[TC]² Bi-Weekly Technology Communicator

[TC]² Technology Communicator

June 30, 2010

Index

• New Features for [TC]² NX-16 Full Body Scanner
• Removing Stitches to Make Repairs
• SPESA 2010 Review
• SPESA EXPO 2010 Draws Strong Attendance
• Textiles, Clothing, Technology, and Research
• [TC]² Activity - Lean Management and Manufacturing Systems
• Member Profile - Juki America, Inc.
• Size Mexico
• Important Dates
• A Look Ahead
• Sign up for our Email Newsletter

New Features for [TC]² NX-16 Full Body Scanner

By Dr. David Bruner, [TC]²

Today [TC]² is announcing significant new features for the market leading NX-16 3D body scanner. All of these features are being made available at no additional cost on new systems, further enhancing the value equation for implementing 3D body scanner solutions. The new features include:

• Support for Windows 7
• Intel Core i7 quad core processor as the base system CPU
• Adoption of the Intel Optimizing Compiler for the Body Measurement System Software application
• Reduced scan acquisition time

These enhancements amount to significant reductions in time to acquire and process 3D scans. Already one of the fastest 3D body scanners on the market, the NX-16 in its new standard configuration can process full 3D scans to full data extraction in under 40 seconds using only the CPU provided with the scanner.

Other noteworthy new features are:

* Full booth LED lighting for surface texture acquisition and identification of manually placed anthropometric landmarks.

* .DXF data slice export which enables detailed evaluation of body slice data and easy measurement of “gap” distances between scans of bodies and scans with garments on.

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Removing Stitches to Make Repairs

By Gloria McConnell, [TC]²

If you’ve ever watched an experienced sewing operator make a repair, you may have been amazed at how easy they were able to remove the previous stitching. Although the process of removing stitches is often referred to as “ripping out”, that implies the possibility of destruction. The goal is to make the repair while still producing a first quality garment. In many cases it is all about knowing which thread to pull. This is a brief overview of the basic stitch types and the best way to take out stitches.

301 Lockstitch

The lockstitch stitch is made up of a needle and a bobbin thread and is named such because the stitches are “locked” and do not unravel. It is the most time-consuming of stitches to remove. The amount of difficulty will be related to the degree of fabric compression or the tightness of the thread in the fabric. If the stitch line is tight you will probably have to clip one thread at a time, all on the same side of the fabric. Clipping either the needle or bobbin thread only, you can then pull on the remaining thread and remove it in its entirety. If the stitch line is not overly tight, you can experiment. Try removing every third or fourth stitch to see if you are able to remove the opposite thread easily. Needle thread is shown in red, bobbin thread is in green on the diagram below.

401 Chainstitch

The 400 class stitches all use a single looper thread, regardless of the number of needles. Perhaps one of the easier stitches to rip is the single needle chain. Grasp the looper thread (shown in green) from the trailing end (the end that last left the needle) and pull. Which is the looper thread? The underside of the stitch will look like a series of tear drop-shaped loops – those will be the looper thread. The rounded end of the tear drop is the trailing end. The top side looks like a lockstitch line. Another guideline is that, when sewing, the seam allowance is typically to the right of the needle penetration. If the stitch tension is tight, you may also have to simultaneously pull the needle thread.

406 Coverstitch

For the 406 coverstitch, to rip out the stitches, pull on the looper thread (shown in green) from the trailing end. Using the same guideline as in the 401, you may need to simultaneously hold and pull the needle thread (shown in red).

504 Overlock

The 504 type stitch has three threads - one needle thread, a lower looper thread and an upper looper thread. To rip out this stitch, you will again start from the trailing end, but this will require more finesse than with the 400 class. The most difficult thing is identifying the individual threads when they are all the same color. The sequence will always be the same: first, pull the lower looper thread, then the upper looper thread and finally the needle thread (in that order). Whichever thread you pull first, follow the sequence lower, then upper, then needle. An experienced operator will probably control two threads with one hand, rocking her hand up and down to control which thread is being pulled. In the diagram below the upper looper thread is shown in yellow, the lower looper thread in green and the needle thread in red. If the stitch has been formed correctly, the lower looper thread will ride along the edge of the seam and the needle thread will enter the loops on one side and capture the bottom of the loops on the other side.

