I took my portfolio to TFS studios in Reddish and the Manager Geoff Windle was that impressed with my painting of a Motorbike that he took it out of the office and said look at this everyone. I had the interview and he said he will be in contact. 

The next day I got a phone call and was offered the job. I was over the moon for gaining a career as a trainee Design Separation Artist reproducing designs for the furnishing and fashion industry on a yearly wage of £3500. 

I was one of two Trainees and started to learn the intricacies of design separation. This was a specialised career and all my work was hand painted. 

I remember going on a day trip with TFS to the ABC Printworks in Hyde and seeing all the textile machinery and printing machines and huge vats of indigo dyes where the African Batik designs were printed.

It was like going back in time with men at the top of the cloth unfurling machine opening and closing his arms with the cloth as it sped through the printing machines with the wax resist and indigo dyes and the cracking machines where it made the individual Batik design textiles for the African Market.

It was quite often the case if we had a Batik design of a tribal leader that was commissioned for his ceremonial robes that half way through producing the Batik Textile Design that production had to be halted as the Tribal leader was killed in a take over coop in some remote township.

I also remember Strines printworks where they used to print textiles for furnishing and fashion it was an old Cotton mill and printworks where they printed Rotary screen prints and copper roller printing for more expensive designs such as Liberty designs

There was a story that a Ghost haunted the strines printworks and lots of workers saw him

I also remember going to Scotland to Stead Mcalpine printworks with Lisa Haseldon  and Geoff Windle the TFS Studio Manager. We were treated like royalty having a meal in the chief executives dining room with water service and a tour around the printworks discussing the designs we were doing at the time. 

Geoff Windle was a Gay man and he was a really good artist and manager I remember going to his flat in Lower Broughton Salford and seeing his huge painting of King Charles X of France . He was a very talented Artist and a good man. He sadly died of Aids

His funeral was attended by all the TFS Studio artists and was well respected

I became one of the best sketchmakers in the studio, there were lots of really nice and good people at TFS however there were a few people who did not like me at TFS for reasons beyond me. 

I remember being tripped up on purpose by a work colleague, I was fuming and I cornered him in one of the photo rooms and said if he ever did something like that again I will rip his head off. He never bothered me again

I learnt about photography from Charlie Dodd who was head of the photo department in TFS and we became good friends. He enjoyed motorbiking like I did and photography and also hiking at that time, we went on a walking trip one year to the peak district with his family and we climbed for hours and slept under the stars at night. I cooked his family breakfast in the morning and headed back to camp. I was that knackered I slept for hours afterwards. 

Charlie was a very good photographer and taught me the basics of photography and he taught me to take and develop my own black and white photos. and also mentored me on taking wedding Photos for friends. He was a good man and I respected him very much. 

He sadly died in 1996. I produced a painting for his family to remember him by. The family was very pleased with this, but a work colleague began to slag me off and started bitching about this to everybody. which made me very annoyed.

I was going through a crisis and began to suffer from paranoia, events and happenings through the media and everyday life began to affect me and I was going through constant persecutions. 

I believed that the media had been informed of what I had done at work and they were rolling the story out to the press and TV. 

I felt that the events were getting out of control and all the time the media circus was building momentum and was controlling the events around me. I was spiralling into deep depression and paranoia, insomnia took control and I was having constant panic attacks. I was out of my mind with worry, I was constantly stressed, and in constant fear for my job and family for months on end.

I felt I had nowhere to turn to for help and went to the doctors, I was very worried for my career and losing my job and was anxious. I saw the Doctor and was worried I needed time off sick as I was stressed and I had a panic attack in the doctors and as I was explaining my feelings to the doctor I felt that an invisible devil appeared next to me and the doctor looked afraid, he then passed a referral onto see a psychiatrist, it was as though I had been passed onto something more sinister. 

I had a few panic attacks over the next few weeks and I went to the Citizens Advise Centre and Job centres with no help. I eventually went to a careers advisor who pointed me in the right direction, 

​

During undertaking my degree in my first year I had a nervous breakdown in the winter of 1996, a month after Eileen’s mum died of cancer. I began to go through a lot of stress related problems caused by the trauma experienced by my old works and recent deaths. I tried to commit suicide at home after experiencing acute stress, 

I was constantly being bombarded with messages from the TV and media and everyday life events and happenings such as the death of Eileen’s mum and Charlie. I believed I was responsible for Eileens mums death and believed that my colleagues connections with the masons had intervened and were now taking control of all happenings around me. I believed that they made her suffer and that a higher force was at work, either by government control, thought control, mind control, masonic laws, or Gods laws. 

I was constantly in the belief that my family was in danger and that I was being mentally terrorized and abused on a constant basis. I felt my whole life had been controlled from the beginning and that I was being Bugged by some controlling force such as the government or police. I felt that my phone and house was tapped. I finally snapped and tried to commit suicide by taking an overdose at home. 

​

Stress on levels unknown before had erupted into madness, slipping into a zombie state and out of control I commit suicide, as no more I can take, in the belief if I end this my family would be ok. My Heartbeat slows and stops as my last breath is taken from me, Visions of demons come to life out of the TV looking and searching for what they need. Disappointed at the suicide note, they shout condemnations and disappear to where they came. Moments later I feel a Breath of life as though an Angel was breathing life into me once more. My Life flows back to me slowly and I am dazed, sitting there confused. I hear a knock on the door and my mum and dad enter the room and find me at home collapsed and, in a state,, they drive me to the Royal Hospital on Oxford Road and I got treatment for the effects of an overdose. 

​

I stayed in Hospital for a few nights under observation and I recover in hospital believing Jeremy Beadle will pop out any minute to say it is all just a joke. I check for listening devices and convinced a higher force is at work, I see a priest in Hospital who took his dog collar off as I was trying to explain my feelings, He became angry and I felt confused and worried, he asks me to go to the church in Hospital and I see patients with illnesses. I believed that it was all staged for my benefit and it all felt false, I believed Jeremy beadle was about to leap out at any time and began to laugh, he never turned up and I was confused. The doctors allowed me to go home on the proviso that I saw a Psychiatrist and I stayed at my mum and dads for a while as Eileen couldn’t cope with me at that time. 

 
I was having constant panic attacks believing that my family and friends were in danger and horrible things were going to happen to everybody around me and that it was all my fault and it was all out of my control, I was constantly telephoning Eileen, my family and friends seeing if they were alright to reassure me that everything was ok. 

​

I saw a psychiatrist, and all is well, I just pop another pill and safety, peace and calm comes back and life slowly goes back to normal. The trauma I experienced has had a profound effect on my life and I knew I had to overcome my stress, 

I went back to University and home and underwent a lot of trauma and psychological happenings and events for years which also affected my speech. I lost my voice due to the stress and struggled with my panic attacks, anxiety and paranoia for several years. 

​

I was able to enhance my abilities at University but was struggling trying to cope with my stress. 

I was not able to put in a 100% in University and work due to the stress. I enjoyed producing my dissertation in my final Year which was based on researching the state of the textile industry.

I conducted interviews and questionnaires to many of the leading textile companies around Manchester including my old company TFS. My old manager advised me that when I left, productivity and profits went down, and he showed me statistics that proved this. 

I did not like going back to my old works but knew I had to face my demons, Some of my old work colleagues did not let on to me and I knew they did not like me one bit, I felt that they had unfinished business with me and I knew I made the right choice to leave the company 

I was able to produce my dissertation gaining a mark of 87%. This was a thorough research project which took a year to produce, my research uncovered many aspects of the industry that came to fruition in later years and I was able to predict the decline of the textile designers and separation artists place in the industry. 

