What is Marker?How to Calculate Marker Efficiency

What is Marker?

Mini Marker

A marker is a diagram of a precise arrangement of pattern pieces for sizes of a specific style that are to be cut from in one spread.

What is Marker Making?

Marker making is the process of determining a most efficient layout of pattern pieces for a style, fabric and distribution of sizes . Factories those don’t have CAD system perform this process manually. In manual marker making to make an efficient marker one need time, skill and concentration. Now-a-day Marker making is mostly done by CAD systems which give accuracy, increase control over variables and reduces time required in making markers.

What is marker efficiency?

Marker efficiency is defined as a ratio of area of marker used in a garment and area of total marker.

Marker efficiency is determined from fabric utilization, the percentage of total fabric that is actually used in garment parts.


Note: Marker efficiency and Fabric utilization is not same thing. In marker efficiency calculation fabric wastage due to end bits and end loss is not included but in fabric utilization calculation all kinds of fabric wastage are included.

How to calculate Marker Efficiency?

Calculation method of marker efficiency has been explained below with formula.

Formula#1

Marker efficiency% = (Area of marker used for garments / Area of total marker) * 100


Area of marker used for garments: In case of CAD marker, CAD system automatically calculates total area of garment pattern pieces placed in a marker. So you get area of marker that is consumed by garments from CAD system.

Total Marker Area: To calculate total marker area simply multiply marker length by marker width.

In manual marker it is difficult to measure surface area of garments patterns in a marker. You can use a mechanical device, Planimeter, to calculate the surface area of pattern pieces from outlines of the pattern pieces.

Another method can be practiced to calculate marker efficiency when you don’t have CAD system or Panimeter. Calculate ratio of weight of fabric consumed by pattern pieces and total weight fabric under total marker area. So a separate formula is used to find marker efficiency.


Formula#2

Marker efficiency% = (Weight of fabric consumed by patterns pieces in a marker / Total weight of fabric of under the marker area)*100

Weight of garment parts: To calculate weight of garment parts cut one layer of fabric according to markers and weigh all garment parts that are included in a marker.


Weight of marker total area: Measure weight of fabric (one layer) of total marker area.