516 Safetystitch

The 516 safety stitch has five threads and is comprised of a row of 504 stitches and a row of 401 stitches. To rip out this seam, follow the instructions above for these two stitch types, starting from the trailing end.

Gloria McConnell is a manager in the Industry Services group of [TC]². The group provides consulting services in many areas of the industry around the globe. Often beginning with a Plant Assessment and/or a Business Process Analysis, the Industry Services team provides on-site training and development in Lean Practices and Organizational Culture, as well as Industrial Engineering. For further information on these and other valued services, please us our contact form.

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SPESA 2010 Review

By Jack Nienke, [TC]²

This is the first in a series of articles that highlight the technologies observed at the recent SPESA show. We were unable to interview every exhibitor due to other commitments.

SEWING MACHINES

C & C Enterprise – Mark Cantrell
Featured compact “Jack Energy Saving” servo motors. These motors use about 66% less electricity and require less maintenance than conventional mechanical clutch style motors. The Jack Energy Saving motors are computer controlled with step-less variable speed and may be configured to control needle position.

Consew
Introduced 73360RATCWL (E)-DD single needle lockstitch machines. The new lockstitch featured a direct drive servo motor and semi dry oiling technology. The semi dry oiling technology allows the needle bar mechanism to use a reduced amount of oil, in turn reducing the possibility of oil stains.

Demonstrated the 4214P four needle, heavy duty, lockstitch machine. The four gear driven vertical hook shafts produce four independent rows of 301 lockstitches available in several standard needle gauges. The two outside needles are forward toward the operator while the two inside needles are rearward of the two outside needles. The 4214P incorporates a rear puller for feeding heavy material. The machine may be utilized for corset stripping, blanket binding, light weight tents and parachutes.

Dürkopp Adler America
Introduced a new M type sewing platform. According to Patrick Weissgerber, President, “the same needle bar, needle plate and material feeding system may be used in other Dürkopp Adler machines such as a cylinder bed or flat bed machine.” The 868-490322 machine featured a double needle post bed walking foot machine with a split needle bar. The interchangeability of the parts will enable fewer parts to be inventoried.

Henderson Sewing Machine Company
Demonstrated print on demand technology allowing printing, transferring into position, and sewing one unique label. The next label could be for another size or even a different article. The technology utilized a Brother BAS-326G, an electronic pattern sewer, paired with a thermal heat transfer printer. The print files may be predetermined and stored on board the printer or electronically downloaded as required.

Juki of America
The new DDL- 9000B is a series of machines with three types of oiling designs. Type S uses a minute quantity of oil to lubricate the needle bar, thread take-up and rotary hook assembly. Type M employs semi-dry head lubrication where the needle bar drive and thread take-up are not lubricated with oil. Type D is a fully dry head without oil. The series also features integrated direct drive compact servo motors that save up to seventy percent in energy consumed, compared to a traditional electromagnetic stop motor with a V belt. Also featured is reduced operating noise achieved by shielding the noise source inside the machine casting.

The AC-172N-1790S automatic lockstitch buttonhole machine with high performance and accuracy indexer. The buttonhole machine uses a pre-load vacuum table to hold the garment in precise alignment before sewing. The garment is clamped and transferred to the sewing table and moved from buttonhole to buttonhole based on a pre-programmed size and spacing requirements. Twenty different patterns may be stored in memory for different set-up configurations. The next garment component may be pre-loaded during the sewing cycle allowing the sewing operator to run several machines. Garments are stacked, stored and counted. The pieces are stored under the table, reducing the overall footprint of the machine.

The AMS-224EGB10050 computer controlled cycle machine featured an expanded sewing area for large and bulky components. The machine incorporates optical sensors to resolve any material clamp positioning discrepancies. The machine also features EEP-ROM maximum of 200 patterns and 20,000 stitches / pattern.