I worked for a company called Barry Ward design on a freelance basis, I produced separation work for them but they went bankrupt and I was owed £350 from them, they knew they were going into administration but they took advantage of me and let me continue working for them until they closed, This company knew TFS and I am certain my old employer  had put in a bad word about me for this to happen. 

I also gained a work placement with Repeatz Design in my final year at University as a sales man selling designs at the into home exhibition based in Manchester gmex centre. I was selling designs to all the leading textile companies, this was an opportunity to meet clients and possible employers in the textile industry. I had a panic attack here and I met my old Manager who looked annoyed at me being there, I am certain that he had spread a bad word about me, I also saw the manager of Barry Ward Design laughing behind my back.

I was doing a print course in my second Year and the tutor was off ill, a replacement tutor took over, this was a colleagues friend and I believed she was going to fail me, so I told Bronwen Hargreaves about this and she ensured that this did not happen, I knew they  Had tried and failed in his attempts at causing more distress to me. There is an old saying "just because your paranoid doesn't mean there not out to get you". How true this is. 

In my final year at University I went to design studio visits in New York showing my portfolio to potential employers and was offered a position from one of the studios as a Textile Designer for a fashion design company producing textile designs. 

I was chuffed to bits that I was offered the position and thought this could be the offer I needed to change my career and achieve my dream of becoming a textile designer.

I had to make a decision to go for the job or stay in England, Unfortunately the wage was not very good and I would not have been able to send money back to Eileen so I made the decision to stay in England. 

I then undertook commissioned paintings for people on a freelance basis such as portraits and landscapes and various paintings for people whoever required my services. This work was sporadic, and I couldn’t sell enough of the artwork to make a living out of. I also worked as a freelance separation artist for Meshtex in Poynton reproducing designs for textiles, this helped me whilst at University on a part time basis. 

I continued working as a sales assistant for Homestyle in White City Retail Park from my part time job at University moving to assistant manager then manager in a couple of years with Rosebys, this was a fulfilling role and I gained valuable experience as a manager that has benefitted me in many aspects of life. 

​

I applied for a position for a Textile designers job with Zap Creations who were children’s bedding suppliers, I knew one designer there who was from University and had the interview with a really lovely woman who was kind. I left and waited for the response if I got the job or not. A couple of days later the postman was very early and woke me in the morning as the letter dropped on the doormat, 

I instinctively knew this was a letter from ZAP creation and went downstairs and got the post. I came back upstairs and opened the letter in bed, the room was still dark and as I opened the letter a blue spark emerged like static electricity. I felt that the letter was sealed with Angel lips but knew I had not got the position, I felt that I had fallen from grace and this was the reason for not getting the job.

I then worked in call centres for 22 years and had lots of breakdowns over the years, I then went to Cognitive behavioural therapy CBT through recommendations by the doctor and psychiatrist and I was able to turn all my negative stress over the years into positives 

Although I never achieved my target of being a Textile designer I feel I have achieved much more in my art .

I feel comfortable with what I am doing today and for the future by painting my cityscapes and producing short stories to accompany the paintings to help bring positivity to me and people around me 

My motto now is 

BEE POSITIVE

 Andrew Alan Matthews BA (Hon’s) Textiles 

Year of Presentation 1999

“A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the department of Textiles/Fashion, faculty of Art and Design, the Manchester Metropolitan University. No part of the work referred to in this dissertation has been submitted in support of any other degree or qualification in the University or any other Institute of learning.”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Theresa Squires for her help and expertise in the preparation of this dissertation. I would also like to thank the employees of all the companies I interviewed and would like to express particular thanks in their hospitality and patience whilst I conducted these interviews of which they gave valuable advice and information. I would also like to extend particular thanks to my wife for her help and support throughout my period of study who made this period in my life all possible.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 

List of illustrations

Introduction

Chapter 1 Converters use of CAD

1.2 Production Methods of Engraving

1.3 Employment of CAD

1.4 Quality of reproduction

Chapter 2 Production Methods of Printing

2.2 Laser Engravers

2.3 Continual Inkjet Printing

Chapter 3 Research of CAD within the studio

3.1 Investment in CAD at Tom Lewis Studio

3.2 Investment in CAD in Design studios

3.3 CAD Training

3.4 Design with CAD

3.5 Design marketing

Conclusion

Bibliography

Appendices

ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig 1 Ned Graphics Promotional Leaflet 1998 CAD/CAM for Printed Textiles.

Fig 2 Photocopy from Tom Lewis Studios Archive Material.

Fig 3 Btree Software promotional Leaflet, Treepaint, Graphic software for

Textile Printing.

Fig 4 Illustration of Design by J.Dedman Freelance Designer 1998

Fig 5 Diagram designed by A.A.Matthews 1998-11-14

Fig 6 Ned Graphics Promotional Leaflet 1998 3D Textile Presentation Systems

Fig 7 . Diagram designed by A.Matthews 1998.

Fig 8 Tootal Textiles yearly review, Tootal Line number two 1987

Fig 9 Illustration of Line drawing, Illustration taken from Lourie.J.R. Textile 

Graphics Computer Aided.I.B.M Systems, Science Institute, Fairchild 

Publications, New York.

Fig 10 Design from T.F.S Studios Archive Material 

Fig 11 Btree software Promotional Leaflet, Treepaint, Graphic Software for

Textile Printing.

Fig 12 Illustration taken from Stork Promotional Leaflet 1998. 

Fig 13 Illustration taken from Konica Promotional Leaflet1998, Konica Textile 

Printing System.

TO WHAT EXTENT HAS CAD/CAM AFFECTED 

PRINTED TEXTILE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

Design in textile printing has followed a gradual incline of artistic developments, This is a reflection of the technical achievements that have been made over the centuries. From the humble beginnings of block printing which took place around 2000 BC and is still in use today, to the relatively new development in textile printing and design methods of CAD/CAM. 

Computer Aided Design has been in existence in the printed textile industry for around 10 years and for Computer Aided Manufacture for around 40 years. This introduction has not come without its problems.

The textile printing industry has encountered problems whenever a new invention has been developed. We can look back on history to the discovery of copper plate printing by Francis Nixon in 1752. At the time this was a revolutionary new process, but problems occurred for workers under threat of job losses and also the loss of skills from the old method of block printing. 

Today a similarity can be struck within the textile industries with the advent of Computer Aided Design and Manufacture (CAD/CAM). These new skills and methods have to be defined in order to successfully establish a coherent approach to design and technology today, and to show the designer the way ahead in the future for design. 

This dissertation will try to highlight the use of CAD within the printed textile industry and its affects on various components that make up the printed textile industry. This will be undertaken by a series of interviews and questionnaires conducted and recorded by myself. I will also undertake case studies of Tom Lewis Studio and T.F.S studio to gain a balanced view of the design and engraving industry at present.

The main focus will explain the designers use and role of CAD and the converters use of CAD in the textile industry. I will pay particular reference to the methods used in each process and show how they are now changing with the introduction of CAD. I will also highlight the importance of quality being maintained with the use of CAD.

Screen-printing techniques are being affected by the intervention of CAD/CAM, in particular the uses of new developments in printing technologies such as laser engravers and inkjet printers. I will address this issue and try to establish a realistic view of the printing industry at present. 

The investment in computer equipment also needs to be scrutinised to understand the need for CAD in today’s market place This has to be questioned thoroughly to understand that CAD is not just a desirable item but it is also a practical tool and will be considered throughout my research.

Training is an essential part of CAD usage and investment and will be discussed with emphasis on new Designers. The designer’s role will also be put under question with the input of CAD and show how CAD has affected the designer today in terms of design and design marketing. 

