Fabric Cutting:

Cutting means to cut out the garments pieces from lays of the
fabric with the help of cutting template or marker. To make a complete garment,
cutting is necessary.

It is often carried out in two stages; cutting (separating the individual pieces) and
final cutting (cutting according to the individual shapes). Different types of cutting
tools have different degrees of precision.

Requirements of Fabric Cutting:

The following points must be fulfilled in fabric cutting:

Precision of fabric cutting: Fabric cutting should be done accurately as per

exact dimension of the pattern pieces in the marker. Accurate cutting depends on
methods of cutting and marker planning. If manual cutting method is used, then
cutting accuracy depends on sharpness of knife, skill of operator, and attentiveness
of operator. Computer controlled cutting and die cutting have their self cutting
accuracy.
Consistent cutting: Whatever be the cutting method used for fabric lay cutting,
it should be ensured that the shape of the cut components from top to bottom lay
are of exact size and shape, otherwise the garments produced will be defective.

Infused edge: During fabric cutting, the friction between the fabric and the blade
produces temperature in the blade; the temperature may be up to 3000C. If the
fabric contains synthetic fibers e.g. nylon, polyester, acrylic or their blends, then
fused edge may result in the fabric. Because most of those fibers melt at around
2500C. Therefore, sticking of cut edge of fabric will increase the fabric wastage.

Moreover, the fused edge after cooling will form hard bid, which will be a problem
of irritation during use of garments.
To avoid the problem of fused edge formation, the following steps may betaken:
- Reduce the height of the lay
- Reduce the cutting speed
- Use anti-fusion paper in the lay at regular interval
- Lubricate the knife during cutting

Supporting of the lay: Surface of the cutting table depends on methods of

fabric cutting. The table surface should be capable to support the lay as well as to
ensure that all the plies are cut at a time during fabric cutting.

FLOW SEQUENCE OF CUTTING

v
Fabric inspection
v
Fabric send to store
v
Fabric received from store
v
Marker making
v
Fabric spreading
v
Setting marker on the fabric lay
v
Fabric cutting
v
Numbering
v
Prepared the bundling card
v
Bundling
v
Quality inspection & front part- back part are fold together
v
Store

Fabric inspection

GSM Check
Dia Check
Fault Check
Point Calculation
Four point system calculation
Prepared fabric inspection report
Prepared weight sheet
Send to store (With Weight Sheet)

Fabric received from store

Marker making
Marker paper not used

Fabric spreading
Before fabric laying a thin paper as like as marker that is marker size and thin
paper size is same, then thin paper attach with spreading table by gum tape then
spread the fabric according to marker size.

Setting marker on the fabric lay

Spread down the marker paper over the fabric lay with gum tape.

Fabric cutting
Fabric lay is cut ting by straight knife cutting machine then separated cutting part.

Numbering
In this stage sticker is attached with all part of cutting part for shade matching. The
sticker number maintains cutting number, size number, serial number.

Prepared the bundling card

Prepared bundling card according to fabric lay report this card maintain

Program No
Cutting No
Size No
Pies
Roll No

Bundling
In this stage all number parts are bundled according to serial number.

Quality inspection &front part-back part are fold together

Here all part are checked according to following fault
Oil spot
Dirty spot
crease mark
needle mark
foreign yarn
slub
contamination
hole
Then same number of sticker are matched fold & bundled.

After Cutting store

All bundles are put in the input rack then send to sewing section

References:
http://www.textileschool.com

Methods of fabric cutting

There are mainly three types of fabric cutting:
I.

II.

Completely by manual: Hand operated scissor.

Manually operated powered knife:

Straight knife

III.

Band blade
Round blade
Die cutter
Drill

Computerized technique:
Knife cutting
Cutting by water jet
Laser cutting
Plasma torch cutting

Completely by manual
Hand Scissors:
Scissor is a cutting implement consisting of two blades joined by a swivel pin that
allows the cutting edges to be opened and closed. Hand scissor is hand operated.
Hand Scissors are used for cutting various thin materials, such as paper, cardboard,
metal foil, thin plastic, cloth, rope, and wire. Scissors can also be used to cut hair
and food. Scissors and shears are functionally equivalent, but larger implements
tend to be called shears.

Fig: Hand Scissor

Features of Hand Scissors:

1. It is the first & oldest machine for fabric cutting.
2. Very Easy to operate.
3. Manual grinding is required.

4. This is used for cutting one or two plies of fabric.

5. Good for fancy cutting.
6. Most of the fabrics can be cut by scissor.
7. Most cheep machine.
8. Easy to handle and transfer.
9. Can be cut the fabric accurately by proper Care.
10.Most suitable for Tailoring & Household purpose.

Advantage of Hand Scissors:

1. Over head cost less.
2. Good for individual production.
3. Easy to operate & Risk is low.
4. Dont require skilled worker to operate.
5. Suitable for making sample garments.

Disadvantage Hand Scissors:

1. Large production is not possible.
2. Time consuming method.
3. Need to grind rapidly.
4. Not suitable for economical process.
5. Fabric wastage is very high.

Uses of Hand Scissors

It is uses for sharp cutting, fancy production etc.

