Workflow 3

Introduction

Overview

Workflow manages and simplifies the process of organizing your daily list of orders into ready-to-cut project files. At the end of the process, all cut patterns are arranged into kits matching each order number.

• Workflow begins by reading all the orders that need to be cut in a given time period.  

• Next, it matches the Product ID from the order form to Product IDs in Workflow’s Product Definitions. It also matches the Material IDs in the order form to Material IDs in your Material Library.

• Workflow automatically collects all the patterns needed to complete those orders and groups them into separate files based on the material they are to be cut from.  

• These files are immediately ready for nesting in PatternSmith. A cut file for each required material is ready to go in minutes.

• Throughout this process, essential information remains attached to each pattern in the nest, so each cut piece can be matched back to its order number. Complete kits of cut parts can now be collected and moved seamlessly to the next stage of the production process.

Product Definitions

Product Definitions include:

• The Product ID

• An order number used to match cut patterns to a specific order after cutting

• Names and locations of all the patterns required to build that product

• Generic materials on which each pattern is to be nested

• Optional details that relate to nesting and cutting patterns

• Optional dimensions and variables used to generate Templates patterns at a specific size

At the Product Definition level, materials are generic. For example, a car seat cover might use three separate materials in three zones. The Product Definition could place patterns on each of zones 1, 2, and 3. When the order is read, Workflow matches generic materials to specific materials from the Material Library.

Master Patterns

Master Patterns are your finished pattern files, ready for production.

These files can include:

• All the patterns used for any product

• Pre-nested pattern files

• Single patterns

• Patterns for multiple products

• Templates used to generate patterns for a specific style with unique dimensions

Order List

The Order List is a .csv file containing three required fields:

• Product ID which matches a Product ID in the Product Definitions

• Order Number, used at the end of the cutting process to group all of an order’s patterns together for assembly

• Order Quantity

In addition, the Order List will contain:

• Pattern orientation information

• Specific materials to use for this order

• For Templates patterns – dimensions and variables used to generate the correct patterns

Material Library

The Material Library holds all the relevant details for each Material ID, such as actual width, solid or striped pattern, nesting spacing, and cutting speeds.

Processes

Workflow guides you through four processes.

Defining Products

Defining products is only done once for each of your products.

• Locates each required pattern or template in a master file

• Assigns each pattern to a generic material (drag and drop)

• Assigns any special rotation constraints to each pattern

• Assigns columns in the order form to Workflow variables

Processing Orders

• Reads a list of product orders (in spreadsheet form)

• Matches specific materials in the order to the generic materials in the Product Definition

• Matches each pattern to the specific material it is to be cut from

Packaging Orders

• Sorts all required patterns by material so each project file created contains patterns to be cut from only one material

• Sends each material file to a destination folder that can be read by the cutter operator

• Nests patterns automatically according to placement groups (kits)

Cutting and Kitting Orders

• Identifies each pattern with its kit number after cutting is complete