 2.1 CONVERTERS USE OF CAD

Today computer-aided design has governed the way textile companies work and has revolutionised the intermediate processes of design production onto cloth. The software packages on offer by various CAD companies supplying to the textile industry, whilst starting off very crudely compared to the paper printing industry, has developed to such a point that the printed textile companies have now taken CAD as a serious option if not the only option to enhance their business. 

One such company that specialises in the reproduction of designs and is renowned throughout the Northwest for their quality in converting designs ready for printing is T.F.S. studios. Based in Reddish Stockport this studio has seized upon the technology as early as 1992 in order to keep their place as market leaders.

“It is essential for any business to take the initiative and invest in its future”1 

T.F.S. is a commissioned engraver, which began as a engraving service for Tootal Textiles. The company has undergone changes and take over bids from Coats Viyella group, currently owned by CHA Textiles group and is a part of ABC.

Mr D.R.Bradley heads a 14 strong team of reproduction artists these include three CAD operatives who contribute to the success of the company.

T.F.S realised the need to invest in CAD and were persuaded by TCS (now Ned Graphics) to co-operate in producing a software package based around their needs and the needs of similar companies to themselves. TFS and ABC purchased three TCS systems at a cost of £70000 and began working together to produce the product that they needed. The product software that was produced changed and constantly developed to the new packages that are on offer today at Ned Graphics such as Delta Engraver, Delta designer, Delta studio, Delta colourist, Delta colourmatch.(see fig 1)

“We feel there is a constant need for upgrading of new software to speed up and make the whole process more simple and less time consuming”2

Today T.F.S have invested in the Ned Graphics delta engraver and they are benefiting from the increased manipulative abilities it offers. The early packages that were being utilised by them gave limited scope for tonal work to be undertaken, but the improvements in technology by Ned Graphics has overcome this downfall. This latest package has enabled them to gain a stronger foothold on their niche market area and their options have now been increased with regards to in house production methods. They have found that this system has got all the capabilities of reproducing the artwork with quality and is also reducing the cost of separation times and engraving costs considerably.

Delta engraver as stated in a promotional leaflet;

“Output from the system can be placed in a wide range of industry standard formats, either for direct transfer to laser engravers or high resolution film plotters. Thus, Whether you have your own engraving department or work with a commission engraver, Delta engraver ensures that your designs are quickly and faithfully reproduced in the final product”3

This highlights that CAD has increased its abilities enormously over the years and is a serious contender to the traditional sketchmaker. However the conventional way of reproducing designs still has an important role to play within this company today, indeed the industry still utilises the skills of sketchmakers to produce a quality product, But there is a constant threat from the input of the computer with such packages as Delta Engraver. 

“The sketchmakers will always be needed to reproduce the designs by the conventional way, and experience tells us that it is not practical to rely solely on CAD because it only gives a representation of a design and the quality is poor”4

Is this entirely true or is it a viewpoint accepted to calm the fears of the artists today? I believe, at present certain designs are not practical to be placed on CAD and this point of view can be upheld. Although developments in technology are increasing almost daily and it will not be long before this viewpoint will be reconsidered, especially regards to companies like Ned Graphics who have a policy of constant development.

“ The artwork produced from the CAD is an accurate representation of the design when it is printed. Manually separated artwork has always got to detract from the original design, and a lot depends on what the colour separation artists interpretation of what that design should look like. So for me it has improved the quality because of its closer representation of the design”5

This contradiction in terms regarding quality demonstrates differing points of view on the subject and the skills and abilities of a sketchmaker is put under more scrutiny with this. Sketchmakers are beginning to question their place in the industry with the input of CAD. The sketchmaker and indeed the designer needs to know where they stand today and whether they have a place with the new technology of the future. My research has uncovered that the sketchmakers role is changing incorporating a more computer integrated approach to separating designs and are effectively moving with the changes in technology. The sketchmakers have found that CAD is an extra tool for the process of production. 

“At the end of the day CAD is just a tool, there isn’t a system as yet that can create the separations from the design. I feel their will always be a need for an Artist to sit and manipulate the Designs, or create original artwork from a brief.”6

2.2 PRODUCTION METHODS OF ENGRAVING

To understand how changes in the production of engraving has affected the reproduction of design with the utilisation of CAD we have to illustrate the differences in each process and show by example the methods used by each process. This will be displayed by the methods used by T.F.S. studio.

T.F.S receives a design from a customer such as Stead Mcalpine Alexander Drew etc. The design is then assessed to see how many colours it can be reduced down to, and it is confirmed with the customer as to the specifications of separation. The engraving method is selected and determined by the end use of a design e.g. liberty type designs use copper roller production while fashion designs are usually produced by the rotary screen method, and furnishings can be either rotary or flat screen printing. Designs for rotary printing are usually for fashion fabrics in which a quick and cost effective printing method is employed. 

The design process does not stop once the design has left the designer, Alterations are a frequent necessity in producing the product that is fit for printing purposes. These procedures described below are fundamental to reproduction methods and are an essential part of the occupational responsibilities of the designer and sketchmaker.

1, The repeat of a design must not show obvious faults such as runs . (tramlines that appear when the repeat is stepped several times)

2, The size of design must be within the limits of the screen.

3, The design must be balanced & maintain a pleasing look.

4, The amount of colours should not exceed 26

5, what type of printing method will be employed & understand the reason 

as to why. 

Upon receiving a design for reproduction there has to be an awareness of certain elements these being:

1, Are the design measurements correct to the size of screen used?

2, Can a suitable boxing limit be found inside 29inches?

3, Has the customer stated any alterations to the design?

4, Are there sufficient colours to accurately reproduce the design ?, if not . . suggest remedies.

5, Is the design more capable of use as a solid or a tone to create the desired .  effect?

6, Has the design got large open areas of blotch tone ? If so try to avoid . . . .. cutting through these points or use of wrong selection where possible.

7, Has the design got any obvious runs ? If so correct & check with 

customer.

8, Would the design be suitable for any other printing method?

These points show how design and reproduction has a series of checks that are carried out as the design is evaluated and produced, all of which are still relevant in the utilisation of CAD.

2.3  EFFECTS OF CAD ON PRODUCTION.

Once the method of production is decided the design is passed onto the sketchmaker, he then decides how the design is to be reproduced and the design is examined in more detail. The design has to be exactly reproduced to the correct measurement for fit on the screens to either the circumference of the roller or the screen.

The decisions for designs to be placed onto CAD are discussed in detail with both management and artist. The decisions rely upon a number of aspects, whether it is to be done:

1 By Traditional hand reproduction,

3 By CAD undertaking the whole process.

(See fig 7)

The first method is the traditional way and uses the sole ability of the sketchmaker.(see fig 8) This is often thought of as a slower and more time consuming process. The designs that are now generally put through this process are usually the furnishing type of design. These designs will generally be of a large scale and tonal in nature.

The conventional method of reproduction requires that a pencil sketch of the tonal work has to be traced in order to show the edges of the tone to be painted. This sketch will be drawn accurately and to a scribed out section measured exactly to the screen sizes.(see fig 9) This method takes anything up to a day to complete, but with the introduction of the CAD this can be eliminated, dependent on the size of the design.

