Digital Micro Factories: integrated production process from design to final product

The Digital Textile Microfactory, coordinated by DITF Denkendorf, demostrates a fully networked and integrated production process starting from the design up to the final product. This enables the fabrication of indivualised products in lotsize 1. Various technologies and research activities contribute to the concept and make three different lines possible. 1. ln the Fashion Linie weil known industry partners demonstrate all process steps from the design of a fashion product up to to the garment making are shown. Consistent digital engineering enables the production of small Iot sizes either for sampling or for personalised products. 2. The Technical Line shows a highly automated production process of small bags that is economically feasible even for lotsize 1, as colour and size can be individualised. 3. The Knitting Line, setup in cooperation with Stall, presents the automised fabrication of 3Dknitted fabrics for shoes. An algorithm takes up the 3D-models of shoe lasts and translates them in a 2D knitting pattern that can even be coloured individually. This allows rapid prototyping in real-time and thus shortens the product development cycle. Such seamless digital production technologies are the starting point of new new research activities in terms of materials, processes, algorithms, data integration and last but not least management concepts and business models.