Math Technology Technique

During a recent CItdA (Computer Integrated Textile and Design Association) conference in New
York City, textile and clothing designers were asked the question Which comes first design or
computer skills The quest was to determine from the perspective of todays creative professionals,
which is the foundation for success and which is the value added skillset.Sentiment rang strongly
among the nearly 100 attendees that a computer design program does not a designer make. Not only do
todays designers view the computer as a tool with which they can express their design skills, but
an increasing number understand both the importance and opportunity that integrating
computer-aided-design (CAD) with computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) can provide. The designer that
can not only push the design envelope, but can push that envelope all the way through the
production process is the designer that will make his or her mark in the design world. The
consummate example of the technology-driven designer is Jhane Barnes, the award-winning menswear
designer who weaves her own personal formula of thread, warp, weft, color, surface design, computer
technology and math to produce her textiles. Math, you ask From Math To MenswearWhile most
designers will look at a rainbow, a shape, a flower or any other concrete object for inspiration,
Jhane is driven by more obscure stimuli such as patterns in fractal books, symmetries, algorithms
or the angle of light reflecting off of an object. Its how she plays these inspirations against the
computer and the loom that tells an interesting story.Though a star in her own right, one of Barnes
childhood celestial aspirations was to become an astrophysicist. Her love for math and science were
in stark contrast to her love for designing and making her own clothes, a skill that provided for
some early recognition and success that sealed her destiny. She became frustrated early in her
career by her inability to find the kind of textiles she was looking for and says she learned the
art of weaving from books, mills and by making mistakes. The 45-year-old designer began using
computers in the early 1980s, when she was among the first to own a weaving program that allowed
her Atari computer to drive her handloom.She is emphatic about her belief that the technical
weaving skills she developed in those early years are not only the foundation of her success, but
the missing formula for many of todays designers.Most textiles happen accidentally because the
designer doesnt have the technical production knowledge and the mills dont have the creative
capabilities to accurately interpret the design sketch, Barnes said.By designing with the use of
computer software that allows her to control both the design and the production processes, Barnes
has complete control over the outcome of products that will proudly bear her name.While she and her
staff of 10 designers have used many of the surface design and weaving applications on the market,
she is fiercely loyal to both the applications from and the relationship with Designer Software of
Syracuse, N.Y. She makes intense use of their flagship programs Surface Magic and WeaveMaker, and
has substantially influenced the way the software has been developed.To understand the
relationship, it is important to understand the driving force behind Barnes design inspirations.
When she is in the creative process, she thinks about not just color, yarn, pattern and texture,
but about symmetries, rules and generators.Symmetry is a mechanism for superimposing the entire
plane on itself without changing the original motif or pattern. The 17 symmetries that exist for a
two-dimensional infinite plane such as fabric include design concepts like mirroring, sliding,
rotation and repeat. By combining her knowledge of design and symmetry, Barnes will create rules
that will define the actual construction of a design. Rules define such items as the size of
squares or circles, the width of lines, the number of colors, the size of the repeat, the float in
the weave and the symmetry to be applied. These rules, which are constantly evolving and being
added to her proprietary copies of Surface Magic and WeaveMaker, include instructions such as
shearing stripes where the odds shear but the evens stay put, repeatedly reducing the size of a
design on itself, or guiding the rearrangement of a design motif with a space filling curve, which
was inspired by a math book on fractals.These symmetries and rules must be written into software
that will not only produce the desired visual effect and allow Barnes to apply color to the
results, but provide weaving direction based on such technical details as the number of harnesses,
the number of colors, the weave construction, etc. Since the number of harnesses is contingent on
the mill in which the fabric will be produced, this variable is not often known during the design
process. Barnes applauds the flexibility of WeaveMaker, which allows her to see the effect on a
design as, for example, the number of harnesses is changed. She also exploits this capability, as
the software allows her to design as if there were an unlimited number of harnesses, a virtual
dobby loom if you will.While she knows she must eventually reduce the number of harnesses to match
production, the freedom to temporarily suspend real world limits in the initial design process only
enhances her creativity and provides the opportunity to develop the unusual designs that have
become her trademark.Much of her work actually starts in Surface Magic, a very inexpensive ($185,
Macintosh and Windows) surface design program for pattern or jacquard design development on knit
and woven fabrics. Features include: automatic pattern creation, automatic repeats, absolute color
control, resolution control, the ability to define the shape of the individual pixels, masking and
layers.The software supports the ability to create proprietary pattern generators, a feature that
Barnes has exploited more than most. She has also taken full advantage of her relationship with
Designer Software by assisting them to develop their products around the intuitive and creative
thought processes of a designer. She doesnt like to read a users manual, and rarely does.When
Designer Software owners Dana Cartwright and Bill Jones talk about their relationship with Barnes,
the tone in their voices resembles that of proud parents. Their relationship goes back to 1992,
when she first discovered their software at a trade show. Since then, each has had a profound
influence on the other.As the chief software architect, Cartwright is responsible for adding
features to the software, such as the saving of thumbnails or the addition of weave capabilities.
Jones, a mathematician, is responsible for writing the software pattern generators that Barnes
dreams up from her unique integration of symmetries and fractals. The three provide an unusual
combination of skills that, by all accounts, provides for a free flow of creative inspiration in
all directions.Barnes recently completed a project that was a unique honor. When the State of Ohio
developed an initiative to improve both the interest and test scores in math of middle and high
school children, their search for real world applications led them to Barnes.In co-operation with
Ohio teachers and Designer Soft-ware, Barnes has developed a series of lesson plans that will teach
students how to apply math in the world of textile design. It is supported by a 20-minute video of
Barnes working at her computer and at the mills. It also includes a series of work books that will
assist students in applying math to real world weaving situations.In the world of apparel and
textile designs, where knock-offs are so common, one might think it was an actual business process.
Designers and manufacturers alike have learned to guard their creativity and work product. The
question remains, why would Barnes be so willing to tell the world how she does what she doesBarnes
explains that the process of sharing her unique insights only serves to boost her creativity. While
she herself has trained many of her staff, she has found her style and technique to be often
imitated, but never duplicated. Step-By-Step Designing