The tonal work can be reproduced accurately to the design, This is achieved by reproducing tones in shades of jet black to white paper. Skill and craftsmanship is needed in reproducing and interpretation of the tones from the design.(see fig 9)

This aspect of reproduction is a time consuming process, but now with the input of Delta engraver this process can be eliminated by scanning the whole design into the system and manipulating the images tones on screen by its many varying functions.(see fig 11) A furnishing design involving 24 colours, of a size 640mm by 700mm, would take anything up to 4 weeks to complete by the traditional method, but now CAD can cut this time by at least half. The use of CAD for this type of work is generally restricted to the smaller designs and it has found that the flatter design styles are more successfully operated through the CAD rather than by the traditional method.(see fig 10 )

The employment of CAD and traditional separation artist is the second method of production and the type of designs that will be placed on these are usually complicated in nature, often requiring multiple tones and effects which are created through both the artist’s ability and texture libraries on the CAD. The artwork will often be tonal, which at T.F.S will be produced by the sketchmaker and then scanned into the CAD. These will be combined and manipulated by the CAD operator.

This method has proved to be the most cost and time effective at T.F.S and is a positive aspect of CAD production. The ability of CAD in this instance, is that the reduction in production time can free the sketchmaker and CAD operator from the pressures of trying to create quality artwork in a short space of time, this reflects on the work produced.

The third method of production is entirely by CAD and the input of design is restricted to flat intricate design styles. Designs such as Liberty type prints (see fig 10) can be totally scanned into the CAD and manipulated with ease. These designs are extremely difficult to reproduce by conventional methods and only a highly trained sketchmaker can accomplish a quality product. In this instance CAD is perfect for reproducing this design style and advantageous to the sketchmaker for it frees them from this time consuming and delicate process of reproduction. 

The designs produced in this way are separated out into their various components and plotted out onto film or onto optical disk which in turn goes directly to laser engraver, this method is extremely fast and is the most cost-effective way of producing finished artwork in the studio. 

Figures for production in T.F.S. in 1995

28% …………………….….of total work done on the CAD system.

30% ……………………….of total work done in the studio.

42% ……………………….of total work done in outwork and homework.

Figures for production in T.F.S in 1997

33% ………………………..of total work on CAD system

47% ……………………….of total work done in studio

20% ……………………….of total work done in outwork and homework

These figures demonstrate that although over a short period of time the introduction of CAD has increased the output of CAD generated designs and has affected the amount of work needed to be produced outside the studio environment. The company feels that the most cost-effective method of production is through CAD, illustrating the importance of CAD as a tool for the process of design reproduction. 

The effect of CAD on production has altered the distribution of design reproduction both inside and outside the studio and is also reflected in these figures. 

I put the question to Mr Bradley “If you had not invested in CAD where would your business be today?”

“I believe we would be struggling to keep a share of the market, because all the industry has CAD systems and there is that much information flying around on disk from company to company at the moment, if we were not able to accept that information then we would lose a lot of customers”7

The importance of CAD in the industry is realised with this statement and shows that computer reliance is necessary for a company to become competitive. This, however, can become a problem with initial costs, but has to be accounted for if a successful company is to exist.

After consulting a number of companies on the matter of investment, I found it was crucial to gain this medium to compete in the open market. Financial constraints however play a huge role in the running of any business and some companies are unable to invest in the systems. 

Companies like Barry Ward Colour Consultants Limited who specialised in the making of Screens for the printed textile industry were unable to react to the technology of the day and ceased trading in May 1997. This was partly due to lack of investment in CAD technology and its incapability in producing computer generated imagery also through financial misjudgements in the investment of the business. This company had to rely entirely on the traditional method of reproduction and they found it increasingly more difficult to produce screens of quality in a quick and cost effective manner.

Although the initial outlay for a CAD system is expensive the reduction in design reproduction time and costly film outlay demonstrates the importance of this new tool within textile design today.

2.4 Quality of reproduction,

Quality is always a governing factor in the industry, history tells us it always has been. William Morris has demonstrated this aspect through his designs, which are still used today in the textile and wallcovering industries. T.F.S. has taken this ideal as a foundation on which to build upon quality but with technology as a leading aspect in its business. There is however a dilemma, The customer expects competitive completion dates and with the advent of computers the need for speed is an uncompromising matter. Quality is not always feasible under these circumstances. There is always constant pressure of how fast and accurate one can produce screens in the industry, but it is the company that can best retain quality out of all the engravers, that will be able to exist in this competitive market today. Technology today has influenced the industries way of producing and reproducing designs and quality in some instances has been compromised in favour for speed of production. 

We can see a change in the industry with its usage of CAD in Design studios and engraving studios, but does it necessarily mean better quality for the industry? 

After asking the question, “Do you feel the quality of a design is reduced when scanned into the system?” Mr Byrne stated;

“No the quality of the design is the most important thing, and it is imperative as a company to be able to keep that quality in the design. If a customer sees a croquis idea that they want to develop further it is important to keep that existing quality maintained throughout.”8

Quality is the most important aspect in maintaining a design likeness and is especially true when involved in re-creating a design in engraving. 

There are several consequences relating to quality in this industry one such consequence regarding computer reproduction is what the final image looks like when plotted out onto film and whether it maintains quality. The early plotters for CAD were crude and costly pieces of hardware, which gave a limited scope for design reproduction consequently the need for film checkers was still required to touch up the film work. (see fig 8) 

The quality of a traditionally reproduced design is only achieved by a sketchmaker’s ability, which has been nurtured over many years. The hierarchy within any company begins with the most skilled or talented at the top and filters down to the lower echelons at the bottom. This is true to say with a sketchmaker’s ability. This usually reflects in the designs given to an individual, the more complicated and beautifully painted the design requires the most talented artist.

This highlights the importance of a fully trained sketchmaker compared to a computer operative who uses only a mouse for their skills. Although both play a huge role in producing designs, the quality needs to be maintained throughout, emphasis should be placed on creating quality designs and technology of today shouldn’t overlook this. Companies like Ned Graphics indeed place this at the forefront of their agenda. 

The industry at present is lacking good quality sketchmakers with these traditional skills, but the industry is not sympathetic to this dilemma Instead, the emphasis is placed upon how fast a design can be reproduced today. This is a disadvantage to the sketchmaker where their skills are being gradually reduced by the intervention of CAD but is positive for the use of CAD in engraving. 

“The sketchmaker’s ability is an important aspect of the business, it is true to say that the sketchmaker’s ability will be replaced, to some extent, sometime in the near future”9

Quality in the design industry is important to maintain the same look as the original design. Traditionally the quality engravers were based upon the abilities of a sketchmaker and how they can interpret that particular design. Today CAD is changing that view, a reasonable quality can be achieved through CAD and is being used extensively throughout the industry. However I believe certain designs still have to be produced by hand to gain quality, but this view may change with new software developments and will be a benefit for CAD nevertheless this gain will be at the loss of traditional sketchmaking.

The engraving industry plays an integral part of maintaining quality in the pre-production process and CAD today plays a huge role in maintaining the quality of certain design types but what is important is that design maintains a standard that is able to be reproduced.

“It is essential in the industry to produce a design that can be reproduced, it is like designing a car that doesn’t go, it is no good if the design looks fabulous but doesn’t work.”10

Design and reproduction has developed close links in production methods and has encountered problems over the centuries, One such problem was the decline in printing standards during the 1830s. This decline was attributed to the introduction of progressively cheaper engraved roller printing and new chemical dyes, also the introduction of cheap imports. This is a reflection of today’s dilemma in the industry, Similarities occur with cheap imports from Pakistan etc and cheaper production methods of printing such as the use of separated imagery straight from the CAD, which has not been of a high standard of reproduction.

