Nesting Software vs Production Optimization Software: Apparel Industry

As you may be aware, we do not only report on the latest fashion trends.  We also provide news and information relevant to the fashion industry.  Today, I decided to provide a bit of information pertaining to an element of manufacturing.  If you wish to learn, you may proceed to read...

Introducing Plataine Production Optimization Solutions.  Plataine is the leading provider of production optimization solutions for manufacturers of multiple textile products, including Casual Wear, Suits, Denim, Outerwear, Uniforms and Personal Armor.

Plataine’s patent pending production optimization and automation solutions bridge the gap between CAD, ERP and the Production Floor, enabling manufacturers to be more competitive by increasing material utilization, improving productivity, controlling quality and shortening manufacturing cycles to ensure on-time delivery of products to customers.

Below is a portion of the systems and knowledge that they provide to the garment industry.

Nesting Software vs. Production Optimization Software

In many cases, nests are prepared once per product on a given material size and then stored for future use and reference ('static nests'). Associating nesting with the product-level entity, ignores the broader realities of manufacturing and the actual level of material utilization, as driven by operational decisions, such as scheduling of orders to cut, selection of raw material to use (including remnant utilization) and more.

Production Optimization Software tools and processes promise and deliver an enterprise-level solution that is proven to drive up to double digit material savings.

Naturally, all manufacturers place great emphasis on tracking and improving their material yield, specifically as it pertains to optimal roll or sheet selection, cut-planning and nesting. The vast majority of manufacturers measure material yield through the eyes of the product-level nesting process, thus measuring their ‘product-level nesting yield’. In many cases, nests are prepared once per product on a given material size and then stored for future use and reference (static nests). Associating nesting with the product-level entity ignores the broader realities of manufacturing and the actual level of material utilization, as driven by operational decisions, such as scheduling of orders to cut, selection of raw material to use (including remnant utilization, rolls or sheets width optimization) and more.

Why does this happen? Common nesting and CAD/CAM applications consider and manage the geometric information and nesting options only. They have no integration with other production applications involved in the process, such as ERP software (that deals with customer-order information) and inventory management software (that rarely consider geometric-part or order information).

The most optimal result of such a process could be a more efficient nest generated (according to the algorithm sophistication level), within the specific product or material specifications and with limited automation.

Problem Solved – Enterprise level solution

Addressing these challenges methodically and efficiently requires a dynamic and integrated optimization approach, based on close collaboration between the various teams involved (engineering, manufacturing etc.) and bridging the gaps between the systems they use (such as ERP, CAD, PLM).

Adopting production optimization software tools and processes promises and delivers an enterprise level solution which integrates multiple activities & manufacturing aspects to provide a complete - ready to cut - production plan, in which nesting is only one aspect of the output. Thus, users are given an automatic & optimal plan, specifying which order will be cut, when, with which material, using which machine, while creating the optimal nest. Short-rolls (remnants) utilization, smarter use of inventory and overall increased productivity will be additional benefits.

Without such a tool, improving the manufacturing yield becomes a labor-intensive task that is often set aside.

Learn more about Plataine services for the apparel industry at http://www.plataine.com/Apparel-home-page

Learn more about apparel industry technology here on Apparel Search.

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