1. The first step is created using a scheme (pattern generator) that automatically arranges a
check design after selecting the repeat size, the number of colors and the number of stripes. The
blending of the stripes in each direction is constructed using a technique involving the Quadratic
Formula.

2. In Step 2, the “slice” filter progressively shears the rows and columns of pixels in a
systematic way.

3. In Step 3, the “space filling curve” filter works like a multiple-reduction copy machine.
It takes the existing picture and reduces it down to a fraction of its size in five different
shapes and puts it back together.

4. The weave structure is added to the final pattern and the warp and weft colors are “woven”
into this fabric simulation.
Editor’s Note: Teri Ross is a writer, speaker and consultant on new technology for the sewn
products industries. She is owner and president of Imagine That! Consulting Group, publishers of
the award-winning techexchange.com. She can be reached via e-mail at tross@techexchange.com or
phone at (612) 593-0776.

December 1999

Gretchen Bellinger Introduces New Silk Taffeta Line

Gretchen Bellinger Inc., Cohoes, N.Y., has introduced a new line of silk taffeta known as Vanity of
Vanities.This silk taffeta line is available in five colors,all of which have gold undertones. It
is woven in Italy from 100-percent silk. Circle 301.

December 1999

Taconic And Dollfus Muller Form Joint Venture

Taconic, Petersburgh, N.Y., and Dollfus Muller, France, recently announced that the companies have
formed a joint venture agreement.The agreement includes the development, manufacture and sales of
PTFE coated fiberglass, kevlar and kevlar/glass belts to the rotary screen print, relax drying and
vapor textile finishing markets.We are truly delighted to have a joint venture agreement with
Taconic, said Oliver Rogues, vice president of business development, Dollfus Muller.Louis P.
Batson, Greenville, S.C., will serve as the exclusive sales and distribution company in the United
States and Canada.