The decline in printing standards of that era was later reversed by the introduction of the designer’s influence in the industry. These were professional designers trained in Art schools. Who raised the standards to the highest ever reached in England. Put into today’s context of design and use of new technologies such as CAD/CAM, designers today should look towards the future and realise that Design may change with the advent of Inkjet printing technology. These changes could alter design repeat formats and not be restricted to sizes of screens or rollers but to the size of file required on CAD. In my opinion new design utilising new technology could be the key for innovative different designs of the future.

REFERENCES 

1, Bradley. D.R. Managing Director. T.F.S. studio Unit 5a Hammond Avenue Reddish Stockport .Interview Date, 12th 11th 1997.

2, Albiston.J. CAD Operator, Meshtex Ltd, Second Avenue, Poynton Industrial Estate, Poynton, Cheshire, SK12 IND.

3, Ned Graphics, Promotional Leaflet, CAD/CAM for printed Textiles, 1998.

4, Bradley.D.R. Managing Director, T.F.S.studio, Unit 5a Hammond Avenue, Reddish, Stockport, Interview Date, 12th 11th 1997.

5, Nicholson.S. Seperation Department Manager, C.V. home furnishings Ltd, P.O.Box 7 Lees street,Swinton, Manchester M27 6DB. Interview Date 21st 1st 1998.

6, Ibid,

7, Bradley.D.R. Managing Director, T.F.S. studio Unit 5a Hammond Avenue, Reddish, Stockport. Interview Date 12th 11th 1997.

8, Byrne.G. Designer, Dorma, Newtown Mill, Lees Street, Swinton, Manchester, M27 6DB, Interview Date, 21st 1st 1998.

9, Bradley, D.R. Managing Director, T.F.S. studio, Unit 5a Hammond Avenue,Reddish, Stockport, Interview Date 12th 11th 1997.

10, Brown.P. Design studio Manager, Tom Lewis Studio, Crown House, Bingswood Trading Estate, Whaley Bridge, High Peak, Derbyshire, SK3 7LY. Interview Date 25th 2nd 1998.

 PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

3.1 LASER ENGRAVERS

Laser engravers today are used in conjunction with CAD thus by passing Traditional sketchmakers and film checkers.(see fig 8) The screen makers that also produce the cylindrical rollers for engraving are also affected by eliminating their production, which demonstrates the far-reaching effects of CAD/CAM. The whole industrial process is gradually changing in favour for the latest laser engraving machines. This is due to its cost effectiveness.

“CAD to Laser without any film work is about 30%-40% cheaper than CAD to film.”1

This method of production is by far the most cost effective and time saving way of producing engraved rollers for textile printing today.

“The immediate benefits that CAD brought production was reducing the amount of film work needed.”2

Technology is increasingly becoming more sophisticated and it will only be a matter of time that you can print almost anything through CAD without the need for film. 

Asked if film work would be eventually fazed out in favour for the laser engraving or continual inkjet printing 

“ The only reason that we use filmwork today is for the production of flat bed or large scale designs or single quilts”. The reason for this is because the size of file required for CAD would be around 300 mega bytes and the processing time for that image would take too long for it to be advantageous on CAD”3

For CAD/CAM to become a viable option in producing such large-scale designs the processing capabilities need to be improved by software manufacturers that provide these state of the art machines. In the future these changes may come about and the need for film work will truly be a thing of the past. Although at present such large repeats are too cumbersome to be produced through CAD.

Companies like T.F.S have undergone changes in the way they reproduce designs today, One major change was the introduction of CAD.to laser engraver. There are advantages and disadvantages to this change, One such advantage for CAD to laser engraver is the reassurance that the final image will not misalign, unlike film, which has a tendency to shrink and expand in atmospheric changes thus creating misfitting designs at the printing stage. This is an aspect that film reproduction of the past has lived with, indeed CAD to CAM has reduced this element by its precision transference from floppy disk to laser engraver.

One disadvantage for CAD is its precision! When a design is scanned into the computer the image is reproduced with all its flaws. The computer does not discriminate in its choice of image and it takes the human eye to correct the obvious mistakes in the design. This aspect demonstrates the need for a fully trained CAD operative that has also the understanding of design and separation to exploit its full potential.

The manipulation and separation of a design also ensuring the repeated image is correct is left entirely to the artist and CAD operator. This is reassuring to the separation artist because experience has now proven that to gain a perfect design reproduction of a design, The artist’s ability to recognise the build up of tones from a dark screen to a light screen is imperative. This is an aspect that CAD as yet cannot change, it can only see one shade of colour, and CAD cannot at present distinguish between three separate screens as is needed in textile printing. 

One other advantage of CAD is that T.F.S is now working more closely with designers from various companies to produce what they need now. In the past designers would normally go straight direct to the printers for there problems and clarification of what they want from there designs, they now turn to the engravers directly This shows technology is improving communication in design today.

CONTINUAL INKJET PRINTING

My research has uncovered interesting possibilities that may effect the textile industry. I have also found that technology in CAD to CAM is undergoing changes. These changes are in particular reference to continual inkjet printing in the textile industry. In respect of the Design studio environment, many companies have purchased an Iris Realist printer this printer is capable of printing quality artwork on both paper and fabric. The advantage of being able to print onto fabric is obvious, the customer gets to see immediately the look and feel of a finished design on cloth without the costs incurred in going into full production. This is extremely useful when trying to sell your product to a potential customer.

A question arose in the screen-printing magazine to a Mr Sean O’Leary the technical Editor of the big picture Chicago. What technologies do you expect to have the greatest impact on screen printers? 

“It is relatively clear that inkjet machines of one description or another will ultimately emerge as the “replacement technology” for screen printing. It doesn’t make me particularly happy to use that term, but each generation of inkjet takes another chunk out of traditional screen printing territory”.3

This viewpoint is upheld by Mr Paul Fleck the health and safety representative of Crown and who has been in their employ for seventeen years he has worked on every aspect of production excluding design. 

“The CAD system has been the mainstay of the design process here for some years and I can see that continual inkjet printing will play a future roll in design production, also the pre process production department will be phased out and replaced with new technology that will speed production up saving on time and pay costs, Each roller that is produced costs £500 to make just for samples”4

These views represent the changing face of production in the 1990s textile industry and highlights problems for the traditionally skilled workforce 

The technology is advancing quickly in printing with many companies such as Konica taking up the challenge of producing systems such as the Nassenger KS-1600, a textile printing system that fits into an office environment and can produce textile prints from digital data and is compatible with windows 95. The standard operating system that all companies will be using in the millennium.

The benefits for this type of printing as the company claims are that textile printing jobs take around two months with the conventional method of screen printing but with the Nassenger it is cut to just two weeks from design to finishing. They also claim that rush orders can be completed within 24 hours. These claims ultimately lead to a more competitive edge in the processing of designs for textile printing and I believe is the way ahead for future development. The restrictions that can be foreseen in the use of CAD to CAM are in its processing power capabilities.

CAD/CAM has restrictions only limited to the size of file and processing time it takes for the design to be printed. If a design of a size of a duvet was put through the system, then the file size would be in the region of 300mega bytes and the processing time for that image would take an extremely long time to produce a printed length. At present it may not be feasible to produce a design through CAD with such a large Design size but maybe future developments may overcome this downfall. 

The system is designed with an environmentally friendly approach as well, it reduces waste water generation and saves on resources. This reduction in waste water and unfixed dyestuff effluent is a huge incentive to the short run printing industry were the need for screens and printing pastes are no longer needed with this system. It is so environmentally friendly that it is ideally situated within the office environment 

The benefits are obvious in terms of the environment with less pollution and faster printing methods 

Companies such as Konica are aware that the future lies in faster production methods that can also give quality and precision and lend to a environmentally friendly approach as well. At the moment these methods of production are used for short runs of printing and are not as yet developed enough to go into mass production.

