Development of a Parametric Design Method for

Various Woven Fabric Structures

Sungmin Kim

Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Chonnam KOREA

Correspondence to:
Sungmin Kim email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT structure of fabric three-dimensionally using B-

An integrated woven fabric system has been Spline approximation method [7, 8]. Ozdemir et. al.
developed. A series of parametric design rules have rendered the realistic image of fabric using actual
been defined by analyzing famous woven structures. image of various yarns [9]. Several commercial
An expandable script language and its compiler have textile CAD systems have also been developed and
been developed to generate scalable weave diagrams are widely used such as 4D Box, Evolution,
using those rules. A calculation algorithm has also PrimaVison, TexPro, Weave Design, and so on [10-
been developed to generate draft and peg plans based 14]. However, most of those systems had a built in
on the weave diagrams. Finally, a two-dimensional fabric structure generator that it has been impossible
realistic fabric image rendering function using the to add newly developed fabric structure information
actual image of various yarns, a three-dimensional to them without modifying the whole system. In this
fabric modeling method based on B-Spline study, a script based fabric design language has been
approximation, and a pseudo three-dimensional developed to solve this problem. Script language is
mapping method for simulated images of final composed of several intuitive commands and
products were all integrated into the system. parameters. Therefore, the definition of any new
woven structure can be easily added to the fabric
design database even by the user by simply adding a
INTRODUCTION few lines to the script file. The shape and size of any
Fabric design has been evolved in various ways parameterized woven structure can be modified easily
according to the region, time, and cultural by providing appropriate parameters.
environment. Traditionally, there have been three
major methods to make colorful fabric. One is Finally, a comprehensive weave CAD system
printing, another is dying, and the third is weaving framework has been developed including an
with dyed yarn. Recently, digital printing technology automatic draft and peg plan generator, a two and
has made virtually any kind of complex design three-dimensional fabric image renderer, and a virtual
possible. A high-end fabric is usually made of dyed simulation function for simulated final products.
yarn because it looks better than any other fabrics
made by other methods. However, it has been very THEORY AND ALGORITHM
difficult to design a yarn dyed fabric because it is Parametric Design of Weave Diagram
hard to predict the final appearance of fabric before A fabric structure is formed by the intersection of
costly weaving process due to its complex woven warp and weft threads and it can be described using a
structure. Therefore, the computer-aided woven weave diagram as shown in Figure 1. The dimension
fabric design had been the first topic in the of a weave diagram is that of the repeat unit of a
automation in textile industry and it has been weave design. Each black box in a diagram denotes
developed to be one of the most effective processes the position where a warp floats over a weft and vice
nowadays. versa.

There have been many studies on the automatic

design of complex woven fabric structures. Moore
and Pourdeyhimi emphasized on the importance of
computer-aided fabric design and proposed a series
of basic methodologies [1, 2]. Chen et. al. developed
a CAD system to design complex two and three-
dimensional woven structures using a matrix system.
[3-6], Lin et. al. tried to visualize the internal FIGURE 1. Examples of Weave Diagrams.

Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics 34 http://www.jeffjournal.org

Volume 6, Issue 4 - 2011
 This script language is easily expandable that
Such a weave diagram can be easily represented by a additional commands can be implemented for the
matrix of which the elements are only 0 and 1 for need of more complex woven structures such as
calculation. However, as numerous woven structures three-dimensional or multi-layer ones. The
can be derived from the same basic structure by automatically designed initial structures can be
changing the pattern and/or the size of repeat unit that modified further into more sophisticated ones using a
it is impossible to incorporate all the possible woven series of dedicated user interfaces.
structures into a design system as matrices.
Generation of Draft and Peg Plans
In this study, a parametric design method which is Once a weave diagram is designed, the number of
widely used in current computer aided design harness and draft plan which are required to thread
systems was introduced to solve this problem. For warps into appropriate heddles can be calculate
example, the structures shown in Figure 2(a) are all automatically as shown in Figure 3.
plain weaves with different sizes and those shown in
Figure 2(b) are same twill weaves with different line A peg plan is also required for weaving where the
widths. In this case, the size of repeat unit and twill sequential up-down action of each harness per one
line width can be called as design parameters. Any weft insertion is described. As it is easy to see in a
kind and size of woven structures can be designed in weave diagram which warps float or sink in every
a parametric way as long as the design parameters weft insertion, pen plan can be easily generated by
representing the structures are found and the cross-checking the weave diagram and draft plan.
underlying design rule is analyzed.
TABLE I. Syntax and Function of Script Language Commands for
Fabric Design.