December 1999

Watch 2000


 

January 1, 2000. While it is arguable as to whether or not it is the actual beginning of the
next millennium or whether that honor is bestowed to January 1, 2001, when the clock strikes
midnight on January 1 millions if not billions of people will be filled with at least a small sense
of fear.Why Y2K should answer at least part of that question. While its effect will remain unknown
for several months to come, there are other issues that will also have far-reaching effects.Some
events, such as the next presidential election are widely known, while others are taking place with
relative obscurity. These events may vary in impact, but taking a closer look at how they will
effect you and your company might be a wise idea. Open Broader ProvisionAn issue that could
have a major impact on the textile industry is the NAFTA provision opening U.S. borders to trucks
from Mexico and Canada. These trucks are currently allowed to be within 3 to 20 miles of the border
for commercial purposes. The economic impact of this provision is uncertain. What is certain is
that the concern over safety, as well as the lack of federal truck inspectors, has forced the
government to re-think whether or not to open borders on January 1.Published reports have stated
that of the 3.9 million trucks that entered the United States from Mexico in 1998, approximately 45
percent failed U.S. inspection. Of the 5.8 million trucks from Canada, 17 percent failed
inspection.The lack of stringent safety requirements by Mexico, and to a lesser degree Canada, will
place an increased burden on U.S. border inspectors, who were able to inspect only 0.6 percent of
trucks crossing the border in 1998. Internet And E-CommerceThe expanding Internet, which has
changed almost every facet of American life, will continue to have a staggering influence on
business and government. E-commerce is creating increased competition in manufacturer-to-consumer
and business-to-business purchasing.As a current television commercial states, 16 million people
get on the Internet for the first time every day. Drawbacks to the Internet and e-commerce, such as
computer viruses, hackers and lawsuits will hinder, but not impede its expediential
growth. Bills Effecting IndustryIn the textile industry, the Caribbean Basin Trade Enhancement
Act and African Growth and Opportunity Act (also known as the sub-Saharan Act), will have
long-reaching effects if finalized by Congress.Another bill that will have a lesser effect on
industry is the Computer Equipment Common Sense Depreciation Act. This act states that any computer
or peripheral equipment used in manufacturing can be depreciated over two years rather than five
years. This bill goes into effect January 1, 2000. Uncertain Financial MarketsThere is some
question as to the state of the financial markets in the days leading up to, and the days
following, the first of the year. Many experts believe that the financial markets will be not only
be thin, but also quite volatile in price fluctuation from about December 31, 1999 to January 7,
2000. This effect on stocks, bonds and other securities is directly linked to the unknown effect of
the Y2K bug on the computer systems that control financial and government
institutions. Jublilee 2000Jubilee 2000 is a proposal to “forgive” the debt of the world’s 40
poorest countries on January 1,2000. Lawmakers say that while its cost will be almost unfelt by the
average American (about $1.20 a year for three years) it has the potential to save approximately
20,000 lives a day in these countries. This debt relief proposal is currently being debated in
Congress. Stay InformedThe key to staying ahead of the business curve is staying well
informed. As more information is made available, managing it becomes even more crucial. It is
crucial to not get blind-sided by important issues in the year 2000.
(For more on these issues, see ATI, January 2000).

December 1999

Hurricane Floyd Disrupts U.S. Economic Activity


Hurricane Floyd Reduces Utility Output; Factory Output Down After
August Rise

Industrial production declined 0.3 percent in September, as Hurricane Floyd reduced utility
output and held back motor vehicle production and other goods. But even after adjusting for the
hurricane, the industrial output gain would have been small compared to increases of 0.4 percent in
August and 0.6 percent in July.

Factory output was down 0.2 percent after rising 0.5 percent in August. In the third quarter,
industrial output grew 3.7 percent at an annual rate, nearly matching the second quarter pace. The
operating rate of industrial capacity eased to 80.3 percent in September from 80.7 percent in
August.

The U.S. trade deficit of goods and services narrowed in August to $24.10 billion from $24.89
billion in July. Exports shot up 3.7 percent to $82.03 billion, up for the third month in a row,
while imports advanced 2.0 percent to $106.12 billion.

Business sales surged 1.3 percent in August, as durable goods sales jumped 1.5 percent on top
of a 1.0-percent rise in July. Non-durable goods shipments grew 1.1 percent. Business inventories
rose 0.3 percent. As a result, the August inventory-to-sales ratio dipped to 1.32 from 1.34 in
July.  

p19a_1796


Financial Markets Are Uneasy With The Federal Reserve Leaning Toward
Further Tightening

The evidence from latest set of economic reports is that the American economy, after two
interest rate hikes, is beginning to slow down. While the latest inflation readings appear to be
excessive there is no broad-based increase in prices. Nevertheless, with the Federal Reserve
leaning toward further tightening, financial markets are uneasy.