The Sewing Machine Group
VI.BE.MAC flexible automatic sewing machines featuring a “Double Color” split needle bar that permits each needle to be engaged or disengaged independently to sew two different colors of threads in one sewing cycle. Two applications were demonstrated:

The 2516V4 DCT pocket setter utilizes a Mitsubishi PLK–G30 MAXI Vibemac sewing head. This particular split needle bar permits sewing even asymmetrical pockets. The published sewing speed is 2800 SPM, requiring about five minutes to exchange clamps for different style pockets.

The 1010V4 DCS machine for decorative stitching on pockets. The machine may be used for coin pockets, flaps, labels, attaching Velcro, sewing pleats and darts. The 1010V4 DCS machine can increase production by 25% through the use of a load and unload system that permits an unskilled operator to operate up to three machines.

Siruba Industrial Sewing Machine
Introduced the BH 790 computer controlled high speed, lockstitch buttonhole machine. Servo and stepping motors eliminate mechanical complexity and increase precision. The dry head and oil free design eliminates oil stains. The operator may use the three color LCD interface panel to select or adjust the sewing pattern. There are 30 standard sewing patterns offered and the machine can store 99 different patterns.

The BT290 electronic controlled quick change bar tack machine comes with 41 different patterns that may be selected using the LCD operation panel. The BT290 has stepping motors to facilitate precise machine control. There is a thread holding feature to avoid skipped stitches when the machine first starts sewing.

Many machine vendors were present at the SPESA show and due to time constraints we were unable to visit all of the booths. If your company does not appear in one of the upcoming articles, we apologize. Please feel free to forward information to us via our contact form on products representing new technologies, and we will attempt to include it in a later article.

Jack Nienke coordinates all of the engineering for [TC]²’s lean manufacturing implementations. This includes designing the appropriate manufacturing systems, identifying all equipment requirements, defining operator cross-training and staffing levels, and projecting the expected results. Jack has over 20 years of experience in the manufacture of apparel and related products.

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SPESA EXPO 2010 Draws Strong Attendance From the Americas and Beyond

By Karen Davis, [TC]²

The Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) announces that more than 8000 industry executives and professionals attended its May 18-20 SPESA EXPO 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. Many of the visitors to SPESA EXPO also attended the co-located Techtextil North America and returned to both events over the three-day Textile and Sewn Products Industry Week event.

On the SPESA EXPO tradeshow floor, 224 exhibitors represented several sectors of the fashion and sewn products industry from a broad range of machinery and equipment, fabrics and trims, product development services, production and supply chain services, IT and software solutions. Special new Supply Chain USA, Supply Chain of the Americas, and IT Showcase exhibits were popular destinations for a majority of the attendees. Also 1,000 visitors participated in the 30 SPESA EXPO FORUM conference and seminar events.

More than 80% of attendees were from companies based in North America, many with additional operations in Central America. South America accounted for nearly 8% of total attendees, while Asia contributed 6%. Apparel companies made up more than one-third of all attendees. Other sewn products segments that contributed significantly to the strong overall attendance included government and military products, technical textiles and composites, upholstered furniture, medical products, luggage and bags, automotive interiors, mattress and bedding, and sporting goods.

Looking forward, SPESA and Messe Frankfurt USA will co-operate, co-produce, and co-launch the new Texprocess Americas tradeshow
April 24-26, 2012 in Atlanta. Texprocess Americas will incorporate SPESA EXPO to bring to the Americas the largest and best sewn products and equipment trade show of its kind. Texprocess Americas will take place every even-numbered year alongside Techtextil North America to create a larger, more attractive, must-attend event for all individuals involved with technical textiles, nonwovens, and the sewn products industry.

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Textiles, Clothing, Technology, and Research – A Report from New Zealand

By Kerry King, [TC]²

Earlier this year, I had an opportunity to travel to the southern hemisphere and spend a week at AUT University in Auckland, New Zealand. This visit was initiated by the University’s Textile and Design Lab (T+DL), which opened in 2006 to provide support to the New Zealand textile and apparel industries through research, education, and product development services (http://www.tdl.aut.ac.nz/). Frances Joseph, Director of the T+DL and Lab Manager Peter Heslop coordinated the visit and the primary purpose was to serve as a resource in the digital textile printing area, sharing insight into emerging technologies and applications to help inform strategic thinking in terms of education, outreach and research. Over the course of the week, I participated in a series of discussions around digital printing, and also had an opportunity to share information regarding emerging technologies and strategies for sustainable product development, 3D body scanning, avatars, and virtual fashion. I also worked with the T+DL staff to provide a workshop related to the development of digitally printed sewn product and delivered a series of keynote presentations for the ‘Digital Strategies’ Symposium that was held at the university in mid April. Since many of our readers have limited exposure to the New Zealand industry, I felt it would be valuable to share a few highlights in response to this trip.

