Some of the frequently asked questions and comments of customers and our answer or comment.



1. Our fabric is so bad that it will not work with the system.


Answer: Of course there is difficult or bad fabric around, especially powerloom fabric from India is probably in most cases not good enough to use the system to its full extend in a smooth process. But even for powerloom fabric the VEITH Pin Table will normally help to improve the fabric consumption, achieve better quality and reduce the needed labour time.


As far as mill made fabrics are concerned, fabrics are - according to our experience - much better than it is generally believed, with the consequence that the majority of fabrics can be used and processed on the VEITH Pin Table.


Matching checks and stripes in a proper way is more a question of establishing an appropriate method and avoiding typical faults. That is exactly what VEITH SYSTEM does. i.e. VEITH SYSTEM delivers not only the VEITH Pin Table, but a complete package including the software VEITH PinIT, which supports the system and guides the user in the process, plus the training for doing the transfer of our particular Application Know How.


When it comes to knitted fabric, the result will depend more on the stenter process than on the knitting machine. VEITH SYSTEM has a special VEITH Pin Table for knitwear in the programm. Producing knitted fabric means to generate the fabric in a circular process, and when it comes to stripes (yarn dyed fabric) these stripes are a spiral. When the fabric is opened for the next step, these stripes will become inclined lines  in the fabric. So the VEITH Pin Table for knitwear has a feature to turn the needle bars in such a way so that it is now also possible to follow the inclination of the stripes. Besides that the other logic is quite the same.



2. We can not use the system, if we can not use it for all of our fabrics.


Ans: In the field of mill made fabrics experience shows that (90% -) 95% - 98% of the fabrics are good enough to use the VEITH Pin Table with the benefit of saving fabric and reducing the labor time. When working according PinIT, the process is defined so clearly and strictly that, before cutting off the fabric, it becomes obvious, that a particular used fabric is not applicable. I.e. such rare case some work preparation time might be lost and the time for planing the marker is lost, but no fabric is lost. So this process, which we call 'PinIT process' opens a new perspective for working with checks and stripes.


Today you are in the situation to treat all your fabric as if it is bad fabric, i.e. all pieces, which need matching, will get a blocking tolerance, because you do not know, which fabric is good and which one is not so brilliant. Due to the PinIT process you now have the full control of your process and you will implement automatically a permanent quality control of your fabric. During spreading you can sort out the difficult fabric from the good one. The good one is processed in a very efficient way, saving fabric and saving labour time. The difficult fabric will be treated the old fashioned way. So you will be the first time in the driver seat and can make decisions, which fabric to use in which way. We do not promise that our method is working with all fabrics, but it is fine for the big majority.


So with a probability of 95%+/- the fabric is good enough and an important portion of fabric and labor time can be saved. It is a bit like a bet, where the probablity to win is better than 95%. With a bit flexibility you can save a lot on your fabric costs.




3. Can we use a spreading machine for spreading the fabric ?


Ans: No, spreading and matching fabric on the VEITH Pin Table is a manual process, where a spreading machine will not improve anything.



4. Spreading the fabric on the VEITH Pin Table is so slow, my system is faster.


Ans: As a matter of fact using the VEITH Pin Table means to save between 30% and 50% of the complete labour time used for spreading and matching checked or striped fabrics. If someone compares just the spreading time, it might appear that using the VEITH Pin Table is slower. But it is important to count also the time for block cutting and single piece matching and final cutting, i.e. when comparing a method with the VEITH Pin Table process, it is important to count all necessary process time from the state when the fabric is still on the roll until the finished pieces can leave the cutting room.



5. How high can we spread the fabric ?


This is mainly a question of how long it is possible to avoid tension within the lay package, which easily can be seen when the pins start to bend, i.e. a bit a question of the quality of the fabric and the skill of the people and the diameter of the used pins. E.g. in shirts sometimes each roll of fabric needs to be spread separately and sometime 2 or 3 rolls of fabric can be combined. Using PinIT will help to combine those rolls, where the repeat is close enough for a proper process.


Besides that the question implies a bit wrong focus. The background of this question is mainly the concern about cutting costs, i.e. the higher a lay package the lower my cutting costs will be. But using the VEITH Pin Table for matching will have also a high influence on fabric savings. Fabric costs are in the typical countries, where garments are manufactured today, the major cost factor. So fabric represents often approximately 65% -70% of the total costs, whereas labour represents 8% -10% of the total costs. In the field of woven fabric we can expect to save between 2% - 5% of the fabric, i.e. 1.3% -3.5% of the total costs. In knitwear our typical saving range is 5% - 10%, i.e. 3.2% - 7% of the total costs. When we compare the saving potential on the labour side we have to understand that the costs in the cutting room are just a fraction of the total labour costs and the costs for cutting the fabric are again a fraction of the labour cost generated in the cutting room, i.e. a fraction of the fraction of the total labour costs.


