Manufacturing Technology for Apparel Automation – Layup Module Part II: The Impact of Fabric Properties on the Gap Length between Two Slats

Applies a sound theory to predict in‐plane bending deformation of flexible beams under large overall motions to predict the locus of the trailing end of the ply during wiping off the conveyor surface of the layup machine. A computerized numerical solution was used to estimate the locus of the trailing end of the ply for seven woven fabrics of wide range of thickness, weight, and bending rigidity. The least square method was employed to obtain regression relationship between the horizontal and vertical displacement of the trailing end of the ply for each of the seven fabrics. The regression equations and the slat height were used to calculate the minimum gap between two slats of the stacking conveyor so that the fabric trailing end does not touch the top or the side surfaces of a slat during the layup process.