While economic activity and hiring was disrupted by Hurricane Floyd in the East Coast, the
loss of 8,000 nonfarm payrolls in September and the creation of only 103,000 jobs in August is a
clear indication of a slowing economy.

It is estimated that without the hurricane, nonfarm employment would have risen by 50,000
jobs in September. This is a major pullback from the dizzying pace of 654,000 jobs added in June
and July. Factory jobs continued to decline in September, falling by 21,000 jobs and bringing the
loss to 532,000 in the last year and a half period. The September jobless rate at 4.2 percent was
unchanged from August.

The Producer Price Index for finished goods shot up 1.1 percent in September, the largest
gain in nine years. Excluding energy, food, tobacco and automobiles, the price index was up just
one-tenth of a percent, hardly a sign of widespread price acceleration.

Consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in August. Energy costs accounted for 1/4 of the rise. The
core inflation was 0.3 percent after rising just 0.1 percent in August.


Textile Payrolls Fall After August Increase; Output Remains Slightly
Below Last Year’s Numbers

The textile industry’s payrolls fell 0.3 percent in September after edging up 0.1 percent in
August. The volatile jobless rate for textile mill workers dropped to 3.4 percent from 5.2 percent
in August.

Textile output rose 0.3 percent in September. Despite strong U.S. economic activity textile
output remained slightly below the year ago level. The utilization rate for textiles improved to
82.8 percent of capacity from 82.5 percent in August. Shipments by textile producers declined 1.0
percent, giving back most of the 1.5-percent gain in July. Inventories increased 0.3 percent. The
August inventory-to-sales ratio rose to 1.55 from 1.53.

U.S. retail sales rose just 0.1 percent in September after surging 1.5 percent in August, the
largest gain in six months. Excluding autos, retail sales were strong, rising 0.6 percent. At
apparel and accessory stores, sales fell 0.9 percent. For the third quarter, total retail sales
were up by a startling 10.5 percent from a year ago.

Producer prices of textiles and apparel edged up 0.1 percent in September, reversing declines
for five straight months.

Prices moved up 0.4 percent for gray fabrics and rose 0.1 percent for finished fabrics and
carpets. Prices declined 0.2 percent for processed yarns and threads.

p19b_1795

November 1999

Cotton Season Interesting


T
he jury is still out on how the cotton crop was affected by the combination of high
temperatures, low rainfall and Hurricane Floyd. There is some concern in the industry as to staple
length, particularly for the Delta cottons.

According to a respondent in this area, initial tests report that the staple length is
somewhat shorter than normal for Delta cotton while the micronaire in most areas is above the base
of 34. An exception in Memphis which is running slightly below the base at 33.6.

The demand for ring-spun yarns continues according to most spinners. So much so that one
spinner said: “This market is stronger than I’ve seen it in years, and this holds true for both
single and plied yarns. If this demand continues, I anticipate an increase in ring-spun yarn prices
in the immediate future. As a matter of fact, we have already increased ring-spun yarn prices in
certain cases.”


Still In Pits

The area of most concern to virtually every cotton spinner is the open-end (OE) yarn market.

The most encouraging note came from one such spinner who said: “At least the pricing for this
product has not deteriorated any further and seems to have stabilized. Our volume is good for OE
yarns but we are still looking for ways to make money from it.”

This is the feeling of many spinners of OE yarns. This spinner went on to say: “If we can get
some of this low-priced cotton, we may be able to make some money next year.” Customers want a
lower price now because cotton prices are low.


Cotton 101

Speaking of low-priced cotton brings up a point mentioned by many spinners when discussing this
subject. Many customers and nearly none of the retailers realize the diversity of cotton in all of
its physical properties. In other words, cotton isn’t just cotton.

For a spinner to get a commitment for the cotton he needs to produce his product, he must
contract for the quality and quantity he needs well in advance of when he needs it. That
essentially means he can’t go to the market place and buy the grades of cotton he requires today at
any price. His commitment must be made at the time (and price) the grade is available. The cotton
market isn’t like the yarn market where you as a customer can make a spot purchase at 30 to 50
cents off of the market price.


