TO AVOID BECOMING EXTINCT IN THE UNITED STATES THE GARMENT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY MUST REPLACE ITS PRESENT LABOR INTENSIVE, PIECEMEAL, CUT AND SEW PROCEDURES BY AUTOMATED SYSTEMS METHODS.

TO AVOID BECOMING EXTINCT IN THE UNITED STATES THE GARMENT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY MUST REPLACE ITS PRESENT LABOR INTENSIVE, PIECEMEAL, CUT AND SEW PROCEDURES BY AUTOMATED SYSTEMS METHODS. ONE OF THE MORE PROMISING APPROACHES INVOLVES THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOTHING FROM THERMOPLASTIC FABRICS SUCH AS ACETATE, NYLON, POLYESTER, ETC. BY MEANS OF HEAT FORMING, HEAT BONDING AND ULTRASONIC BONDING TECHNIQUES. THESE PROCEDURES COULD BE READILY IMPLEMENTED VIA AN AUTOMATED PRODUCTION LINE PROCESS USING ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO OBTAIN REALIABEL QUANTITATIVE DATA REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE AND TIME UPON THE MOLDING / BONDING CHARACTERISTICS OF SEVERAL OF THE MORE WIDELY USED THERMO- PLASTIC FABRICS. EACH FABRIC WOULD HAVE TO BE TESTED ON SEVERAL MOLD SHAPES (CUP, SHOULDER CONTOUR, CREASE) REPRESENTING STANDARD CLOTHING CONTOURS. THE RESULTS OF A BACKGROUND STUDY CONDUCTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI BY THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR HAS CONFIRMED THE POTENTIAL OF THESE METHODS AND JUSTIFIED THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROPOSED HEREIN. IN COOPERATION WITH THE APPAREL PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT OF THE FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, SYMAGERY PRODUCTIONS, INC. IS PREPARED TO OBTAIN THE FIRST RELIABLE, QUANTITATIVE DATA ON THE PARTICULAR PROPERTIES OF THERMOPLASTIC FABRICS PERTINENT TO DEVELOPING AN AUTOMATED SYSTEMS APPROACH TO GARMENT PRODUCTION. PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF POSSIBLE PROCESSING METHODOLOGY WILL ALSO BE CONSIDERED. SOME PROTOTYPE GARMENTS WILL BE REPRODUCED TO PERMIT VALID TECHNICAL / AESTHETIC EVALUATIONS.