As a tool for the future, this type of printing will eventually be put in place for longer run printing. But before this is achieved the technology has to be able to cope with mass production. The quality of dye fixatives and the quality of finish to give that lustre on cloth that is now achievable by mass production in the screen printing industry needs to be achieved.

“Digital desktop printers have already shown impact on short run and custom applications as well as other niche markets. Look for an invasion from the high speed, high volume digital presses that are currently being utilised in the offset printing world. As the variety of inks and substrates for these presses increases, so will their impact on replacing the traditional automatic screen press”5

This statement uncovers the state of the industry in printing method technologies, there is constant developments taking place to develop a machine that has the capability of printing in mass production. 

I asked the question to Mr Paul Bowman.the managing director of Ned Graphics:”Do you believe continual inkjet printing would go to mass production?” 

“ There must be a trade off between what meterage you can get out of it. The first is the traditional way and the relative cost. I can see where shorter run printing is going to win is 30 to 150 meters of a specific fabric then fine but when you get into 20000 or 30000 metres of fabric and it is really quick. I don’t see how you would want to do it. But it has a lot going for it, because it is continuous and not restricted, in repeat it gives you much more flexibility in your design, as well.”6

This answer highlights the contention between new and old methods of production, if there is to be a drastic change in design and printing then continual inkjet printing must be put in place , for the restrictions in design are held back by the conventional methods of production. Once this hurdle is overcome then the prospects for design can open up to a non-restrictive form. In theory you can produce a design of almost any size that does not repeat enhancing the look of a product and breaking free from the traditions of repeating designs. This is just one aspect that continual inkjet printing could offer 

REFERENCES

1,Bradley.D.R. Manging Director, T.F.S.studio, Unit 5a Hammond   Avenue, Reddish, Stockport, Interview Date 12th 11th 1997

2, Nicholson,S, Seperation Department Manager C.V.Home Furnishings Ltd P.O.Box7 Lees Street, Swinton, Manchester, M27 6DB.

3, O’Leary. S. Technical Editor, The Big Picture, Screenprinting Magazine 1998. P.26-27

4, Fleck.P. Health and Safety Representative Crown Wallcoverings, Crown Wallcoverings, Belgrave Mill, Belgrave Road, Darwen, Lancashire, England, BB3 2RR, Discussion Date 4th 3rd 1998

5, Grant.S. Owner, Grant Graphics, Screenprinting Magazine, 1998. P.26-27

6, Bowman. P. Managing Director, Ned Graphics, Synergy House, Manchester University Business Park, Manchester, Interview Date 29th 5th 1998.

 Albiston,J. CAD Operator, Meshtex Ltd, Second Avenue, Poynton Industrial Estate, Poynton, Cheshire. SK12 1ND.

Barridich,C. Designer, Fine Décor, Victoria Mill, Macclesfield Road, Holmes Chapel, Crewe, Cheshire, CW4 7PA. Interview Date 8th 7th 1998.

Bowman.P. Managing Director, Ned Graphics Ltd, Synergy House, Guildhall Close, Manchester Science Park, Manchester. Interview Date 29th 5th 1998.

Bradley,D.R. Managing Director, T.F.S.Studio, Unit 5a Hammond Avenue, Reddish, Stockport, Interview Date 12th11th 1997.

Brown,P. Design Studio Manager, Tom Lewis Studio, Crown House, Bingswood Trading Estate, Whaley Bridge, High Peak, Derbyshire, SK3 7LY. Interview Date 25th 2nd 1998.

Byrne,G Designer, Dorma, C.V. Home Furnishings Ltd, P.O.Box 7 Lees Street, Swinton, Manchester, M27 6DB, Interview Date 21st 1st 1998.

Fleck,P. Health and Safety Representative, Crown Wallcoverings, Belgrave Mill, Belgrave   Road, Darwen, Lancashire, England, BB3 2RR.

Nicholson,S. Seperation Department Manager, C.V. Home Furnishings Ltd, P.O.Box 7, Lees Street, Swinton, Manchester, M27 6DB. Interview Date 21st 1st 1998.

Albeck,P, (1969) Printed Textiles P.21 (Oxford University Press) London

Aldrich, Winifred.CAD in Clothing and Textiles. Blackwell Science, 1992 (2nd Ed)

Dianni,M, (1988) Design issues Vol IV P.10

Grant,S. Owner, Grant Graphics, Screen Printing Magazine, 1998. P.26-27

Hearle,J.W.S. Physicist and Textile Technologist, World Review of Textile Design XXXVII, International Textiles and Textile Institute P.  1994

O’Leary,S. Technical Editor, The Big Picture, Screen Printing Magazine 1998. P.26-27

Perkins,P.E. Hands on CAD Casell, 1989 (1st Ed) P.8

Walter,C. “The impact of computer graphics on clothing design.”CAD in Textiles and Clothing- a collection of expert views” Blackwell Science Ltd 1992. P.85

Aldrich.W. CAD in clothing and Textiles- a collection of expert views. Hartnoll Ltd, Bodmin Cornwall 1992.

Council of Industrial design. Design Policy in Industry. Council of Industrial Design. 1951.(1st Ed)

Cook, F.L. Textile Printing enters the technological revolution- Textile World, 145, 73-79, 1995

Dreyfuss, H. Designing for people. Paragraph Books, New York. 1967. (1st Ed)

Fisher,R. & Wolfthal. D., Printed Textile Design. 1987 Fairchild,  New York.

Garrett, J. Design and Technology. Cambridge, 1991. (1st Ed)

Hastings, Ashley J. CAD Making the most of Computer Aided Design. McGall- Hill, 1997 (1st Ed)

Holme. I. ‘The way ahead’ Textile Horizons. Nov. 1989 

Ingham. P.C. Computer Aided-Design in Further Education.F.E.U.

Jones,P.F. CAD/CAM Features, Application and Management. Macmillan Press Ltd 1992.

Kate. H.T. Future of Textile Printing Revista delle Technologie Tessili. 4, No. 3; VI-VIII Mar 1990.

Lourie,J.R. Textile Graphics/ Computer-Aided. Fairchild Publications Ltd, 1973.

Watkins,P. Innovation in Print. World Review of Textile Design, International Textiles Aug/Sept 1991 IV.

Interview conducted with Mr P.Brown design studio Manager. 21st January 1998

The company puts collections together from three areas,

1, The CAD,

2, The studio,

3, The Freelance Designers.

The collections are targetted to specific market areas.

“At one time the customers would look around for a design for something they can use, but now it is more market orientated”

“This is like a follow my leader way of doing things”

“This is why customers are now looking for specific design themes, i.e. geometric, floral etc. Otherwise the customer will have a series of designs that they would not use which becomes rather expensive.”

