CM/Collaborative Research: Simulation-based Software Tools for Automated Knitting

越来越多的纺织产品，特别是服装，是在复杂的自动化针织机上生产的，这些机器可以一步生产出完整的产品，完全控制织物表面的形状、外观和机械性能的变化。这些机器有望使服装和其他针织产品的设计民主化：任何可以写在针织机程序上的设计都可以像批量生产产品一样轻松地以任何数量生产，而且每个实例都可以不同，在尺寸、合身度和功能上都有变化。具有讽刺意味的是，很少有人能在这些机器上设计出自动化生产的定制针织服装，因为开发新图案是一个反复试验的过程，需要深奥的知识和对生产设备的访问。该项目旨在通过开发仿真技术来改变这种情况，该技术使基于web的交互式设计工具能够准确预测最终结果，消除试错，让用户第一次就有信心直接制作他们的设计。强调基于web的交互式设计工具将为扩大访问和实际使用提供切实可行的途径。该项目的技术目标包括：(1)通过扩展先前的纱线级布建模工作，实现纱线力学的预测模拟，以提供与实验数据的校准匹配。(2)开发多尺度仿真模型，为涉及编织结构设计相关编辑的交互设计任务提供实时反馈。(3)构建基于仿真的设计工具，任何人都可以使用它来轻松地设计和模拟自己的定制针织产品，就像现在可以3D打印机械部件一样。(4)研究基于高级优化的设计工具，使“智能”编辑无需诉诸低级缝合规范。我们将使用一系列用户研究来评估我们的模拟工具，以衡量工具的有效性，以提高用户匹配设计目标的能力。

A growing fraction of textile products, particularly clothing, are made on sophisticated automated knitting machines that can produce complete products in a single step, with full control over variation in shape, appearance, and mechanical properties across the surface of the fabric. These machines promise to democratize the design of garments and other knitted products: any design that can be written down as a knitting machine program can be made in any quantity as easily as a mass-produced product, and every instance can be different, with variations in size, fit, and function. Ironically, very few people can actually design custom knitted garments for automated manufacture on these machines, because developing new patterns is a trial-and-error process requiring esoteric knowledge and access to the production equipment. This project aims to change this situation by developing simulation technology that enables web-based interactive design tools that accurately predict the end result, eliminating trial-and-error and letting users directly manufacture their designs with confidence of good results the first time. An emphasis on interactive web-based design tools will enable a practical pathway for expanding access and real-world usage.The project's technical aims include: (1) Achieve predictive simulation of yarn mechanics by extending prior work on yarn-level cloth modeling to provide a calibrated match to experimental data. (2) Develop multi-scale simulation models that provide real-time feedback for interactive design tasks involving design-related edits to knit structures. (3) Build simulation-based design tools that anyone can use to easily design and simulate their own custom knitted products in the same way one can now 3D print mechanical parts. (4) Investigate high-level optimization-based design tools that enable "smart" edits without resorting to low-level stitch specifications. We will evaluate our simulation tools using a sequence of user studies that measure the effectiveness of the tools to improve users' ability to match design targets.