Start-Up Yarn

One spinner of open-end yarns said: “ There’s a category of yarn known as ‘start-up yarn.’ Now
what I want to know is how can you make a start-up yarn for six months. If it takes you that long
to start up a spinning frame, you better get out of the business now.”

He went on to say: “Some people in this business are getting pretty desperate. To show you
how desperate — they will quote a small-volume customer the lower prices usually reserved for the
large-volume buyer. They are essentially taking more business at lower prices in the hope of
getting more business.

“I’m concerned, too, about the bankers who are in so deep to some of these mills that they
are afraid to pull the plug, and the bankers I know are quite concerned about the condition of this
industry. Some of these spinners cannot even service their debt, yet they continue to make yarn for
spot sales.”

Apparently there are some spinners who only sell “Spot sales yarn.” Now if this is true and
you are spinning nothing but spot sale yarns, it is not hard to explain the six-month sale of
start-up yarn.

According to spinners, a lot of the T-shirt manufacturers have moved off-shore or to Mexico.
A number of them felt this was a good move — for the yarn spinner. Of course, when they left, they
took with them the yarn production they formerly purchased domestically.


Supply Problem Solved

The solution to the OE problem is pretty simple in the eyes of many spinners — Make less yarn!
Until this happens the situation will only get worse.

Another major change will have to occur in the attitude of mill owners and managers which is “
make it and they will buy it.” Satisfy the law of supply and demand and you solve the problem.

p17_1797



November 1999



New Developments Improve Medical Uses Of Cotton

Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the lead scientific agency for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Md., and at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.,
have announced that bedsores and other chronic wounds may heal faster thanks to gauze bandages that
are being developed using cotton. ARS scientists, led by chemist J. Vicent Edwards, have developed
a method to chemically modify cotton guaze so it reduces the amount of the natural enzyme,
elastase, in the wound area. Elastase can slow the healing of some wounds, and in some cases,
prevent healing.Normally the body produces enough natural inhibitors to offset the enzyme, but
chronic skin ulcers common to long-term hospital patients can cause elastase to build to more than
20 times normal levels. These new bandages have shown the ability to deactivate elastase.

November 1999

Shore To Shore Forms Latin American Partnership

Shore To Shore, Miamisburg, Ohio, recently signed an agreement with Padua SA, Guatemala, to provide
barcode tickets, graphic hangtags, woven and printed fabric labels for apparel manufacturers in
Central America.Padua is now the exclusive sales and services agent for Shore To Shore in
Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.The partnership with Padua enhances Shore To Shores service,
marketing and distribution network to be in closer proximity to our customer base in the fast
growing apparel production regions of Central America, said Howard Kurdin, CEO, Shore To Shore.

November 1999

Wellman Reports PET Resin Production Decrease

Wellman Inc., Shrewsbury, N.J., recently announced that due to mechanical problems in its PET resin
production process resulting from an electrical failure in August 1999, production was reduced by
approximately 50 million pounds over the anticipated amount for August and September 1999. The
company said that customers needs were being shipped from the companys remaining production
capacity and inventory.

