"Without integrated CAD, the process is not only cumbersome and time-consuming, but it also increases the chances of error in the exchange of information," notifies Mr Brewster, VP-Global Marketing & Product Management, Gerber Technology, in a talk with fibre2fashion team.

When fashion companies are looking for a PLM solution, a key consideration should be the extent to which that solution’s CAD and PLM products can be integrated. The typical fashion product lifecycle requires data entry by several different departments within the company -- as well as several different suppliers and manufacturers. The importance of accuracy of information to create a “single version of the truth” and achieve effective collaboration between all parties is critical. Instantaneous and accurate information flow between CAD, PDM and PLM speeds the development process, reduces costs, avoids errors in production and maintains consistency in quality and fit.

Unfortunately, many fashion companies may not realize or take advantage of the tremendous business value of fully integrated CAD and PLM. Often times, companies choose a CAD product based on the particular needs of one department, and choose a PLM product based on the preferences of another department -- without considering the integration between them. When companies make ad-hoc departmental buying decisions instead of synergistic and strategic organizational buying decisions, they miss the opportunity to reap significant business benefits from the integration of products. By seizing opportunities for savings in their business processes, fashion companies can achieve gains in overall business profitability.

Through collaboration, brand owners and manufacturers will make revisions to patterns and will want those changes seamlessly and quickly communicated to all parties in the process. Each pattern includes an enormous amount of technical information (such as the amount of fabric, grading, etc.) that must be shared with manufacturers for costing, the creation of samples and ultimately, production. In order to ensure accurate and consistent fit from diverse suppliers in an array of global locations, one set of properly engineered and balanced blocks or patterns must be provided and consistently utilized. Marker visibility in the development and sourcing process is important for reducing waste and improving fabric utilization.

If CAD is not integrated, revised information must be exported and manually attached to the technical specifications each time a change is made. Additionally, this manual approach does not easily support the high level of detail and accuracy needed for manufacturers to execute precisely. Without integrated CAD, the process is not only cumbersome and time-consuming, but it also increases the chances of error in the exchange of information. In fashion, speed-to-market is critical, and mistakes are costly.

Full integration provides a much deeper level of detail than standard integration and enables better collaboration, planning and costing between all parties in the product development lifecycle. With tight integration between CAD and PDM technologies, fashion companies are better able to manage their global supply chain and achieve better quality and more consistent fit in the end-consumer product.

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