
b) Seams are less bulky
c) Uses small seam allowances creating flatter seams
d) Improves comfort levels on next to skin garments

Heat Proceess Machine

2011-07-17T00:57:00.000-07:00

2. Heat Process Machine:

The Heat Process machine is also operated with heat and pressure to pre-heat treatment of fabric to avoid excessive shrinkage rate. A good quality heat process machine must be constructed with below features:

Two Sets of Pneumatic Pressure Rollers
Multi-zone heat control
Set Point Hi-Lo Temperature Alarms
Rapid Response, High Reserve Heaters
Top & Bottom Belt Cleaning Systems
Easy Change Belt System
Front loading conveyor
Automatic Cool Down Mode
Alerting capability for low pressure or belt off track.
Exit Cooling Conveyor
Anti Pleating Rollers
Variable Speed Control
Pneumatic Pressure System Controlled
Automatic Present Cool Down Time
Low Voltage/High Current Protection
Endless Teflon Belt System
Digital Heat Controls
Parts Stacker
Folding Lateral Loading Shelves
Unwind & Rewind Systems
Multiple Safety Systems

According to fabric criteria, the tune up of heat process machine must be accurate to make qualified bonded garments and their features. For bonded garments, heat process machines should have roll-to-roll pre-heat treating capability and long heat chamber. It should have advanced heating system and the combination of top, bottom, left and right conductive heat application with precise speed and pressure control which assures a soft flexible heat treatment assembly, maintaining fabric structure and avoiding excess shrinkage or fading.

Machineries for Bonded Garments

2011-07-11T20:13:00.000-07:00

Machine is the key equipment of any production process. As bonding technology is a collection of unusual manufacturing processes which require good production engineering & techniques along with well equipped (automated) machine. Below listed machines are required for bonding process. They are:

1. Heat Press

2. Heat Process

3. Ultrasonic Line Bonding

4. Die Cutting Machine

5. High Frequency

6. Slitting Machine (Narrow Tapping)

7. Ultrasonic Cutting

8. Laser Cutting

9. Ultrasonic Slitting

10. CAM Cutting

11. Seam Sealer

1. Heat Press Machine:

The Heat Press machine operated with heat and pressure to impression designs on garments and garments other components such as cuffs, pocket, flap etc. The tune up of heat press machine is the key point that must meet requirements to make qualified bonded garments and their features. To impression perfect designs and seam for bonded garments, heat press machines need to be high quality, dependable, flexible for multiple purposes, and be able to bear up wear and tear.

If large scale feature with high volume orders are typical, to accommodate these large orders the type of heat press machine should be automated pneumatic high pressure press machine constructed with top and bottom interchangeable plates & heads to give complete flexibility, comes complete with standard flat bed, and should have simple control panel to ensures ease of use and accuracy for the operator. Similarly, for small quantities machine should be chosen accordingly.

Production

2011-06-13T03:08:00.000-07:00

3 Production: This is the final stage to make bonded garments and is a different engineering designed and manufacturing techniques where all design and techniques are engaged to make over physical inputs (e.g. raw materials) and indistinguishable inputs (e.g. ideas) into a qualified finish products. Beside the following standard work or operation procedure, some unavoidable steps to be perform as:

a) Have to review the 1^st sample in all aspect with wash performance report.

b) Have to check machine condition in every hour & record it to log resister.

c) Have to make in-process mock-up for test during bulk production following ‘lab test manual & frequency’ to ensure quality product.

d) Have to check wash performance report in every week during bulk production.

Pre-production

2011-06-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

2. Pre-production: generally, all activities that must be perform earlier to bulk production. In case of bonded garments, pre-production activities are slightly unusual than general sewing garments. These are:

a) Must be analyze production plan at least 90 days before bulk production start. It is to evaluate any difficulties that can be break the production allocation & accommodation.

b) Must be check plant capacity (both man & machine) 90 days earlier to bulk production so that capacity can be build-up before bulk production.

c) Bonding materials (adhesive), machine, auxiliary machine tools, spare parts must be procure 90 days before bulk production.

d) Fabric & accessories that allocated for bulk production must be test once again accord with each bonded feature to ensure feasibility for bonding as it tested and allowed to bonding earlier pre-development stage. This test must be complete at least 20 days before bulk production.

e) Test recap and have to make all essential document (like feature wise standard work procedure, feature wise engineering data for machine tools & machine tune-up, feature wise production process flow with recommendation of difficulties if any, type & color wise material swatch etc) 7 days before bulk production.

f) Finally, arrange a meeting (widely called 'pre-production meeting') along with all documentations and all concern department.