The New Zealand Industry

New Zealand is increasingly well known as a destination for tourism offering great diversity of landscape across two main islands that includes a grand coastline, mountainous regions, farmland, and volcanic features such as hot springs, volcanic cones and beaches. Most readers are also aware of New Zealand’s sheep farming history and the country’s leading role in the wool industry. According to Textiles New Zealand (http://www.textilesnz.org.nz/sitedocs/industry/industry.aspx), domestic producers serve industries including textiles, carpet, footwear and apparel. As of February 2008, the apparel sector in the country employed over 6,000 people spread across 900 small companies, many of which are located in Auckland, Canterbury, Manawatu-Horowhenua-Wanganui and Canterbury.

The Textile and Design Lab (T+DL)

As is the case for other centers of fiber, textile, and apparel production, New Zealand has faced increasing pressure from international competition and outsourcing of production to lower cost regions. In this context technology, innovation and collaboration are highly valued and like [TC]², the Textile and Design Lab at AUT university provides domestic companies with an opportunity to learn about and explore emerging technology systems.

Among domestic apparel manufacturers, knitwear is a key item of production and with this in mind, the T+DL uses Shima Seiki’s innovative Whole Garment Technology and a Shima accessory knitting machine as tools for research, new product development and short runs. In addition to technology for knitting, the T+DL is also equipped with Shima’s digital print system. This solution was developed by Shima Seiki to support digital printing on Whole Garment and fully fashioned knits. It is engineered as a flatbed machine with a scanning head that supports alignment of the print design based on the perimeter of the garment. The result is the ability to produce engineered prints that can be designed for an almost seamless appearance that spans the front and back of a knit product. The machine also supports printing of short fabric lengths that can be used for sewn product development or the creation of innovative designs.

Shima Seiki’s digital textile printing technology at the T+DL

Print on Knit and Beyond

This particular collection of technology offers the New Zealand industry as well as students and researchers at AUT with a unique opportunity to explore the potential of ‘print on knit’ for sweaters and other apparel items. Toward that end, the T+DL has invested in the development of garment samples that illustrate these innovative capabilities. I have included photographs of a recent project by AUT student designer, Alysha Gover, who received funding in support of this demonstration. Click the images below to view close-ups of Gover’s designs and visit the T+DL website http://www.tdl.aut.ac.nz to learn more about their technology and see additional product samples. Gover’s design work was also highlighted during The Digital Strategies Symposium.

Photos provided courtesy of Alysha Gover (photographer, Amy Yang and models, Sarah Davidson and Glenn Brown)
(Click each image for larger view)

While print on knit presents some challenges in terms of a production scenario, the current state of technology offers interesting design potential for manufacturers of more exclusive/higher end knit products. It is my understanding that there is a modest number of Shima Seiki print machines installed worldwide. The T+DL provides an intriguing resource that demonstrates both a unique opportunity for the New Zealand industry, as well as impetus for continued technology development in the digital garment printing area.

In addition to initiatives around print on knit, the team at the T+DL also harnesses their technology when working with New Zealand companies to explore innovative product concepts. A joint research effort with Zephyr Technology is one example of the kind of cooperative research and development undertaken. The project with Zephyr involved the integration of smart yarns and fully fashioned knitting in support of ongoing development of the company’s BioHarness™ wearable body monitoring technology. Other projects are often more fashion oriented as the T+DL provides print services to local product developers and designers. The team has also completed a number of high profile projects for the movie industry including printing costuming fabrics for ‘The Lovely Bones’ and developing knit items for a new production that is currently being filmed. The T+DL team presented a selection of these projects as case studies during The Digital Strategies Symposium.

