How Does 3D Change Apparel Design?
PATTERN MAGICⅡ 3D
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Using 3D CAD and 3D CG Effectively: Toray ACS's Approach to Apparel Design
When you hear the term "3D," what comes to mind? Many people may think of 3D CG used in movies and games. In fact, 3D software for the apparel industry can generally be divided into two types.
- 3D CAD, which converts design information into three-dimensional forms and visualizes them accurately
- 3D CG, which specializes in visually appealing three-dimensional expressions for movies, games, and other media
At Toray ACS, we adopt 3D CAD and develop solutions that support apparel design through accurate three-dimensional visualization.
Effectively utilizing both 3D CAD and 3D CG is the key to improving efficiency throughout the apparel design process.
Mastering Two Types of 3D
We recommend 3D CAD for designers and pattern makers involved in planning and design, while 3D CG is recommended for sample reviews and e-commerce applications.
Creating 3D CG may require time to acquire the necessary skills.
If resources allow, introducing a dedicated 3D CG creator may also be an option.
In this article, we will focus on the 3D CAD solution provided by Toray ACS (hereinafter referred to as PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D).
2. Three Key Changes Worth Introducing into Your Design Process!
In a typical apparel design process, work is generally carried out according to the following workflow.
During this process, do any of the following tasks sound familiar?
- Creating toiles for your own review
- Checking balance and volume using toiles
- Making design changes during design reviews after toile production
These are all important tasks. However, if these processes do not flow smoothly, problems such as the following may arise:
- Misalignment of vision with the designer, resulting in longer lead times
- Increased costs for toile and sample production
- Spending too much time on a single design, leaving less time for quality improvement
To address these challenges, we propose the following workflow.
By incorporating PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D into the rough pattern creation stage, all of the tasks mentioned above can be completed on a PC.
For instance, you can instantly verify collar and sleeve shapes, adjust lengths, evaluate flare amounts, and check silhouettes,
thereby significantly improving work efficiency.
Furthermore, the created digital toiles can be shared anytime and anywhere.
This facilitates seamless communication between designers and pattern makers, significantly reducing the risk of design changes.
While focus tends to shift primarily toward work efficiency and cost reduction, we should also look at how to spend the time gained through these improvements.
We hope that this time can be devoted to more creative and meaningful work.
Here’s What Changes: Three Key Benefits
- Cut time and costs by replacing self-check toiles with 3D!
- Boost work efficiency by verifying balance and volume in 3D!
- Reduce the risk of design changes by communicating instantly with 3D toiles!
3. Are They Really Practical for Daily Work? Three Recommended Features
In this section, we introduce three recommended features and functions.
1. Design Support Tool: PM/GR Check
When digital toiles created in PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D are registered, they can be compared and evaluated using the PM Check feature.
This allows you to simultaneously display and compare length adjustments and flare amount variations within the same pattern, as well as display digital toiles from different patterns to evaluate design options.
In addition, PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D can simulate grading data once the required information has been configured in the master pattern.
Using GR Check to compare the master pattern with graded size data allows you to quickly verify details such as pocket placement and whether the silhouette is maintained correctly.
2. No More Shape Differences Between Operators!
A common issue with 3D CAD and 3D CG software is that the final shape can vary depending on the operator.
If the same pattern looks different in 3D, you can no longer judge defects or evaluate the silhouette.
To solve this problem, Toray ACS has been working to improve its simulation technology.
The figure illustrates the differences between the reference digital toile and the digital toiles created by different operators.
As shown, our simulation technology has been refined so that fitting results remain nearly identical, regardless of whether the operator is proficient with PCs or not, meticulous or not.
*Red areas indicate differences of 0–2 mm or less from the reference.
3. Did You Know? You Can Create 3D CG Directly from PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D
Our PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D offers more than accurate apparel design support.
With the right approach, it can also produce impressive 3D CG.
Since the software supports OBJ export, you can further refine your creations using a wide range of editing software.
4. Tips for Mastering PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D!
So far, we've introduced various features of PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D. To help you make the most of the software, we’d like to highlight its key characteristics.
The figure shows a design map with design expressiveness on the horizontal axis and time-saving efficiency on the vertical axis.
As illustrated by the highlighted area, PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D is well suited for garments that require large amounts of fabric or have relatively simple stitching configurations.
It is also highly effective when target body forms are difficult to obtain, such as for children's sizes or plus-size body types.
On the other hand, garments with extensive draping or tucks, as well as down-filled garments, remain areas for further improvement.
We continue to enhance these capabilities through ongoing development.
5. Summary
By understanding the strengths and limitations of PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D, we hope you can make the most of it in a variety of ways. For example:
- This coat is a good fit for PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D, but this one should be developed with a physical toile.
- Let's use PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D to verify the silhouette and share the design concept.
- We already have one physical color sample, so let's create the remaining color variations with PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D.
We hope these ideas help you incorporate PATTERN MAGICⅡ3D effectively into your design process. And the best part? It's also affordably priced.
Key Characteristics of Toray ACS 3D
Strengths (Ideal for):
- ✓ Garments with large amounts of fabric or simple stitching configurations
- ✓ Cases where target body forms are difficult to obtain
Areas for Enhancement (Work in Progress):
- △ Garments featuring extensive draping, tucks, or down filling
* This article is based on the Japanese edition published in April 2020.