This explains, why it is more important to make sure that the savings on the fabric side will happen and accepting to cut perhaps 2 times. So the fabric savings have to be the top focus and labour costs should have just a lower priority. By this the total costing situation will be improved i.e. optimized – that is what counts. Besides that our experience shows that we anyway save also on the labour side. When you compare with the previous question (4) our expectation is in the range of 30% -50%, but this is before background of the total costing situation often not much more than an extra benefit.



6. What about Training ?


Ans: VEITH together with their agents do not supply only the hardware, but also the application know how. This makes the difference and makes sure that you will achieve a maximum of benefits.


The training is not the instruction of how to use the VEITH Pin Table mechanically, but it starts in the field of marker making, where VEITH has developed certain rules and strategies in planing markers, which help to overcome problems caused by unequal repeats. When using PinIT the training starts even before, where the repeats of the fabrics have to be measured in a correct way.


The training covers after marker making the practical use of the VEITH Pin Table and then later also strategies on how to cut the finished lay package. Especially when an automatic Cutter is used, this part of the training shows some special tricks to achieve good results.


So the training is an important part of the system, in order to establish a correct process for handling checks (plaids) and stripes and patterns in the production. Somehow VEITH SYSTEM and their agents do not delivery just the 'piano' but teaches you also 'how to play the piano'.



7. What will be the fabric saving ?


Ans. Experience shows that we typically save 2% -5% in the field of woven fabric and %% - 10% in the field of knitted fabric. But with out a detailed knowledge about a particular situation we can not make exact predictions. If you can send us some sample markers showing the present way of working, we can estimate the particular saving potential. Based on that we can do a ROI calculation.



8. What will be fabric saving compared to a 'million hole table' ?


Ans: A 'million hole table', i.e. a table with a grid of holes e.g. 2x2 cm, is not designed to do a matching of complete lays but mainly to relay pieces coming from block-cutting. Blocking means unnecessary additional fabric consumption. These 'million hole tables' were in the past small tables with a size to put 1-2 pieces on it. With the success of the VEITH Pin Table manufactures of these million hole tables extended the size to match our system and were claiming that they can do the same job like a VEITH Pin Table. The truth is, a 'million hole table' will not solve the problem - it is and remains a re-lay table


Where as with VEITH's PinIT process the main work starts in the CAD planing markers according to the VEITH SYSTEM rules and strategy avoiding blocking tolerances, then the setup of the VEITH Pin Table will be planed with help of PinIT according to the conditions of the marker. After setting up the VEITH Pin Table according to the calculations of PinIT the fabric is spread and matched in a complete ply, i.e. it is a combined work step of spreading and matching helping to save labour time. Then the finished and in itself matched lay package can be net cut. Cutting can be done on an automatic cutter, if available.


So the advantages will not be only fabric savings of 2%-5% (-10% +), but also labor savings and a higher accuracy, i.e. better quality



9. What is the process on Conventional or Normal RE-LAY TABLE ?

Ans: During the process of cutting (CAD-planing) we should allocate the blocking space of all the matching pieces. These pieces should be block cut and moved for matching on a Re-lay table (='million hole table') piece by piece to get a perfect match. The classic dimension of this table is 1.2 m x 1.5 m.

10. What is the concept when using the VEITH Pin Table ?

Ans: The concept of the VEITH Pin Table is to spread a 2 ( 3 -(4)) size marker directly on the pinning table. Once the lay is ready we can do net cutting. Please note, we are typically not re-relaying the pieces; only sometimes, if fabric is too inconsistent, we might need to relay 1 or 2 pieces. I.e. we normally do not need the blocking tolerances, even when we come in the situation of relaying because our accuracy is not good enough for doing the net cut immediately, but still this accuracy is so high that we need just a little space for the relaying – this space we have normally anyway in a marker with matching. So avoiding these blocking tolerances is the main source, from where our fabric savings come.



11. What will be the Labour Saving ?


Ans: 30% to 50% labour saving. This is compared to the manual cutting process. On the VEITH Pin Table, we require only two persons to spread the fabric.



12. What will be the production capacity ?


Ans: Around 500 - 600 shirts per table per shift with 2 laying people. We have customers reporting up to 750 shirts in checks and 850 shirts in stripes. So 500- 600 is a conservative guess.


Other production figures are:

Jackets : 250 - 300 - Trousers : 350-550 - Knit Polos : 500 to 700



13. Today we have to cut extra size collar and collar band, which we have to adjust by trimming after fusing.


Ans: With the right fabric we should be able to cut Collar and collar band so accurate, that they just need to be checked and perhaps 5-10% need a bit trimming. I.e. with the VEITH Pin Table we will have here labor saving and a bit fabric saving.



14. Today we have to cut front placket with extra width and both the front panels together. After fusing as per the feature line, we have to trim off the extra.