Command Parame te rs Function

GRID Row, C olumn Prepare blank matrix
REC TAN GLE Left, Top, Width, Fill specified region of matrix
Height with 1 (black point)
LIN E45 Row, C olumn, Length Draw a 45 degree line of give n
length starting from (row,colum n)
LIN E-45 Row, C olumn, Length Draw a -45 degree line of give n
length
starting from (row,colum n)
DILATE Dilatio n ratio Dilate black point in the matrix
with specified ratio
PUTPIXEL Row, C olumn, Draw points starting from
Row step, C olumn step (row,column) with the interva l of
(row step, column step)
M IRRO R C olumn M irror the part of matrix
right to the specified column
FLIP Row Flip the part of matrix
lower than the specified row
FIGURE 2. Examples of Variations in Fabric Structures.
SYM RIGHT - Symmetrize the matrix to the right
to enlarge the matrix
For this, a script based programming language and its SYM BO TTO M - Symmetrize the matrix to the
bottom to enlarge the matrix
compiler have been developed to describe the
IN SERTWARP C olumn Insert a new warp after the
complex design rule of various weave diagrams. The specified column
script language is composed of several commands IN SERTW EFT Row Insert a new weft below the
specified row
which can modify the matrix representing the woven
structure using the parameters provided by the users.
Script compiler supports fundamental arithmetic
operations and algebraic expressions just as other
common programming language compilers. Complex
calculations with nested brackets and user defined
variables can also be possible as the compiler is
based on the inverse polish calculation method [15].
The syntax and function of script language
commands are as shown in Table I.

Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics 35 http://www.jeffjournal.org

Volume 6, Issue 4 - 2011
 Initialize harness number to 1 n warps
Set all warps as free

for i=1 to n-1

for j=i+1 to n

No are i th and j th warps

not assigned ?

Yes
Compare
Compare
i th and j th
Different columns FIGURE 5. 3-D Rendering of Fabric Models.
Same

Assign a harness with warp i and j Virtual Drape Simulation

Set warp i and j as assigned
Increase the harness number One of the most important things to be considered in
fabric design is the verification of its visual
Harness appearance on the final products such as garment or
upholstery.
FIGURE 3. Generation of Draft Plan.
However, it had been possible only after a costly
Simulation of Woven Fabric weaving process that computer simulation became an
In this study, two kinds of fabric renderers have been essential process in fabric design. In this study, a
developed to simulate woven fabrics. The two- virtual drape simulation function has been developed
dimensional rendering method used the actual images where users can verify the fabric design by mapping
of warp and weft threads to simulate the subtle it onto the photos of final products made of white
characteristics of fabric surface as shown in Figure 4. fabrics. In this method, multiple regions can be
Each warp and weft thread can have different colors defined on a photo for different fabrics and a grid
and a special shadow effect is applied around the guide is assigned to each region to map the fabric
intersection points of warp and weft for realism. Also image according to the curved surface of the product.
users can modify the thickness and density of warp Some examples of simulated results are as shown in
and/or weft to simulate various configurations of Figure 6.
fabric.

The three-dimensional modeling method was also

used to enable users to observe the complex internal
structure of a fabric. For this, the spatial path of each
thread is approximated by a B-Spline curve based on
the weave diagram. Then a skinning method along
the path was used to make the yarn model. The cross
sectional shape of each yarn can be either circular or
elliptic. A three-dimensional fabric model is expected
to be useful in the prediction of fabric physical
properties such as heat conductivity or air
permeability using finite element analysis method

FIGURE 6. Examples of Virtual Drape Simulation.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A script file type database has been generated for a
total of 16 woven structures. Some examples of the
structures and corresponding design scripts are as
shown in Figure 7. As can be seen in the figure, each
structure is designed by a few lines of scripts with
simple arithmetic and algebraic calculations.

FIGURE 4. 2-D Rendering of Fabric Images.

Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics 36 http://www.jeffjournal.org

Volume 6, Issue 4 - 2011
 Name=Checked twill
Param=1
Size=4
Rule=6
GRID, Size, Size
LINE45, 0, Size-1, Size
SYM RIGHT
INVERSEWARP, Size
SYM BOTTOM
INVERSEWEFT, Size

Size=4

Name=Fancy basket
Param=2
Size=3
Thick=1
Rule=6
GRID,Size,Size
RECTANGLE,ThickThick,Size-Thick*2,Size-Thick*2 Original Image Region Definition
SYM RIGHT
INVERSEWARP,Size
SYM BOTTOM
INVERSEWEFT,Size

Size=4 Thickness=2

Name=Brighton honey-comb
Param=1
Size=7
Rule=12
GRID,(Size+1)*2,(Size+1)*2
LINE-45,0,1,(Size+1)*2-1
LINE-45,1,0,(Size+1)*2-1
LINE45,0,Size*2+1,(Size+1)*2
HORZLINE,1,0,1,1,Size,-2
HORZLINE,Size+2,0,1,1,Size-2,-2
HORZLINE,2,(Size+1)*2-1,1,-1,Size-2,-2
HORZLINE,Size+1,(Size+1)*2-1,1,-1,Size,-2
HORZLINE,0,Size,1,1,Size,-2
HORZLINE,Size+2,Size+1,1,1,Size,-2
Size=7 HORZLINE,0,Size,1,-1,Size,-2
HORZLINE,Size+2,Size+1,1,-1,Size,-2 Grid Definition Fabric Mapping

FIGURE 7. Examples of Fabric Design Scripts. FIGURE 9. Schematic Diagram of Virtual Drape Simulation.

Some examples of rendered images of fabrics with The procedures of virtual drape simulation can be
different parameters are as shown in Figure 8. described briefly as follows. First, capture a
photograph of a model in white garments. Then
define several regions on the image where mutually
different colors can be mapped. Finally, define a
quadrilateral grid on each region and deform the grid
approximately according to the curved shape of
garment as shown in Figure 9. Once the grid is
defined, a texture image can be mapped on each
region using isoparametric mapping technique with
respect to the deformed grid as shown in Figure 10.
The color of each pixel on the texture image is
multiplied by the normalized intensity of the
underlying pixel to make a natural shade.

(1,0)
(0,0)
(0,0) (1,0)

(0,1)
(0,1)

FIGURE 8. Examples of Rendered Fabrics.

Initial grid Deformed grid

The original image, the grid for three-dimensional

FIGURE 10. Schematic Diagram of Isoparametric Mapping.
effect, and the results of virtual drape simulation are
as shown in Figure 9.

Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics 37 http://www.jeffjournal.org

Volume 6, Issue 4 - 2011
CONCLUSION
In this study, a comprehensive woven fabric structure [8] Farin, G., "Curves and surfaces for CAGD - A
design system has been developed including the practical guide fifth edition", Morgan
functions such as the automatic weave diagram Kaufmann, London, 2002.
generation, the automatic calculation of draft and peg [9] Ozdemir, H. and Baser, G., "Computer
plan, the realistic rendering of two and three- simulation of woven fabric appearances based
dimensional fabric images, and the virtual drape on digital video camera recordings of moving
simulation of final products. The difference of this yarns", Textile Research Journal, 78(2), 2008,
system from others is that a script language has been pp. 148-157.
developed to manipulate the weave diagrams instead [10] 4D Box, www.4d-box.com.
of integrating the codes for the generation of woven [11] Evolution, www.digifab.com.
structure into the system itself. Therefore any new [12] PrimaVison, http://www.lectra.com.
structure can be added to the database simply by [13] TexPro, www.texclub.com.
converting its design rule into a few lines of script. [14] Weave Design, http://www. pointcarre.com.
The size and/or pattern of a repeat unit can be [15] Hamblin, C. L., "Translation to and from Polish
modified easily by providing the script with Notation", The Computer Journal, 5(3), 1962,
appropriate parameters. This system could be a more pp. 210-213.
practical weave CAD system as well as a reverse [16] CNU-WeaveCAD,
engineering system if the automatic woven fabric http://latam.jnu.ac.kr/r_weavecad.asp
structure recognition system would be integrated
which is another topic of my research group. The AUTHORS’ ADDRESSES
CAD system developed in this study can be Sungmin Kim
downloaded from my website and can be used for Chonnam National University
educational purpose for free [16]. Department of Polymer and
Fiber System Engineering
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Volume 6, Issue 4 - 2011