“Most companies have cut down on expense and are choosy in what they buy so the designer has to be more in tune with what the customer wants in order to sell the design”

“The company cannot survive just selling to the U.K.and when selling at places like Intohome or Heimtex you have to be among the best in design to compete”

“Quality is everything in this competitive market it has also got to be coupled with the ability for the design to be reproduced”

“It is essential in the industry to produce a design that can be reproduced, it is like designing a car that doesn’t go, it is no good if the design looks fabulous but doesn’t work”

“You are looking to produce a quality product of a very high standard and also a product which is relevent to that market area. It is difficult to find that niche because the area of products range from the high end to the middle to the low end and you don’t know what the customers are going to use the product for”

“The industry has become aware that you cannot sell rubbish designs any more whether it be the high or low end. People want quality”

“The immediate benefit that CAD brought the company was that it gave a different looking product to the market”

Asked the question if you had not invested in CAD where would your business be today? He stated “ The company would not be as large as it is today and they would not be selling as much artwork today. I cant really answer that … we would probably be out of business”

“The thing to embrace was CAD but the costs are expensive. And it is more expensive to have a CAD designer than a painterly designer”

“The CAD designer has to be more efficient than a painterly designer due to the costs of training and machinery, whereas all the painterly designer has to contend with is a box of paints and paper and their artistic flair”

“The CAD designer is completely different to the painterly designer, they both have different skills they have both got to be creative in their own field and have an understanding of colour and design”

“The studio encourages the designers to interchange the skills allowing a flexible workforce. But the tendency is to stick with the designers specialising in their areas. This is due to the fact that productivity has to stay at a constant level and you have to get most out of the CAD for it to be able to run at budget and to the deadlines”

“Designing is about 90% information and 10% application, you have got to have a reason why I am doing this artwork. And the area of the market or customer it is aimed at the more likely it will sell.”

This interview was conducted by myself and Claire Barridich (designer)

Fine art produces 18 collections a year a lot are for the American markets 

With the CAD they can produce about 12 colourways in half an hour and takes the printer about 12 minutes to print them out 

They have a proof press and six machines they select the colourways from the CAD and end up with four colourways time wise if they had to proof press 12 colourways then send to the customer it would be extremely expensive and time consuming on average the proof press takes about two colourways a day due to the time it takes to mix the coloured inks up to the correct shade etc.and then they have to amend them so the CAD has the best advantage for colourway production if any amendments are needed they are done on the CAD for speed and ease of use. 

If they employed a designer to reproduce a design in the portmerion range it would probably cost about £300 for a border and £650 for a full design. but with the Introduction of the CAD all we have to do now is scan the design into the system and create the border on that which would take about an hour whereas a designer would take about a week to produce the CAD would also be able to produce a border two side walls and a main design. If a designer was given that task of producing these designs it would take about a week to two and the costs would run into roughly a thousand pounds.

What you have to take into account is the running costs of the CAD you have to have a maintenance contract which keeps the running of the CAD efficient. but on the overall running costs compared to painterly designers reproducing this type of design saves a great deal of money and is about 50% more efficient in costs. And about 60% more time saving

The CAD system has a library of all your designs and a library with all your masks selections or separations.

It would normally cost £700 per cylinder but because we produce the separations it would now cost £400 per cylinder so straight away you have got a saving of £300 per cylinder due to the input of separations on the CAD station. 

Asked the question do you feel CAD will take over separation totally Claire Barridich replied , “well it is doing anyway we work with engravers very closely a lot of them still produce them by hand but they are getting more and more CAD systems now, but there are certain designs that you are going to get an effect better by hand than by CAD” this illustrates the same opinion of Mr D R Bradley of T.F.S who feels that the sketchmakers ability will always be needed in the industry.

Claire feels that the experienced separation artist who has been employed over many years will still be at this particular type of work because it is very skilled work 

The manipulation of the system is very easy to use once you know how to utilise its functions. The colouring of a design is by the flick of a mouse button it is virtually that simple to use which means it is really user friendly compared to the computer systems of yesteryear. This has enabled designers to begin to regard the computer as a tool within the studio environment and not a box of computer tricks to be feared as was the case when the design systems first came into being.

The printouts from the CAD are extremely good but you have to be aware of the calibration between the Scanner for the design onto CAD and the printer output. there is a function built into the system which you can see where the true colours lie within the printers capability and you can adjust this to meet the requirements of the printer to gain the correct look on paper to screen. This is important in gaining the correct colours for your proofs to show a customer. 

A design that was shown to a customer that had not gone to the engravers yet, the customer liked the piece of artwork but is not going to commit to it at the moment. so the company has to sell it to them and the way that they sell it to them is by separating it on the CAD and produce five colourways from it they then send that to the customer who holds onto it for a few days and if he decides not to go with it there is no real loss to us but if we were to produce this in the traditional way we would have to employ a painterly designer to produce the colourways and a engravers to reproduce the screens for engraving this employs a huge cost saving to the company so you are saving money because you are not getting it engraved and the customer has seen the artwork 

A five colour separation would take around half a day to get a rough idea of what you need 

The proof press normally produces four colourways for every design, which is pre, selected from the CAD and from the customer. The CAD is going to help enormously but people still like to see a role of wallpaper, so Claire believes you will not ever get rid of the proof press also it is better for the pre process to go through the proof press before mass production this is in contrast to Crown wallcoverings who are looking into abandoning there proof press machinery and going straight from the CAD into full production 

The CAD saves time for the colourway production on CAD

The company is concentrating on creating a smaller amount of collection but with the emphasis on better quality artwork this gives more opportunity to produce more artwork which then saves the company a lot of money because they will not buy more freelance designs but can produce more designs in house

If they produce a collection you can spend about £10000 on artwork if they do it on CAD it would cost about £2000 So for the freelance designers point of veiw it is a lot harder for them to sell their designs Claire Believes that for the freelance designer it will get increasingly more difficult to sell their designs because as a company with the input of CAD They produce more designs anyway reducing the need for buying in more designs or sending out commissions to designers 

The company produces around 15 collections each collection will have six borders in each two side walls and a centre in each and about ninety six showings in a book 

They then have specialist collections such as Kalon who have shops of there own 

There customers are DO IT ALL Fads B&Q etc Dixons, Devals

They installed the CAD four years ago and they are possibly going to install a third system to help meet demand on CAD 

The customer loves it when they can see so many colourways and a length of paper for the wall 

CAD has altered the way a designer operates 

 T.F.S INTERVIEW NOTES

T.F.S.is a commissioned engraver and converter to the textile and wallcovering industry.

T.F.S uses Ned Graphics software packages

“The sketchmakers will always be needed to reproduce the designs by the conventional way, and experience tells us it is not practical to rely solely on CAD because it only gives a representation of a design and the quality is poor”

If you had not invested in CAD where would your business be today?

“ I believe we would be struggling to keep a share of the market, because all the industry has CAD systems and there is that much information flying around on disk from company to company at the moment, if we were not able to accept that information then we would lose a lot of customers”

“The sketchmakers ability is an important aspect of the business, it is true to say that the sketchmakers ability will be replaced to some extent in the near future”

“With all this computer input we will always retain the artist they will not diminish unless we had a huge investment with say 10 CAD systems, and trained everybody on them leaving no manual artists at all.”

“One of our customers who we do seperations for we give them the disk and they put it to their CAD system who then colour them up and print out straight onto transfer paper which then can be heat transferred onto fabric, without having screens made, without mixing colours without putting onto a printing machine which is a cost effective way of producing fabric”

Figures for production in T.F.S. in 1995

28%  of total work done on the CAD 

30% of total work done in studio

42% of total work done in outwork

Figures for production in 1997

33% of total work on CAD 

47% of total work done in studio

20% of total work done in outwork.

CAD to laser without any film work is about 30%-40% cheaper than CAD to film

This company is a subsidiary company of CHA Textiles group, which is a multimillion-pound enterprise. The group incorporates various textile-manufacturing outlets around the globe. 

T.F.S. studio is part of Brunschweiller or more commonly known as A.B.C. Batik this company produces all the Batik material from the U.K. and is exported to places like Zaire in Africa. The textiles produced are of an expensive nature and are used by the African people mainly for ceremonial purposes and for best occasions.

T.F.S. is a commissioned engraver, which began as a engraving service for Tootal Textiles. The company has undergone changes and take over bids from the Coates Viyella group, currently now owned by CHA Textiles Group.

