Abstract:

Objective Through in-depth study and analysis of the extension characteristics of the diamond-shaped pleating structures in space, an innovative and controllable shaping method is developed. This technology aims to improve the pleat modeling effect associated to traditional pleat design methods and to overcome the difficulty in accurately estimating the amount of fabric required in the design process. This research would not only improve the accuracy of the design, but also optimize the efficiency of fabric use, providing designers with a more efficient and accurate design approach.

Method Through diamond-shaped pleat-making and digital simulations, the impact of the spatial extension function of diamond-shaped pleats on pleat shaping and fabric consumption was clarified, highlighting the necessity of this research. The single modeling analysis of the key structure of the diamond-shape space extension function was carried out. Through sample experiments and digital models, the influence of key structural values on the spatial extension function of diamond-shaped pleat and the numerical control method in the manufacturing process were discussed. Three groups of diamond-shaped pleat samples were tested to collect the key structures in the samples. On the one hand, the maximum spatial extension prediction and the pleats area fabric usage prediction of the samples were calculated by the modeling method proposed in this paper. On the other hand, the maximum spatial extension measurement value and pleats area fabric usage measurement value were obtained by actual measurement. The correlation between the predicted and measured values of the two sample groups was compared by SPSS to verify the accuracy of the proposed method. Finally, shaping method based on the spatial extension function was proposed after an integrated shaping analysis. Different design cases were studied to prove the feasibility in clothing design.

Results The numerical settings for valleys, ridges, and amounts of diamond-shaped pleat were crucial for the spatial extension function. Wider pleat wings provided more ease for movement, increasing the spatial extension. The experimental results showed that the diamond-shaped pleat wing was equal to the first step of the double pleat method. The relationship between diamond-shaped pleats ridges and wings worked to determine the maximum spatial extension. When pleat ridge > pleat wing, maximum spatial extension amount = wing width×2×number of pleats, and when pleat ridge ≤ pleat wing,maximum spatial extension amount = ridge length×2×number of pleats. It was also found that when more diamond-shaped pleats were used, more ease for spatial extension in clothing was created. The experiment showed that the amount of diamond-shaped pleats was equal to the pleats amount of double pleat, which is described as (diamond-shaped pleats + 1)×2. Based on the research of the above key structural elements and the clothing design process, the diamond-shaped pleat structure modeling method based on the spatial extension function' is proposed on the basis of the double pleat method. The method was created step by step according to the three steps of setting requirements, quantifying structure and making forming, and the diamond wrinkle data was integrated into the garment making steps. Three groups of diamond-shaped pleat samples were made according to the method proposed in this paper. By comparing the expected value of the maximum spatial extension amount with the measured value, the correlation coefficient between the expected value and the measured value of the fabric consumption in the pleats area, it was seen that the modeling method proposed in this research was accurate. Through the practice of clothing design, the feasibility of this method in practical application was verified.

Conclusion Compared with the previous traditional methods, this newly developed method can control and adjust more accurately the wrinkle structure according to the specific needs at the early stage of garment production. It can also accurately predict and calculate the amount of fabric required, thereby effectively reducing the cost of conducting experiments and sample preparation. This study provides a more scientific, efficient and practical method for the creative process of pleat design in the field of fashion design.

Key words: diamond-shaped pleat, space extension function, clothing styling method, digital simulation, fashion design