11 questions to Julia Shaw, National Support Manager for OptiTex USA

1. Tell us a little bit about OptiTex

OptiTex develops innovative, user-friendly 2D and 3D CAD solutions for all cut-fabric and fashion-related industries. OptiTex solutions are designed to facilitate collaboration among partners throughout the manufacturing process.

We are the first 2D/3D combined CAD software which is certified by Microsoft. This means that in order to receive yearly certification, we must constantly ensure OptiTex software meets Mircrosoft standards. This means a lot to the customer because we can respond to feature requests and new tools, daily, weekly and we have up to three formal releases every year which is a wonderful way of growing very quickly, along with what the industry needs. 

2. If a manufacturing plant wanted to automate their production with CAD software what would be the main products used? 

OptiTex offers a range of tools such as:  Pattern Design Software, Grade, Digitizing, Marker Marking, Modulate Made-to-Measure, 3D Runway Creator Modules, Import modules, and Converters.

Depending on your needs, you can buy any one of these modules to work within your company. You can have these modules stored and accessible by network key so that certain parts of these modules can be accessed avoiding over purchasing.

3. How do Companies incorporate OptiTex software into their daily use? 

In the US, OptiTex offers online training to help new customers use OptiTex software.  The average company needs less than a month to start working fully with OptiTex products and OptiTex constantly provides customer support. In all other countries, training is mostly done on-site.

4. How do you work with your vendors and/or suppliers that have other software in the market?

OptiTex has converters to read other softwares like Lectra, Gerber, Investronica, Tuka and Microdynamics. OptiTex software can also save back into Lectra and Gerber formats. This means is that you can communicate with anyone across the world, without any concerns about what version and what CAD system is being worked on. 

The OptiTex software can receive almost any 3D data, including Maya, body scans from Human Solutions and TC[2].

5. How do you implement OptiTex in a company that has had or wants to keep other software? 

OptiTex has very extensive importing modules and provides all of the different layers for the different file formats.  This means, if you'd get a very old file format, you'll still be able to import it into OptiTex.

6. What are the advantages of using a communications tool between a manufacturing plant and its providers from abroad?

The advantage is full control on your production and ownership of your patterns.  There are no surprises when sending specifications from your designers to another country when you have a tool between two parties.

7. What are the benefits of automatic nesting?  

OptiTex's powerful new Nest++2 Advanced Automatic Nesting application incorporates an intelligent algorithm for marker nesting optimization, thus delivering better results than what is achieved manually. With Nest++2, you can control the run-time and obtain fast results. Nest++2 increases material efficiency drastically, elevates overall nesting standards and reduces time and labor.

The "Nesting Queue" generates complete, multiple nests, automatically using unattended, overnight processing. Data from the queue is organized in spreadsheet format to allow easy comparison of efficiency, nest lengths, widths and process time.

8. How is a computerized solution implanted in a manufacturing plant which does not have any of their patterns on their database? 

Companies who have an existing software system would need to convert all of their files to make them software compatible. To convert files online on the OptiTex website customers would need to:  sign in, upload the file you want, select what file you are uploading and what file you want to download and within seconds you have your converted file or your automated marker.

Manufacturers who do not have a software system implemented will need to digitize these patterns.. Many customers are already familiar products used for digitizing merchandise. Additionally, there is a new Digipen available by Algotex. The Digipen is a simple pen that comes with a flexible rollup sheet that one lays on top of the pattern to trace around the pieces. When you plug that pen into the cradle, the patterns pops up in OptiTex. This makes the Digipen not only convenient, but portable as well.

9. What are the benefits of textile/manufacturing companies that use 3D solutions?

By using 3D solutions, companies are able to dramatically increase time-to-market by completing all of their tasks online. With OptiTex 3D, the retailer sends the contractor the spec package with the patterns, planned with OptiTex PDS and draped on a 3D model. All details, fabric, etc are included and displayed in a very intuitive way. The Vendor and Retailer can then view and change details, colors, fabrics, sizes all on the same platform and the changes are done immediately both on the 3D and back to the 2D patterns. 

By utilizing OptiTex software, customers will witness a complete decrease in Time to Market.

Typical product development cycle for a season collections: 

10. Are there additional tools that customers can benefit from? 

OptiTex stays on top of its market by the ability to accomplish automatic nesting. Additionally, we have many unique marker making tools to deal with very specific things within the manufacturing process, such as matching or placing patterns within holes. We can also show texture and print design on the marker as well as lace repeats. OptiTex has a unique feature of reporting the yield the entire time you are laying the marker. Users can set up complete batching to do your entire marker making without the user sitting in front of the computer.

11. Can you explain a little more about your newest product, Web Services?  

Web Services is an application that can be accessed online.  Instead of purchasing the OptiTex Converters, or the Import option, customers can go online and convert them instantly. This is not a site, which is monitored by someone that downloads it and converts it by hand, it happens in real time.  For example:  customers can upload a Gerber pattern and download an OptiTex pattern, or upload a Lectra pattern and download an Illustrator pattern.

We also allow you to do automatic nesting, so you can upload a marker and create an automatic marker. This is all done automatically. The first five are free when you sign up and you can even send this link to other vendors who don't own OptiTex but are having problems sending you files.