Clothing Technology at the End of the Millennium - State and Predictable Directions of Development

Abstract

The remarkable scientific, technical and organisational achievements having affected the development of clothing technology and engineering at the end of this millennium, which are expected to have similar influences also at the beginning of the next century, are described in the paper Within the range of technical development the influence of microprocessors, microcomputers, mechatronics, numerical control, NC sewing machines and robots is described. The origin and significance of intelligent sewing machines, fuzzy logistics and neuronic networks as well as measuring systems for an objective evaluation of textile characteristics is also described. A survey of the state of logistics in clothing technologies, of anthropometrical characteristics and new systems for contactless measurement of body sizes is given. Within the range of the conceptual and organisational development and structure of the clothing technology and industry the development and characteristics of modular production systems and team work, concept of global production and sales, social influence on development, meaning of knowledge and expert systems as well as meaning of CIM and HIM concepts are described.