The Digital Strategies Symposium

As I mentioned previously, participation in The Digital Strategies Symposium was one of the primary reasons for my visit to New Zealand. This event was coordinated by the T+DL in conjunction with the Textile Institute’s New Zealand Section and Fashion Industry New Zealand. I was joined by a collection of speakers that addressed a range of technology, innovation, and business topics relevant to the industry.

Paul Blomfield kicked off the first day of the symposium, representing Fashion Industry New Zealand (FINZ) and setting the stage for the program by shining light on some of the history and current state of the New Zealand fashion industry. He noted that in the past fashion trends were slow to hit the New Zealand market given the timing of seasons and the size and location of the country. It seems that trends in globalization and web-based communication of trend information have made the world a smaller place. New Zealand designers are looking to create their own statements and retailers and/or brands looking to expand beyond the New Zealand market despite tough economic conditions. The New Zealand brand, Ice Breaker, is an example of just such a global company. Ice Breaker (http://www.icebreaker.com/site/index.html) harnesses the properties of superfine merino wool to offer performance apparel products to outdoor enthusiasts.

Elizabeth Tennet from Textiles New Zealand reinforced this message. She mentioned that while some would consider wool to be a ‘sunset’ industry for New Zealand, the reality is that the country has a great product and a great story to tell. She spoke about the renewable/sustainable nature of wool, as well as advances in blending and processing that support the use of wool for a variety of applications. She noted the current trend of blending wool with possum hair to create a soft, luxurious yarn suitable for fashion and other applications. While possums are protected in other countries, they are considered to be a pest in New Zealand, causing extensive damage to forests and habitats important to native species such as the kiwi. Thus destroying the animal is considered a conservation effort with its hair a bi-product of this step.

Ladies Gloves Knit from Merino Possum Yarn

The positive story for wool was further echoed by Stewart Collie of AgResearch. Collie highlighted innovations that support lighter weights as well as softness and easy care for wool fabrics – among the primary issues that wool faces in terms of market acceptance. He also spoke about fiber blending and more technical applications such as the integration of conductive materials and the use of nano technologies to improve the performance of wool carpets. To learn more visit the AgResearch website at http://www.agresearch.co.nz/textiles/about-us.aspx

On the technology and innovation front, attendees heard from Derek Elley of Ponoko who highlighted the expansion of this company’s web based network for ‘make it yourself.’ Ponoko’s current offering allows individuals or companies to upload their product designs in a range of digital formats and connects the designer with a local making ‘hub’ that supplies material options and cutting services. The local provider prepares the cut pieces for the product and then ships these items to the designer for assembly. Upon completion, the assembled product can be reviewed and revised according to desire. The end customer for the product can be the designer or alternatively, the product can be offered to the public through sale or license via Ponoko’s on-line community. Furniture items are among the more popular products offered and to learn more visit http://www.ponoko.com/. While this business is not currently apparel or textile focused, the model is worthy of consideration, particularly as our industry sees advances in digital design and coloration methods.

Along the technology theme, symposium participants also heard from Tait Wichman of Wera who described the development of heated fabrics that integrate conductive yarns with knitted fabric construction for performance applications such as wet suits. Wichman notes that the product development effort has also included the integration of temperature control devices and batteries as a power source. Additional highlights in the area of technology included a Skype presentation by Diana Eng who emphasized the linkages between technology, design, and product innovation. She showed a variety of interesting examples including her own use of LED lights to create aesthetic effects. Follow this link http://fairytalefashion.org/about.php to learn more about Eng’s Fairytale Fashion Collection. Other technology presentations highlighted use of Shima Seiki knitting technology by domestic producers and the application of Gerber Technology cutting systems to support the manufacture of very large sails used to harness wind power on large ships. Angela Fraser, textile design instructor, provided a slightly different perspective on technology as she shared her exploration of digital printing and spoke about the role of the technology within the education setting at AUT.

