Input Your Measurements, and Robots Tailor Your Clothes: Smartwear Factory Realized

Integration of 3D Design, Digital Twin, Cutting, and Sewing

Machine Vision and Needle-Type Gripper Enable Small-Batch Production of Diverse Products

Technology for a "custom apparel factory," which allows users to input their body measurements to design clothes tailored to their physique, and then have robots cut and sew the fabric to create the finished product, has been developed.

The Korea Institute of Industrial Technology announced on September 10 that a joint research team led by principal researchers Lim Daeyoung, Won Chanhee, and Kang Bonggu has implemented an "On-Demand Microfactory" by integrating 3D custom design, digital twin, and robotic automated cutting and sewing technologies.

Modular automated sewing prototype of the on-demand microfactory showcased at 'Preview in Seoul (PIS) 2026'. Courtesy of the National Institute of Fashion Technology

Smartwear refers to products that incorporate electronic components such as sensors or electrodes into clothing. Examples include electric muscle stimulation (EMS) training suits, innerwear that measures heart rate, and heated jackets. Because the position of electrodes and wiring must be adjusted according to each wearer's body shape, and the production process must be altered for each product, it has been difficult to manufacture customized products using traditional mass production methods.

The research team automated the process from design to production in three stages. First, by entering body measurements and a chosen design, a 3D garment model and 2D cutting patterns are generated, and the positions of electrodes and wiring are adjusted according to the individual body shape. Next, they use a digital twin that replicates the actual production equipment and process in a virtual environment, allowing for pre-verification of equipment arrangement, process sequence, and production time.

When actual production begins, a robotic system performs the fabric cutting, transfer, and sewing. Using machine vision to recognize the shape and position of the cut fabric, the research team's specially developed "multi-degree-of-freedom needle-type gripper" grasps the fabric and transfers it to the automated sewing machine. The product is then sewn according to the submitted program, thereby completing an EMS smartwear prototype.

Lim Daeyoung, principal researcher at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, stated, "The key innovation is the ability to simulate the entire productization process in advance and then seamlessly link this simulation with the actual robotic manufacturing process. We plan to further enhance the On-Demand Microfactory and thereby expand the production foundation for personalized smartwear."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.