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The textile industry is rapidly expanding as fashion trends are increasing at a hasty rate, and fast fashion stores are the most popular way for consumers to buy clothing. It takes work to keep up with the changes.
The rise in the textile industry is not surprising to anyone, and the industry has been flourishing for years. As of 2022, the exportation of garments increased to 3.489 billion, while exports of products from textile mills expanded to 8.945 billion. Apps such as Instagram and TikTok make it easier than ever to find new fashion trends, while stores, including Shein, Zara, and Forever 21, continuously pump out clothes to meet high demands.
Because of its steady rise, it is getting harder to meet quick turnaround times with only manual labor. More and more factories are turning to new automation opportunities to get ahead of the curve.
Automation in the textile industry is nothing new but harder to achieve. Different procedures must be performed with the utmost precision when working with textiles, which can be hard to program in machines. Human labor in the past has been the only way to solve this issue, but now with innovative technologies, it is possible to program automation machines to get the job done.
What's Going on in Textile Automation
Weaving Preparation
Weaving is one of the more intricate components of the textile industry. Plenty of steps could go awry because of even the smallest detail. These highly precise machines can improve a factory's overall weaving efficiency by 1 to 4 percent or more.
Cutting
There are several ways to automate any operation's cutting steps. A device available to factories everywhere is a spreading machine. It works exactly how it sounds; this device spreads a roll of fabric over a table and prepares it to be cut to a specific shape. Although it sounds simple, this step in automation has drastically cut down on human labor, decreasing costs in the long run.
There is a wide variety of options, and even the table is automated to make it as easy as possible. The table has a vacuum system that holds the material down while cutting the fabric for the most precise cut possible.
Other options for a cutting device include:
- Computer-controlled knives
- Lasers
- Water jets
- Plasma
- Ultrasound
Each option caters to your specific need, will help you increase your efficiency, and offers a way to boost revenue.
Sewing
Sewing automation can include mechanized fabric handling, computerized techniques, and automatic sewing machines and robots. Utilizing automation for sewing can vastly improve a facility in various ways. For starters, productivity improves as well as the quality of the pieces. Automation also prevents human error, increasing uptime and revenue over time.
Why You Should Pick Automation
Quality Control
Although constructing textile pieces is complicated and requires a careful eye, manual labor sometimes leads to error. Nobody is perfect, and the cost of human error can be detrimental to a business. A way to counter those mistakes is to implement automation for those processes. Robots are known for making few or no mistakes during their lifetime, and automation reduces the potential revenue loss a human error could create.
Quick Turnaround
Utilizing semi-automation processes drastically reduces downtime and supports faster turnaround for products. As we know, automating your factory allows for less downtime than using manual labor. Compared to humans, robots don't need to take breaks or require constant observation during the day. Not only does this give you time to work on other projects, but using automation allows your factory to keep up with growing textile demands.
Employment Opportunities
Many believe manual labor is no longer required, and automation is taking all the jobs. On the contrary, these automation practices will create more jobs for a different skill set than we need now. Further employment opportunities will attract valuable employees who will stay with you and your business for the long haul.