Manually operated powered knife:

Straight knife:
Most cutting room which cut garments in bulk, but not in sufficient bulk to justify
the purchase of computer controlled cutters, makes use of straight knives.
Requirements of cutting:
1. Precision in cut.
2. Clean edge.
3. Infused edge.
4. Consistency in cutting.
5. Support.
Features:
1. Cutting knife is straight in shape.
Blade length 10-13 (10-33),
Blade width 1.5 cm,
Blade thickness - .5 mm,
2. Knife is driven by electric power.
3. Grinding wheel is present to sharp the knife during cutting.
4. The machines consist of base plate, electric motor, handle, knife, knife guard,
stand, roller wheel.
5. Base plate usually on roller wheel.
6. Handle for the cutter to direct the blade.
7. Blade edge: Straight edge, Weave edge, saw edge, scattered edge, but straight
edge is mostly used.
8. Most commonly used in garments industry in Bangladesh (99% used).
M/C description: The elements of a straight knife consists of
a) A base plate Usually in rollers for easy movement.
b) An electric motor.
c) Handle for the cutter to direct the blade.
d) Knife (Reciprocating motion).
e) Knife guard.
f)
Grinding wheel used to sharp the knife during cutting.
g) Stand.
h) Roller wheel to move the machine over cutting table easily.

Uses:
1. Suitable for mass trimming cotton, woolen, linen leather and chemical fibre
goods etc.
2. Neat cutting, small curvature radius curvilinear cutting.
3. Low noise, stable running, easy to operate and high efficiency.
4. Incorporated with an auto knife grinding device, easier to operate.

Working principle:
Two kind of power are required to operate a straight knife.

Motor power drives the reciprocating blade.

Operator power drives the knife through the lay.

The motor power needed is determined by

Height of the lay.

The construction of the fabric.

The curvature of the line being cut.

The stroke of the blade.

The greater the power of the motor the heavier will be the machine. The taller
stand, the thicker its cross-section and the greater its width, adding resistance to the
forward movement on a curve. The greater the blade movement the faster the blade
cuts the fabric and the more rapidly and easily the operator can push the machine.
Operator effort is affected by the weight of the motor, the shape of the stand,

handle height, stroke, sharpness of blade and the effect of the base plate rollers on
the table surface.

Advantages:

Comparatively cheap.
Can be easily transferred from one place to another place.
Round corners can be cut more precisely than even round knife.
Production speed is very good as up to 10 heights can be cut at a time.
Garment components can directly be separated from fabric lays.
Fabric can be cut from any angle.
Most commonly used in garments industries of Bangladesh (99%).

Disadvantages:
Sometimes deflecting may occur due to the weight of the motor.
Knife deflection is high in risk, when any height is too high.
Sometimes accident may happen.

Precaution to avoid blade deflection:

Reducing lay height.
The weight of the motor should be light.
The operator should be skilled and conscious.

References:
http://textileapex.blogspot.com

Computerized technique:
Waterjet Cutting Machine:
A water jet cutter is an industrial tool capable of cutting a wide variety of materials
using a very high-pressure jet of water or a mixture of water. The cutter is
commonly connected to a high-pressure water pump where the water is then
ejected from the nozzle, cutting through the material by spraying it with the jet of
high-speed water. The features of water jet cutting machine is given below:

Waterjet cutter

Features of Water-jet Cutting Machine:

1. In water jet cutter, water or mixture of water is used to cut fabric which is
controlled by computer.
2. Special software is used to cut fabric.
3. A very high velocity (60,000 lb/ square inch) & small diameter steam of
water is created by a water jet intensifier pump.
4. The high pressure jet acts as a solid tool & sharp knife which can easily cut
the fabrics, lathers & plastic materials.
5. As the jet penetrates successive plies in a spread, the momentum decreases
& cutting ability is reduced.
6. The jet of water & loose fibers normally caught & drains away by a catcher
when cut the fabric. It is in the bottom of the fabric lays & moves with the
same speed & the same direction of water jet.
7. To improve the cutting speed, it is needed to adjust the pressure & radius of
the jet.

Water Jet Cutting Machine

Advantage of Water-jet Cutting Machine:

1. Most effective to cut hard materials such as leather & plastic.
2. Sound of cutting is less.
3. Excess heat is not produce.
4. Higher cutting speed.
5. The table is not cut as catcher is used.
6. Since there is no solid knife so, no sharpening is required.

Disadvantage of Water-jet Cutting Machine:

1. There is a danger of wet edges.
2. Water spot may occur on fabric.
3. High costly.
4. Hard water causes rusting (). So water must be filtered & de-ionized
before use.
5. As in the lower lay, water jet spreads out & then cut is wider & rough at the
bottom of the spread.
6. Not suitable for high lay of fabric.
7. The sound of jet need to control.

Uses/Application of Water-jet Cutting Machine:

Water jet machine is widely used to cut metal, composite, marble, granite, ceramic
tile, glass, cloth, food, leather, rubber, nylon, wood, dynamite and so on. Water jet
cutter is not suitable for cutting fabric but this cutter is under research to cut fabric.

References:
http://textilelearner.blogspot.com

Limitations Of Cutting Section :

Input problem.
Scissor man cuts the tubular fabric to spread randomly and send to
cutting floor and then find out the desired fabric to lay on the table.
There is may be no group for any table
Quality inspection & front part & back part are fold together. The faulty
body parts are rejected but the rest ok body is not match by the same
batch.
Cutting quality man may not be trained
Check, Varigated rib fabric lay quantity may be excess. As a result reject
percentage may be increased.
Fabric spreading
There is may be no identification number to the rest of the cutting piece
of the lay
There is no individual marker man for any unit.
Three cutting man cuts the fabric according to the marker.
Four man working with numbering m/c to sort out the cut fabric.
Two man preparing the bundle cards by writing on a piece of fabric.

References:
http://www.textileschool.com

Conclusion:
Cutting section is one of the most important section for manufacturing garments in
Garments Factory. This is the major operation of the cutting room, of all of the

operations in the cutting room this is the most decisive, because once the fabric has
been cut, very little can bedone to rectify serious mistakes.