Advances in digital patterning, and 3D bonding reduce manual processes and increase productivity

As a continuation of our on-going mission to lead the digital transformation of the Fashion and Textile product manufacturing segment, ExactFlat has partnered with Simplicity Works to drive the next paradigm shift in soft goods fabrication productivity improvement.

What is 3D Bonding?

The production for structured fashions and textiles like footwear is currently a handcrafting process. While some of the manufacturing processes are assisted by specialized machinery (lasting, cementing, cutting, etc...), the traditional construction method is based on manually stitched seams and part forming. 

This labor-intensive technique, used for decades, produces products with overlapping seamed joints which increases material usage and adds fabrication time.  Overlapping seams may also introduce points of friction and potential areas of rub and discomfort. 

3D BONDING, developed by Simplicity Works, introduces a novel solution for manufacturing of structured fashions and textiles.  This innovative approach places specific focus on an injection molding process which bonds different pattern pieces and materials together in a few second.  The resulting product is a stable three-dimensional skeleton without the limitations of seams. 

Big Improvements from Small Process Changes

3D Bonding technology eliminates the need for complex stitching operations, reducing labor requirements by as much as 70%, saving material consumption and improving the mechanical properties of the finished garment or product. 

In the example of foot wear design and fabrication legacy practices can include as much as 80 steps.  The digitally enhanced process is considerably simpler yet extremely similar to existing techniques and therefor easy to adopt:

1. Design and approve the product using 3D CAD

2. Enhance the design for manufacturing (DFM)

   • locate cut lines

   • prepare forming mold details

   • flatten the 3D design into 2D pattern pieces

3. Cut the pattern pieces then 3D bond the assembly

To gain a better understanding of how ExactFlat Digital Patterning and Simplicity Works 3D Bonding technologies can impact your business, click on the image below and schedule a time to speak with our experts.
 

About the Partner - ADRIÁN HERNÁNDEZ, CEO of Simplicity Works

Raised in a family of shoe manufacturers, Adrian started his career working on control systems used to optimize manufacturing operations. Later he increased his emphasis on creative activities for industrial product design and then to marketing the product.  

His broad exposure to the details of the business allowed him to travel around the world observing characteristics of the market, and its challenges.  One key practice that he saw was that manufacturers tended to try to address productivity by pushing the “people” to perform better, rather than by simplifying the complex steps that they worked with.  With Simplicity Works Adrian plans to provide the technology needed to change that approach.