Council of Textiles & Fashion Industries of Australia

In addition to my time spent in New Zealand, I was able to make a short stop in Melbourne to visit the Council of Textiles & Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA) http://www.tfia.com.au/home. During my stay I participated in a sustainability round table discussion in which various industry representatives presented brief statements regarding their role in the industry with respect to sustainability. I was joined by fellow staffer and spouse, Mike King who is part of [TC]² 3D Body Scanning development and implementation team. During this process the participants highlighted concerns with respect to areas including product safety, standards, testing, ethical employment and ecology. The goal of this session was to identify one or two key areas in which the participants might focus their attention as a means of driving a broader sustainability initiative for the Australian industry. In addition to our time with TFIA we also stopped in to see contacts at RMIT to share information regarding digital textile printing as well as 3D body scanning and analysis of body measurement data for garment sizing in reference to SizeUSA.

Jo-Anne Kellock (TFIA) and Kate Kennedy (RMIT). Kate is wearing a blouse constructed from silk printed at [TC]² via the InkDrop Printing service

In Thanks

As anyone that has travelled ‘down under’ knows, Kiwis and Aussies are tremendously gracious hosts. While the focus of my trip was education and research, my T+DL hosts made sure that I also had an opportunity to see some sites and exchange experiences with a variety of students and professionals working at the University. While in Australia we were pleased to attend the launch of the book, ‘Australian Fashion Unstitched, The Last 60 Years’, for which a chapter ‘The Business of Fashion’ was authored by Jo-Anne Kellock, the CEO for TFIA. I returned with many memories of local sites and sounds as well as the inspiration that comes through connection with other professionals. Many thanks to all of my hosts! Next month I will report on emerging technology solutions for digital textile printing seen at FESPA 2010.

Kerry King is responsible for managing applied research and consulting opportunities in areas related to new product development, garment fit and sizing, and application of digital textile printing and 3D garment development technologies. Kerry oversees the operation of [TC]²’s digital print service and is a recognized speaker and author in the digital textile printing field.

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[TC]² Activity
Lean Management and Manufacturing Systems

By Meryem Uluskan

In his book, The World Is Flat, Thomas Friedman looks at how globalization and technology advances affect people, companies and economies. As in other industries, fiber, textile and apparel companies are all coping with forces of change. Accelerating trends, industry consolidation, technology innovation and the influence of globalization are important factors to be considered. As was highlighted during the “Introduction to Apparel Manufacturing” seminar, which was held by [TC]² on June 7-11 in Cary, current fiber, textile and apparel industries are complex businesses which are exposed to increasing competitive challenges. During the last decade many textile companies closed due to a lack of keeping pace with industry trends. These companies failed to pay attention to the fundamentals of their business, failed to reduce costs and overlooked their customers’ requirements. Succeeding in today's global economic climate requires an even greater focus on improving quality, reducing costs, increasing productivity and implementing lean manufacturing strategies.

As was emphasized during the “Introduction to Apparel Manufacturing” seminar, it is essential to differentiate value-added activities vs. non-value added activities within the entire manufacturing process – in other words, it is important to determine which activities bring in money and which do not – and implement lean manufacturing. Throughout the entire supply chain of textile products, from procurement to customer delivery, there is a huge amount of non-value added steps for which the end customers are not willing to pay. As an example, it takes 4 to 6 weeks to produce a single t-shirt, where actual assembly of the final product takes only 4 minutes. Moreover, 187 steps are passed through to manufacture a basic t-shirt, where actually only 18 steps add value to the final product. Again, 67 people touch the product, where only 13 of them add value to the shirt. Many of these activities involve a lot of stocking, moving, and staging, which are all non-value added. At first, you might say “this is not us,” or “this is not how we do things.” However, if you analyze your processes closer, you will realize that this is real world data and “it is you!” Therefore, as stated during the seminar, it is crucial to strive to eliminate non-value added activities, search for new ideas and methods to improve quality, reduce costs and increase productivity to boost profits.

“Lean Business Practices” was one of the many topics covered during the seminar. “Manufacturing Systems Training” is among the practical trainings offered in which participants discovered the real world problems through hands-on exercises. Participants had the chance to experience the differences between “Traditional”, “Kanban”, and “Lean Team” manufacturing systems by participating in the “Penville Plant” exercise. Traditional production systems, especially in which operators are paid by piece rate, have many congestion problems regardless of the product, whereas Kanban and Lean Team manufacturing systems do not, because of their control over the work in process. Besides reduced work in process, improvement in quality levels, throughput time, and increased flexibility are among key advantages of the Kanban and Lean systems. In order to implement lean manufacturing systems, support and commitment throughout the organization and cross-training are essential.