Ans: Same comment as under 13.) With the VEITH Pin Table and PinIT we will need not that extra, 2-3 mm should be enough. I.e. here we will have with the VEITH Pin Table a chance to save more fabric.




15. Today we also have to allow 1 cm extra width on both front panels together

which we have to trim in process after left front placket attach and right front hem keeping both the fronts together.

Ans: Please refer to 13.) and 14.)



16. Today pocket have to be cut big.


Ans: Please refer to 13.) and 14.) and as long as the position of the pocket on the front has a tolerance of about 3-5mm , i.e. it can be moved around so that the check then matches perfectly, this is not necessary, because of the accuracy of the VEITH Pin Table and the PinIT process. I.e. here we can save again important fabric



17. Today we are able to cut yoke ready. However, in few yokes the alignment goes off which we has to be adjusted subsequently.

Ans: With the VEITH Pin Table and PinIT the result should be even better, i.e.
labor saving.



18. Today we are able to ready cut sleeves without any problem.

Ans: Great, we will be be able to deliver the same quality or better or allow for
higher matching standards.



19. Today we ready cut sleeve plackets, up one repeat.
There is no problem.


Ans: Please refer to 18.)



20. What is the size of the standard table ?


Ans: For woven fabrics the standard VEITH Pin Table is 4 m long long x 1,7m wide. In the field of knitted fabrics we have table width of 1,98, 2,12, 2,26, 2,40 m width available



21. Can we extend this table ?


Ans: Firstly, I would like to inform that the VEITH Pin Table is a modular design, i.e. the extensions on the table is possible in the multiples of 2 m In the field of woven fabrics it is practically not recommended to go beyond 4 m length for pinning due to the reasons of the fabric variations. For knitted fabrics we sometimes can go up to 6m.



22. Analyze our existing process, and explain us the process/manpower benefits by use of pin table.


Ans: Please fill in the questionnaire and let us have some sample markers showing your present way of working with checks and strips. This will give us enough information for an initial analysis to estimate your saving potential.



23. Analyze the marker and suggest fabric saving by the pin table.


Ans: Please fill in also the questionnaire. We then will analyze your present method and let you have an estimate of your saving potential.



24. Please let us know what is PinIT software mentioned several times. Is it a part of a package?


Ans: It is a software to organize the necessary steps mainly in shirts manufacturing. It supplies necessary data to your CAD system, so that your planning of the marker is based on the correct parameters. After marker making it is used to plan the set up of the VEITH Pin Table, i.e. work preparation for the cutting room.


All in all there is a mathematical concept of handling checks in an more efficient way. We

- start with the fabric measuring the repeat and other geometric parameters

- then calculate important data to be used in marker making, putting us in the position to plan the marker with net patterns (i.e. no blocking i.e. smaller pieces)

- then planing the setup of the VEITH Pin Table (i.e. where the pins have to go) in close relation to the marker and the repeat at the same time

- delivering a report for the cutting room so that the next steps are organized.


In the end we get a synchronization of fabric repeat, marker and pin positions, which is the secret how we can achieve the high quality. PinIT hides these mathematical operations and guides the user to follow the carefully designed process in a few simple steps.


Just recently we have launched an extended version of PinIT (professional edition) for woven fabrics. This new version is making the user much more efficient, by supporting the set up planning on the screen using the cut-data of the CAD system. In the standard version this has to be done by hand on paper.


Yes, it is part of the package.


25. What are the different widths of the table ?


Ans: 170 cm is the standard width for woven fabric, from there every 14 cm addition width is available, where especially 212 and 240 cm are more often used dimensions in the field of knitwear.



26. What are the sizes of the needles ?


Ans: For shirts we use typical 1.0 mm thickness needles. This is a special round tip pin, which and does not damage the fabric. Besides that we have pins in 1.4 and 1.8mm in the program, all also with a rounded tip. For knitted fabrics we often use the 1.4 mm pin, which also does not damage the fabric.



27. What is the ROLL STAND ?


Ans: We supply a roll stand to hold the fabric rolls plus the under lay paper and if CNC cutting is established the roll of polyethylene. The same will be placed back of the VEITH pinning table and the fabric is pulled from the roll stand before pinning.



28. What are NEEDLE PLATES ?


Ans: VEITH Needle Plates are used to pin the lay from the top (clamps) prior to moving the lay into the cutting table or Gerber Cutter.



29. Do we require AIR FLOATATION ?


Ans: AIR FLOATATION is required for heavy lay packages in order to move the lay package from the pinning table to the buffer table without distortion.



30. Is this machines compatible with CNC CUTTERS ?


Ans: Yes this is compatible to automatic CUTTERS, we have best experiences with Gerber Cutters with InVision.


31. What is the power requirements ? Do we require any compressed air ?


Ans: The power requirement is 3x 400 V/1.5 kW for air flotation blower. For the optional cutting device compressed air will be required.

 

VEITH SYSTEM - COMPETENCE in MATCHING CHECKS, STRIPES and PATTERNS