Mr. D.R.Bradley the managing director heads a 14 strong team of reproduction artists, these include three CAD operatives who contribute to the progress of the company.

T.F.S. has undergone changes in the way they reproduce designs. One major change is the introduction of CAD into the workplace. The conventional way of reproducing designs has still an important role to play within this company today for they still feel that the quality can only be maintained by the skills of the conventional sketchmakers. Although the CAD reproduces the intricate quality designs like liberty type prints, today for it maintains a better fit than film ever could.

T.F.S. receives a design from a customer such as Stead Mcalpine or Calprina the design is then broke down into the amount of colours needed to be reproduced this given number is confirmed with the customer for approval. The design is then put into production.

The engraving method is decided upon and end use of design, i.e. liberty designs use copper roller production while fashion designs are usually produced by strines as rotary screen prints and furnishings at Calprina as flat screen prints.

The reproduction artist faithfully reproduces the design correcting any blemishes in the design and ensuring the design is in exact repeat. This stage of production is extremely important and has to be 100% correct. If at this stage the design is reproduced incorrectly then the costs involved can run into thousands of pounds for production expenses.

T.F.S. as a commissioned engraver has established recognition within the textile industry for its quality interpretation and reproduction of designs and has built upon this aspect of the business. Under times of economic constraints T.F.S. has overcome obstacles and has held onto a strong customer base due to its recognition as a quality engraving company. The company’s strong sense of quality and attention to detail has enabled this company to progress in a declining market place.

T.F.S. has a policy of constant development, This is realized in the use of CAD and CAM packages installed on site and also linked to A.B.C. Batik headquarters based in Hyde.

The software packages that they use are especially designed for use in the textile market and are produced by NED Graphics. 

Mr. Bradley surveyed the market place and found that NED Graphics was by far the most widely used and more suitable to the companies needs.

The decisions for designs to be placed onto CAD are discussed in detail with both management and reproduction artist.

The decisions rely upon a number of aspects, 

By hand reproduction,--- By both CAD and artist,--- By CAD undertaking the whole process.

The size of design is also a factor for the CAD is limited to the size of image to be scanned sometimes it is easier to reproduce the design by hand if it is a large duvet size design.

The time scale is also a factor is it quicker to produce it by hand or by CAD. Sometimes it is quicker by hand whilst other times by the CAD it all really depends upon the type of design.

Usually if a design is tonal in nature and requires a quality reproduction then the sketchmaker will reproduce the tonal work by hand and by the traditional production process. Although sometimes the process will coincide with the CAD and the reproduced tonal sketches would be scanned into the CAD system. The CAD then produces the required screen meshes into the artwork, this method used to be photographed using film, Normally a costly expense in reproduction, but with the advent of CAD this has eliminated this stage of production. The CAD has its benefits here due to its flexibility in introducing any number of screen sizes and calibrating the mesh sizes to fit with any screens available. It is not restricted to a fixed piece of film but is produced as digital information that can be altered with ease on any system, reducing costly remaking of film work.

The production process of reproducing designs,

The sketchmaker receives a design with a breakdown of the number of colours to be reproduced. He then decides how the design is to be reproduced and examine further the design if he feels he can reduce the colours further or indeed the designs colours needs to be increased then he discusses and agrees on the outcome. The sketchmaker has to convert the design into the exact measurements required for the particular production method chosen by the client. Any discrepancies in the designs are altered at this stage taking out obvious blemishes etc. 

For tonal designs a pencil outline of all the tonal edges in the design must be accurately traced onto permatrace this tracing will have been scribed out at the exact measurements for the screens size. The design is drawn out with complete accuracy so when the repeated image is placed around the roller it fits exactly and does not crash over causing a problem.

The tonal work can now be reproduced accurately to the design, This is achieved by reproducing tones in shades of jet black to white. Skill is needed in interpretation of the tones from the design, This aspect of reproduction is a time consuming process. A furnishing design involving 24 colours of a size 640mm by 700mm would take anything up to 4 weeks to complete, but the results are that an extremely high quality product will be reproduced in accordance to standards fitting for textile production.

The quality of a reproduced design is only achieved by a sketchmakers artistic ability, which has been nurtured over many years. This highlights the importance of a fully trained sketchmaker. The hierarchy within any company begins with the most skilled or talented at the top and filters down to the lower echelons at the bottom this is true to say with sketchmakers ability. This is reflected in the designs given to an individual the more complicated and beautifully painted design requires the most talented artist etc This reflects in pay scales also.

The industry at present is lacking good quality sketchmakers with these traditional skills but the industry is not sympathetic to this dilemma, instead the emphasis is placed on how fast a design can be reproduced today. This is where CAD has an appealing edge, It is now leaping forward in technological advances in software technology. And will eventually overpower the traditional method of production. Although Mr Bradley states that the sketchmaker is an important aspect of the business, it is true to say that the sketchmakers ability will be replaced at sometime in the near future. 

 At Vanguard the system was installed in 1997 and the system is by Ned Graphics they used to have a desitex system just to do the colour work on but they have upgraded to delta with just the basic package on a colouring package that is all the company is involved with at the moment 

The immediate benefits that the CAD brought to Vanguard were that you could manipulate colourways with ease and speed before the introduction of Cad we had to manually re colour each design by hand mixing. They work with Designatex in Radcliffe it meant travelling to them doing all the colouring work but now it is on sight designatex does a lot of CAD work 

You have always got a record of your work and you can refer back to it even work done three or four years ago that is the beauty of the system whereas before we had to store screens which took space and storage facilities this is now eliminated and is more economical 

Asked if the CAD has altered the way a designer works Sarah Sparrow replied “not at all you cannot allow colour to dictate design”

Asked if the role of the designer has changed CAD she replied no not really although everyone is trained on CAD now 

Asked is the quality reduced when scanned into the CAD she replied “everything is printed in Pakistan and imported back into this country you cannot get half tones that is the disadvantage to us.

The system we have got is just to give an idea of what it is like.

Asked will you be investing in the future they stated yes. But we are not looking at actually designing on the CAD system it will be more manipulating on the system.

All the colourwork is passed through the CAD today and so all our designs pass through the CAD system now. 

We produce about eight colourways and then choose two from them to go into production.

They have the epson printer which is ideal to there needs and gives a good likeness of the screen image when printed onto paper but they can go a little grey you have to make sure your printer is calibrated to the screens image to get the correct dye concentration when printing. The other draw back is that it prints really bright colours on paper but in production this cannot be really achieved effectively because of the absorbency of the fabric.especially on cheaper cloths.

Vanguard most productive designs are contemporary florals 

It usually takes about a week to train on this system it is designed for designers in mind and there is no technical information to confuse you and very easy to use 

Mail order companies are Vanguard customers and it is for the low end of the market so quality is not the main interest it is colour and design to catch the eye of the customer in the catalogue. Freeman’s littlewoods Harvey’s and all the retail stores 

Bedding companies are the main competitors 

They produce concept boards for the customers they work closely with to give them an idea they will say what they like and what they do not like and designs are produced from the initial ideas 

All there designs are sold because it is a small company they do not have the scope to develop designs so the concept boards are crucial to the business to get the right designs and they have quite strict rules of what they can go with and what they cannot. The printing limits what they can do they print a maximum of eight colours very crude simple designs usually with a texture not really any fine work due to the nature of the business easy to read on the mail order catalogue page.

May and September is the times for the launch of there designs. 

They have preview weeks at Vanguard before the show at intohome and the bulk of the design ranges are sold then.

They would not contemplate on moving into engraving separation and very technical.