Again, as was highlighted throughout the seminar, organizations must embrace improvement and lean management initiatives carefully. Communication must be a priority during the entire process. The organization must explain the reasons why changes are being implemented, understand the concerns of the employees and respond to the concerns, provide adequate training, and search for optimal solutions with employee input.

Meryem is originally from Turkey, and is a doctoral candidate in Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University.

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Member Profile - Juki America, Inc.

By Karen Davis, [TC]²

Juki America, Inc., headquartered in Doral, Florida, is a wholly own subsidiary of Juki Corporation of Japan. The company supplies Juki sewing machines, genuine parts and related products through an exclusive network of distributors strategically located throughout the Western Hemisphere. Juki America has served the sewn products industry since it was established in 1976 in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.

Juki Corporation, the parent company of Juki America, has been a world leader in sewing machine technology for over half a century. Juki's insight into the world of sewing machine manufacturing began with home machines in 1947, before progressing to basic industrial machines, electronic units and the automated sewing systems utilized today. The company’s dedication to the manufacture of the highest quality product awarded them the coveted Deming Prize for "Outstanding Achievement in Quality" in 1981. Throughout the years, Juki has continued to follow its manufacturing tradition of providing the customer with superior products through total quality control.

Juki America’s corporate philosophy is in line with that of Juki Corporation’s: “We Are Customer Satisfaction Professionals.” The organization constantly strives to advance its customer support systems for machine and parts sales, technical service and distribution. A distributor network provides sewn products manufacturers with outstanding customer service.

The Juki sewing machine line consists of virtually every type of machine needed for the production of apparel and heavy duty products. The latest product innovations have been released for tailored clothing, knits and active wear, jeans and denim, tailored clothing, general sewing, and heavy duty applications.


AC-172N-1790S Economy Type, Automatic Lockstitch Buttonhole Indexer with memory capacity up to 20 patterns and 30 buttonhole shapes.	AMS-224EGB10050 High Speed, Computer-Controlled Cycle Machine with expanded sewing area of 1000mm (X) x 500mm (Y).

For a complete listing of product offerings, contact Dorothy Fullam at 305-594-0059 or visit Juki’s website at www.juki.com.

[TC]² gratefully acknowledges Juki’s support of the Cool Zone at SPESA Expo 2010 by supplying the safety stitch and lock stitch sewing machines used in tote bag demonstration.

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¿Qué Talla es México?
A Sizing Study of the Population of Mexico

By Karen Davis, [TC]²

Cámara Nacional de la Industria de la Industria del Vestido (CNIV), the Mexican Apparel Industry Association, along with [TC]² is launching a sizing study of the Mexican population in early August.

Using [TC]²’s NX-16 3D body scanners, the study will target 16,000 individuals ages 18 to 65+ in four areas of the country – North, Central, Bajío (Guadalajara area), and the Southeast. Twelve cities are potential scan sites to attract a cross-section of the population. Each person will be scanned and will complete a demographic questionnaire that will address questions such as marital status, education levels, lifestyle definitions, and shopping preferences.

The survey has been reviewed with the Instituto Nácional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI), which is the Mexican government office in charge of statistics concerning populations, census, agriculture, manufacturing and many other industries. The site locations and number of subjects has been determined through consultation with INEGI to result in a valid representation of the population. The project also has the support of the Economic Ministry of Mexico.

No similar study has been conducted in Mexico, and with the information that will be derived from the survey, brands and manufacturers will be able to design and produce apparel that will fit a broader segment of the population.

[TC]² is working closely with CNIV to plan and conduct the sizing survey. Sponsors and scan sites are currently being sought. For more information, contact acastro@cniv.org.mx.

CNIV representatives Anneth Castro, Georgina Chavez and Alejandro Faes with
[TC]² staff members Tim Curran, Lourdes Perez, Karen Davis and Will Duncan.

CNIV has been in existence for over sixty-five years in Mexico. It operates throughout the territory to promote Mexican apparel. Its headquarters is located in Mexico City, and has nine state delegations.

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