LEKO. Atelier of XXI century.

LEKO of 6.87 version is called "CAD for atelier". It is available for many ateliers due to its price, but - what is more - it allows creating patterns according to individual measures.

To create apparel, that fits, for a concrete person, exact measuring is necessary. The tailor should take 10-25 measures with a tape. Traditionally we measure girths and lengths lengthwise the human body. The information on their distribution (transverse and front-back diameters) and their mutual disposition (for example, depth of waist) are not used, as well as shoulder slope angles, bust and spine lines.

Incompleteness of information on the figure results in time-consuming fitting it up the customer's figure. It substantially slows the process of sewing, because the clothing is to be tacked (with allowances) before every fitting. Additional fittings not only bore the customer, but also complicate the process of sewing. Sewing without additional fittings substantially simplifies the process, does not claims for customer's presence, allows minimal seam/hem allowances without providing the fitting, that will save the fabric.

Results then are committed to the average, and a typical figure is created. To take individual measurements, special tools (measuring waist coat) or universal anthropometrical tools. Automated measuring by means of anthropometrical tools, using several cameras, laser sensors, does still not achieve necessary for solving of designers' tasks level and, moreover, the cost of these tools ($10 000 and above) limits their use. Working with not automatic, but automated system, that uses human experience and knowledge and helps to define additional measurements, allows substantively decrease the cost of the system and increase the speed and reliability of data processing.

Radical decrease of digital cameras' cost ($140 and above), increase of the quality of taking pictures with web-camera allows quick and cheap input to computer the image of a body. Picturing of for sides takes 20-30 seconds, then additional processing of photographs within 3 minutes, and rather qualitative image is computerized. Additional advantage of this method is its touchless. During manual measuring a person, when touched, can intentionally or unintentionally becomes straight, pull in a belly. Pictures may be taken when the bearing is natural.

But input of body image into computer does not solve the problem of measuring. All of us know that it is rather difficult to define linear dimensions or even scale basing on the picture. Every optic system has its set of distortion resulted from inexactness of lenses producing and distribution in group, layout of a film or digital camera matrix, prospect distortion, distortions connected with changing or inexactness of place of photographing definition etc. Each of these factors results in the distortion of the general scale and brings regular or irregular distortions into the image. If you want to get computerized measurements, you should use the certain scheme of measuring on the base of digital photography. Main conditions of getting precious measures are: the same conditions of taking pictures, the same place of a person during taking pictures and the same method of data processing.

Our new program, LEKO-F, was developed to define additional measurements on the base of digital photographs. It allows saving photographs of customers, calculating the conditionally-type measurements, visually amplifying individual measures and compensationof camera optic and prospective distortions. An important advantage of the system is its openness. It means that you can independently widen the list of measurements, develop method of their counting and the method of virtual mannequin creation.

But to get the computerized additional measurers is only half of the business. Touchless sewing is still a dream because of traditional drafting methods and measuring. To approach to touchless sewing, you need not only additional information on the figure of a person. You also should correctly use this information in construction method. New methods can be developed only with the use of new tools of measuring.

Developing of new construction methods that uses additional measurements is a research task, but these researches will be compensated with increase of speed a quality of service. LEKO and new program of measuring, LEKO-F enables you to re-arrange you atelier's work. For example, creating the first sample will take you 15 minutes only. If you plot it on vlieseline, you can correct the computer design after the fitting and due to this get already checked patterns, ready for sewing the apparel. Using possibility of vlieseline plotting, you can reduce the first fitting to 10-15 minutes and receive the customer's agreement for the concrete model and its model features (allowances, relieves, decorative stitches etc.)

For more information, demo versions of the programs, samples of patterns, catalogues of models you can get at www.lekala.info or by tel. +7 (095) 240-7122, 249-0101.

 For more information, please, contact us:  leko@lekala.info