Development Procedure

2011-06-08T23:10:00.000-07:00

There are many authentic systems to make a bonded garment. Here I discussing basic 3 steps that should be follow as:

1. Development,

2. Pre-production, and

3. Production.

1. Development: It is a initial & vital procedure to make a bonded garment (full bonded or some feature like cuffs tab, placket, patch pocket with zipper), this step make you sure what feature you can make or not.

Bonding (No Sewing) Development Requirement:

There are two phase of development procedure:

i) Pe-development: this phase let you know the 'primary' feasibility of bonded feature/garment on given fabric (both woven & knit type). To know the feasibility of bonding on your expected fabric, you have to follow below activity.

a) Actual sample fabric (where bonding feature exists) two yards each (light and dark color) required one month ahead of proto request for test purpose.

b) Actual accessories like zipper are required for test purpose ( if possible color wise, based on bonding features).

c) At least two week required for test completion (if first glue trial works well then 8 days if fail then 15 days required for test purpose).

d) If any other accessories or fabric exists bonded feature than required those item accordingly for test purpose.

e) Test recap and then feature selection with different option proposal if there any difficulties on asking feature.

f) Feature rough costing & initial material consumption.

g) Buyer technical sheet or guide line analysis for feature development as well as feature technical process flow,

h) Tool box preparation,

i) Feature final review and information record.

ii) Development: the activities of this phase can be start only after getting 'primary' confirmation of bonding feasibility on given fabric.All the activities in this phase must be control with 'Quality Assurance'.

a) Test sample making (Pattern Test Sample).

b) Actual proto sample making following pattern test sample.

c) Proto costing / material consumption preparation right after qualified actual proto sample compilation.

d) Proto test record with picture of full garments and each feature.

e) Proto technical difficulties notice to concern people or department like pattern, sales, merchandiser.

f) Proto develop sample wash performance check right after sample finished.

Steps to be follow

2011-06-05T00:42:00.000-07:00

After achieved basic requirement successfully, then the team is move to further works i.e make a bonded garment where 3 segments need to be follow as :

1. Development,

2. Pre-production, and

3. Production.

All those terms are shortly described separately in this blog.

Basic Requirement for bonded garments

2011-05-28T20:34:00.000-07:00

Basic Requirement for bonded garments:
To make a successful bonded garments, the whole making procedure need to supervise by a well organized team.

1. Buyer technical sheet or buyer guide line for bonded feature development.
2. Two yards actual fabric (each color) and actual accessories (zipper) if possible color wise required for basic feasibility test which will takes two weeks to complete (If first adhesive/glue trial works found well then 7 days if 1^st trial fails then 15 days required for test purpose).

Advanced Bonding Technology

2011-05-28T03:37:00.000-07:00

What is advanced bonding technology on garment industry?

Advanced Bonding Technology is a collection of unconventional manufacturing processes that require every product to have engineered processes carefully planned and controlled. Changes in materials, climate, machine, process or feature may require re-engineering, so control of all aspects is essential.

Bonded Garment-4.
Feature: Bonded chest patch pocket, Bonded zipper with DW top cover, Bonded cuffs & tab, Bonded bottom hem, Bonded pocket bag, Bonded collar, Bonded fancy DW patch, Bonded hood visor

Bonded Garment-1
Feature : Bonded zipper with DW top cover, Bonded CF zipper, Bonded Cuffs & cuff tab, Bonded bottom hem, Bonded pocket bag, Bonded collar.

Why advanced bonding technology on garment industry?

To provide:

1. Greater comfort for the user.
2. Fresh new tools and new looks for the designer.
3. Improved protection.
4. Lighter weight.
5. More weather-resistant.
6. Precision fit and finish.