PRE-PRODUCTION OPERATIONS

Pre-production operations are the stages in the garment manufacturing industries that occurs
between final adoption and the actual assembly of the product. It begins when a style is
accepted in the line and ends when a style is ready for the sewing floor.
The pre-production operations are:
1. Marker planning
2. Spreading
3. Cutting
1. MARKER PLANNING
 Concept
A marker is a diagram of a precise arrangement of pattern pieces for the sizes of a specific style that
are to be cut from a single spread.
The process of determining the most efficient combination of sizes and shades for each order
and to produce the best fabric yield with optimum equipment utilization is called marker
planning. It is done by finding out the most proficient arrangement of pattern pieces for a
particular garment style, fabric and range of sizes.
Lay - Stack of fabric plies that have been prepared for cutting.
Lay planning – It is the basis of managing cutting room labor and table space. Spreading and
cutting schedules are affected by table length, type of equipment, spread length, spreading
time, and cutting time.
 Methods of marker making
i) Manually produced marker – It is created by arranging full-size pattern pieces on
marker paper or directly on the top ply of fabric in a spread. Pattern pieces are traced
using a pencil or tailor's chalk. Manual methods of marker making are time-consuming
and require a great deal of space. Full-size pieces must be manipulated, adjusted, and
readjusted on normal fabric widths.
ii) Computerized marker making – It is the most accurate and provides the greatest
opportunity for pattern manipulation, marker efficiency, reuse of previously made
markers, and shortest response time. Production patterns may be developed on the
computer and/or digitized or scanned into the computer.
 Marker efficiency

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Marker efficiency refers to fabric utilization and is defined as the percentage of the total fabric
that is actually utilized in garment components. It depends on how closely the patterns are
arranged in the marker; that is, length of marker.
It can also be defined by the following formula:
Marker efficiency (%) = Area of patterns in the marker plan / Total area of the marker
Marker efficiency is affected by:
i) Fabric Characteristics
ii) Shape of Pattern Pieces
iii) Pattern Engineering
iv) Fabric Utilization Standards
v) Marker Quality

2. SPREADING
 Concept
Spreading is the process of superimposing lengths of fabric on a spreading table, cutting table
or specially designed surface in preparation for the cutting process. The main aim of the
spreading process is to lay the several fabric plies essential for the production process to the
marker length without any tension on the fabric. The lay height depends on order size, fabric
characteristic, capacity of the spreader, cutting method and equipment used. The preference of
mode of spreading will influence the cost of spreading as well as finished garment quality.
Spread or Lay- Up is the total amount of fabric prepared for a single marker
A spreading mode is the manner in which fabric plies are laid out for cutting.
 Method of spreading
i) Manual spreading – This is done by one or two person working from each side of the
table in order to keep the fabric flat, smooth, and tension-free.
ii) Automatic spreading – This is done by the means of an automated equipment that
controls the tension, fabric placement, and rate of travel. The spreading operator
monitors the operation and removes fabric flaws as needed.
 Types of spreads
i) Flat spread – It is an economical type of spreading method where the fabric is normally
spread in multiples of the ratio of the marker. In this type of spread, all plies are of the
same length.

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 ii) Stepped spread – In this method, the spread is normally built like small steps, with
all the fabric plies in a step having the same length. The marker section with the need
for the greatest number of plies is situated to the left of the spread followed by the
decreasing number, in most cases.
 Objectives of spreading process
i) Shade Sorting of Fabric Rolls
ii) Ply Direction & Lay Stability
iii) Alignment of Plies
iv) Maintaining the proper tension of the plies
v) Elimination of the fabric faults

3. CUTTING
 Concept
Cutting is the preproduction process of separating (sectioning, carving) a spread into garment
parts that are the precise size and shape of the pattern pieces on a marker. The cutting process
may also involve transferring marks and notches from the marker to garment parts to assist
operators in sewing.
The cutting pitch is the angle at which the cutting device contacts the spread. Uniformity is
created by maintaining the cutting device in a perfectly vertical position, a 90 - degree pitch,
and accurately guiding the knife through the spread.
 Methods of cutting
iii) Fully manual cutting –
 Hand shears
 Short Knife
iv) Manually operated power knives –
 Vertical reciprocating straight knives
 Round Knives
v) Stationary cutters are those cutting machines that have blades or cutting devices that
remain in a fixed position.
 Band knives
 Die cutters
vi) Automated, Numerically Controlled Cutting Systems – Blade cutting, laser cutting,
water-jet cutting, plasma jet.

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  Selection of cutting equipment
iii) Depth of the spread is determined by the thickness of each ply and the number of plies
in the spread.
iv) Density of material relates to the fabric weight and is determined by fiber content, yarn
size, and count.
 Objectives of cutting process
vi) Accuracy of cut of all the garment components
vii) Clean edges without any frays.