Lectra Pattern Cutting

Lectra is the main developer for software and hardware for fashion and textiles. Lectra also provide educational packages. The company started in 1973 in France, it is now well established in the UK. Many high street businesses would struggle with out the use of CAD and CAM. It today’s fashion world many companies are using the software programmes; there are many different programmes available so even the smaller businesses can use the technology. To use this technology and really benefit from it you would still need to have the skills to do it manually. With Lectra you can make decisions early in the development process, you can re-use artwork, different blocks and ideas, it saves time therefore money; it also reduces human error and reduces sampling costs. With Lectra companies can share information quickly and easily with other people in the industry. It can also save courier costs.
There are many different programmes; there is textiles design for prints, knits and woven’s. It does one button repeats, it can develop your designs in repeat, and does colour management. It saves time, speeds up or eliminates repetitive jobs, it gives the designer more time to be creative, and has better communication. Fashion design can create range plans, do fashion illustrations, theme boards and specifications. It has tools for fashion sketching, symmetry, stitch lines, it also has style libraries. It saves time and makes fast amendments, automatic updating, and has searchable files and a complete archive. It also is better for communication and can help make faster decisions. Modaris 3D can shorten the lead lines. Can do 2D patterns or can have 3D mannequins. Holds fabric information and mechanical fabric properties. It also has professional fitting tools. It has an optimized product specification. Modaris also cost effective and can save up to 2-3 weeks in development time. In manufacturing with the Lectra software and hardware it can plan markers, it optimizes fabric usage, the machines can load the tables cut the fabric and off load the tables. It cuts faster and more fabric. It also slows down when the pieces are closer together to be more accurate around them. It can tell where the motifs are and where they need to be. It also can e-mail the staff for support. Modaris is the programme that is used to produce patterns. It makes patterns more accurate and faster to create. You can digitise patters and shapes in to create a more advance pattern or to adapt a block. Patterns can also be graded by using this software. Communication is simple and easy.
I have really enjoyed using Modaris, I found that I seemed to pick it up quite well and have been able to complete all my tasks. I think it is a bit tricky to use and there are a lot of functions to get used to but in time and with practise they would come eventually. I feel it ensures that my patterns are a lot more accurate and simple processes are a lot faster e.g. adding seam allowances and pivoting darts. I also found that when it printed out of the plotter it was quick to pull apart which saved on cutting time as it was already perforated.
To get to know more about Modaris and learn more on the programe I decided to do my patterns for my sport vs fashion project on modaris. I digitised different shapes in for my panels and used a block that was already saved on the system. i struggled at first, but i soon got the hang of it and managed to finish my pattern. i also now need to go back after my toile review and do a few symple alterations to the pattern, this will now be a much quicker process.