November 1999

Trutzschler

With the introduction of the High-Production Card DK 903, Trutzschler, Germany, has once
again set new standards for carding machines.The high-production card DK 903 is the further
development of Trutzschlers most successful card, the DK 803. More than 5,000 DK 803s have been
installed in spinning mills all over the world since its initial introduction at ITMA 95.The new DK
903, with its additionally implemented high-tech features, will improve carding quality even more.
All technological and production factors considered, the DK 903 is the most exciting short-staple
fiber card we have seen being introduced in this century. Profile Of A BestsellerEven though
visually unnoticeable, the DK 903 adds a long list of new and improved features compared to the DK
803. However, most of the core elements that made the 803 such a sales success remain (almost)
unchanged.The 803 offered, as the first card, an integrated direct feeding system that consisted of
the chute, the integral feed plate Sensofeed and the three-licker-in mat preparation system
Webfeed. Further, on all main functions AC servo drives were installed, aluminum flats which are
guided by toothed belts were a first in carding, and on-line quality monitoring was integrated.The
new features of the 903 are mainly concentrated in following areas: Improvements in setting the
card to closest tolerances for carding; Reduction of maintenance and adjustment times; Significant
improvement of quality on-line monitoring; and Integrated sliver drawing zone
(optional). Powerhouse DK 903Feeding of the fibers starts with Directafeed, the tuft feeder
that is an integral part of the 903. From there the Sensofeed, a 10-segmented feed plate releases
the fibers to the first licker-in of the Webfeed opening rollers.The Webfeed three-roll system
consists of three relatively small opening/licker-in rollers, which are not by design
revolutionary, but because of their small size and tangential extraction force they can imply. This
results in better trash and small particle removal.This three-roll configuration allows a gradual
acceleration of the fibers towards the high surface speed of the main cylinder by simultaneously
orientating the fibers properly and removing impurities effectively. Therefore, the transfer of the
fibers from the last licker-in roller to the cylinder through a pre-prepared fiber mat is better
than trough conventional one-licker-in systems.The fibers then travel past the up to 10 Twin Top
stationary carding segments, pass the suction supported mote knives and enter the revolving flat
section.This is the area where the 903 really shows several new technology
features. Flats/Cylinder InteractionThe optimum interaction of cylinder and flats is the most
important factor for cleaning and nep reduction. The new Trutzschler Flatconcept takes this into
account.The individual flat bars are made of aluminum profiles, light and at the same time
extremely rigid. They are guided by two toothed belts without special fastening elements; the flats
are basically just simply laying on the belts. A full flat exchange can be done by only one person,
and in less than an hour. There is no oiling or greasing, and the whole flat area remains clean and
maintenance-free.Stepless controllable drive allows the exact adaptation of the flat speed to the
processed material. The new flat cleaning device allows extended service intervals.The most
important setting on a card to target the sliver/yarn quality is the precise distance of the flats
to the cylinder. The Flatcontrol FCT was designed for objective distance measurement. A flat with
electronic measuring devices measures exactly the distance to the cylinder to the flats, static or
in motion. The computer print-out of the measurements of the Flatcontrol system is a very useful
tool for effective quality management.The Precision Flat Setting PFS is a new and patented system
from Trutzschler to set flats with high-precision, reproducible, and without tools. The 903 is
equipped with a manual centralized flat-adjustment mechanism, or, the customer can order the
motorized option. Either way, the adjustments that took hours before can be literally executed in
seconds.Also new is the Precision Flat Grinding System PCS for technologically correct touch-ups of
the flats. Trutzschler emphasizes that this procedure is far away from the conventional grinding
process and only used to make small touch-ups when the quality control system indicates this. This
ensures optimum performance of the card over the entire card-wire life.Actual quality control
during production is achieved with the optional nep sensor Nepcontrol NCT that Trutzschler offers
as an alternative to off-line laboratory testing. NCT monitors the card web for neps and trash
during production with reports on on-line quality, instead of random laboratory sampling. NCT works
on an optical/visual measuring principle that delivers meaningful data to Trutzschlers SliverNCT
can be permanently installed on each card, or, for cost saving reasons, it can be used as a
transferable unit within card groups.On the 903, all dedusting and cleaning points are under direct
and continuous suction. This guarantees best possible trash removal with constant cleaning
efficiency and keeps the environment clean. The 903 also features a high-speed can coiler/changer
KHC that was developed for speeds up to 400 m/min.Brand new for the 903 is the optional Integrated
Drawframe IDF. It is especially promising for specific open-end yarn applications.Trutzschler
emphasizes that not every final yarn application has been tested so far. However, initial results
show that elimination of one drawing process is possible, the overall machinery investment is
lower, and the space savings reflect investment cost positively. And, there are many other positive
effects that will make spinning mills look very carefully at the IDF system in the future.Needless
to say, the 903 offers all the bells and whistles of ocmputer control through its Cardcommander.
The Cardcommander collects production data and monitors all function groups of the machine. An
on-line display can retrieve machine settings, quality data, statistical data and much
more. Success With GuaranteeBased on the sales success of the DK 803 Trutzschler is almost
certain that the DK 903 will continue its success story.Trutzschler officials confirmed that
customers all around the world show great interest in this new card. Achievable mill productions
are claimed to be beyond 100 kg/hr. (~220 lbs./hr) The quality consistency, the cost savings and a
fast return on investment will almost guarantee the success of the Innovation Award winning DK 903.

November 1999

Sponsors