Material Properties

To edit the properties of a material, click on the material and the properties pane will display properties for the current material.

Material

Name

The Name is typically a generic or trade name for the material.

Unique ID

This must be a Unique Identifier. Plan ahead before you start building your library. Use a logical combination of letters and numbers that will allow for expansion in the future.

Color

This Color will be used for the display of patterns nested on this material.

Texture

This is a visual display of the fabric. It requires a .jpg, .bmp, .tif or similar file type. Hover over to see a preview, click to edit.

Unit

Used by Synopsys to help track material usage.

Copy Spacing

This is the default Copy Spacing for this material. It can be temporarily over-ridden with the value in the Spacing Overrides on the Nesting tab.

Edge Spacing

This is the default Edge Spacing for this material. It can be temporarily over-ridden with the value in the Spacing Overrides on the Nesting tab.

Max Cut Speed

This is the Maximum Cut Speed for this material. Individual Cutting tools also have a maximum speed setting. The actual speed used will be the lesser of the two.

Max Plot Speed

This is the Maximum Plot Speed for this material. Individual Mark tools also have a maximum speed setting. The actual speed used will be the lesser of the two.

Enable Power Settings

Not used at this time.

Pattern

Type

A material’s Type can be Solid, Stripes, Alternating Stripes, Vertical Stripes, or Plaid. Striped and plaid materials will ask for the information to define the stripe locations. More information on this subject can be found in Chapter 2 – Nesting Tab.

Width

This is the actual measured Width of the material used in nesting. This value should be updated each time you use a new roll of material.

**NOTE** Most fabrics are mode in normal widths. However, the actual fabric widths can vary considerably. Each time you replace a material with a new roll, it is important to measure its actual width and update your library or .project file to be cut. Striped and woven fabrics commonly have this issue.

Striped Fabrics

Striped fabrics come in two varieties: single stripes and alternating stripes. Single stripes have only one pattern, while alternating stripes have two distinct patterns, and are directional. The quick way to tell the difference is to fold the fabric in half at the centerline. If the stripes on the edges are identical, it is a single stripe. If they are different, it is an alternating stripe.

Since the purpose is to pattern features with stripes on these fabrics, PatternSmith will display the stripe centers on the fabric in the Nest View, and let you snap a specified alignment line (inside the pattern) to any stripe.

Singe Stripe

For single stripe fabrics, we need the overall Width, Number of Repeats, and Selvage Width and PatternSmith computes the Repeat Width and the Offset.

Alternating Stripe

For alternating stripe fabrics we need the overall Width, Number of Repeats, and Selvage Width and PatternSmith computes the Repeat Width and the Offset. In addition, you will measure and enter the distance from the lower fabric edge to the center of the first stripe (Near Edge to Stripe), and the distance from the upper edge to the center of the opposite stripe (Far Edge of Stripe).

For alternating stripes, the sum of the upper and lower offsets (minus the selvage) should equal one half of the repeat value.

From that information, PatternSmith gives you two choices for offset, either Primary Offset (to the first stripe) or Secondary Offset (to the second stripe).

When using an alternating stripe material, you need to tell PatternSmith whether you want to align to Primary Offset or Secondary Offset. After you have moved the material to the project collection, radio buttons will allow you to make your choice.

Click OK to make the change.