Stage 22 of 42 · Manufacturing

Cutting

Automatic knife and laser cutting with defect-aware nesting.

What really happens at this stage

Cutting converts marker plans into physical fabric components using automatic reciprocating-knife cutters, band knives for small parts, or CO2 laser systems for technical fabrics and fine detail. The lay is built to the height the cutter and fabric compressibility allow, typically limited by ply count and fusing tolerance, and is covered with a slip sheet or vacuum film to hold plies flat during the pass. Defect-aware nesting software reads fabric inspection maps generated during four-point inspection or on-loom scanning, and shifts pattern pieces around flagged flaw zones so no panel lands on a hole, stain, or slub. This raises effective marker efficiency slightly below the theoretical optimum but avoids costly second-cut replacement later.

Laser cutting adds value where seam sealing, sublimation edges, or synthetic fabrics benefit from a fused, non-fraying edge, and where intricate perforation or engraving is part of the design. It runs slower per layer than knife cutting and is usually reserved for single-ply or low-ply technical work, activewear, and sample rooms. After cutting, panels are swept, ply-numbered, and separated into bundle-ready stacks, with any spreader-induced bow or skew checked before parts leave the table. The cutting room is also where fabric-width and shrinkage variance first becomes visible as finished panel size, so feedback to the pattern and marker functions closes the loop for future lays.

How it is done

1
Confirm fabric readiness
Check relaxation time (typically 24 hours for wovens after unrolling), moisture conditioning, and inspection reports before releasing rolls to spreading.
2
Build the lay
Spread to the planned ply height, keeping tension even and edges aligned within a few millimetres; use a slip sheet on the top ply for knife cutters.
3
Load the defect-aware marker
Import the fabric flaw map into the nesting software and let it reposition pieces to avoid flagged zones before locking the final marker.
4
Run the cut
Execute the pass on the automatic knife or laser bed, monitoring blade sharpness, vacuum hold-down pressure, and cut-edge fusing quality on synthetics.
5
Verify panel accuracy
Spot-check critical dimensions against the pattern on a sample of panels from top, middle, and bottom plies to catch knife drift or ply shift.
6
Sort and stage bundles
Number plies sequentially, separate by size and colour, and route stacks to the bundling station with a cut ticket referencing the lay and marker used.

Key metrics (indicative targets)

Metric	Working target	Why it matters
Marker efficiency	80-88% indicative	Higher utilisation reduces fabric cost per garment, the largest variable cost in most styles.
Cut panel accuracy	Within a few millimetres of pattern	Undersized or oversized panels cause sewing seam and fit problems downstream.
Re-cut rate	Under 2% of panels, indicative	High re-cut rates signal fabric defects, ply shift, or blade condition issues eating into margin.
Cutting room throughput	Plies per hour by machine type	Tracks capacity planning against daily cutting load and order due dates.
Fabric relaxation compliance	Meets internal relaxation window	Cutting unrelaxed fabric causes dimensional shrinkage after sewing that shows up as fit failures.

Targets are indicative working ranges, not standard or legal limits.

Control points to check and sign off

Fabric inspection and relaxation records checked before spreading
Ply height and tension verified against the approved cutting standard
Defect map applied and confirmed in the nesting software before cutting
Sample panel measurements checked across top, middle, and bottom of the lay
Cut ticket and bundle numbering reconciled against the order quantity

Common pitfalls and their consequences

Cutting fabric before full relaxation, causing shrinkage-driven size faults after sewing
Ignoring the fabric defect map, resulting in flawed panels reaching sewing and rework later
Running excessive ply height for the fabric type, producing bottom-ply dimensional drift
Skipping blade or laser lens maintenance, leading to ragged edges and fraying
Mismatched bundle numbering against lay sequence, causing shade banding within a garment

Main activities

Production planning and line balancing
Cutting, bundling and sewing operations
Printing, embroidery and value-add processes

Quality risks

Ply shift
Skew

Sustainability risks

Cutting waste

AI opportunities

Defect-aware AI markers

Official sources

Learn the skills used at this stage

Free GarmentEd lessons with worked calculations, checklists and practice questions for the work described above.

Also relevant: Bundling, Numbering and Traceability, Compressed-Air Systems, Consumption and Cost Control, Occupational Health and Safety, Pattern Risk and Tolerance Management, Preventive and Predictive Maintenance, Spare Parts and Maintenance Planning, Spreading Technology.

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