The onus of creating new fabrics and designs always falls on the global fashion and textile industry. The global fashion industry is valued at US$3 trillion and is expected to substantially expand in the upcoming years.
Technological integrations have always been quite beneficial for many industries, and especially the textile industry. Such technological advancements can increase the efficiency and productivity of teams, and contribute to better quality in designs and processes. Consistent technological developments can contribute to smart processes, which can, in turn, contribute to higher returns.
One such technology that has transformed the textile industry is Computer-Aided Design (CAD). Let us understand more about what it is and how it benefits the fashion and textile industry.
What is Computer-Aided Design (CAD)?
Computer-aided design is quite simply put the process of designing empowered by the use of computers. CAD software enables individuals to create, modify and analyze intricate designs seamlessly, thus substantially aiding the designing process. Using the software effectively can improve the design quality, and simplify the process of creating unique designs to a large extent.
Computer-aided design has found applications in multiple domains and is used for varied purposes in the field of fashion and textile, engineering, and architecture. In the textile industry, it offers multiple benefits, some of which have been listed here:
1. Increased Productivity
The integration of technology in business processes almost always leads to an increase in productivity, and the textile industry is no different. Designers can accomplish multiple tasks and sub-processes within the designing process through CAD software.
They can create unique designs, visualize them better, make edits easily, synthesize them into 2D and 3D designs. The ability to modify designs on the go makes CAD a great way to increase the productivity of designers. Moreover, designers can also work on multiple design projects and tasks simultaneously, thus expediting the usual turnaround times.
2. Improved Design Quality
The process of creating high-quality designs entails a lot of detailing and creative inputs on the designer’s end. Generally, they need to use different types of design tools so that they can create accurate shapes and complex patterns more easily. Such tools also let designers inspect their designs for potential flaws or issues that they may need to address.
With CAD, all this gets a bit easier and seamless to implement for designers. Designers can create great designs with the desired accuracy and reduce the scope of errors significantly due to visualization. The software also makes it easy to integrate elements from existing references onto the designs.
This ease of integration and designing shows in the result, which presents highly qualitative designs that are manufactured with the same quality.
3. Easy Design Documentation
One of the most painstaking tasks for fashion designers and textile manufacturers is the documentation required for the designs that they create. Designers constantly look for efficient solutions to tackle this task easily.
CAD software makes it easier by facilitating digital documentation for the designs that can be stored for later use and reference. This documentation then becomes easily accessible when designers want to reference older designs, and their components including the material, geometric shapes, and dimensions.
The documentation for an existing design is carried out easily using a digitizer, adding to the user-friendliness of CAD software.
4. The Power of Simulation
Simulation is desired and used in many industries for its ability to replicate the real deal. This specifically applies to industries that are dependent on innovative designs. Considering this, CAD seamlessly brings the simulation feature to life within the textile industry.
3D is many times touted as the future of design, which is why CAD is such a great solution for the fashion and textile industry. The feature of 3D sample making decreases the cost and time involved in the process of product development.
Simulations of a human figure are also easily possible through CAD, making it easier for designers to check how a specific design would look. Moreover, designers can also simulate fabric samples thus being able to show its textures, transparency, drapability, etc.
The newest development in the simulation feature of CAD is the ability to add a full-motion simulation to a 3D model. So now, designers can not only create designs and visualize them on human models, but they can also make the model run, walk, pose or dance to understand how the design would look on them.
5. Seamless Communication
One of the key tasks within the designing process is the drawing of the design. The drawing process has become more error-free and legible using CAD software. So communicating the design becomes clearer.
Not only this, designers can create designs and transfer them to the manufacturing facilities or concerned parties within seconds digitally, which cuts down the lead time or manufacturing time significantly. Plus, any more edits or modifications can be transferred back just as easily contributing to the seamless communication cycle.
Wrapping Up
Computer-Aided Design has been around for a while but has now become a lifeline in industries that are dependent on designing in core processes. CAD software makes it easier for designers to create designs with absolute accuracy and visualize them to have a better idea of the final outcome. This improves the overall design quality and productivity of the designers, as well as facilitates easy communication and documentation. Together, these subtasks and processes form a highly efficient process.
Author Bio:
Aanya Rachel is the Content Manager at The Address coworking space in Vadodara, Gujarat. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge, experience, and extensive research in this field. She writes on a wide range of topics related to coworking, growth of remote workers, startups and real estate.
