System and method for manufacturing a custom fit garment

Abstract

A system for manufacturing a custom fit garment that comprises a reorientable robotic arm, a heated printing pen carried by the robotic arm from a tip of which heated and viscous printing material is continuously ejectable, a surface for receiving the ejected printing material, and a processor of a computer located externally to the robotic arm on which is running a software component that is configured to at least generate a three dimensional model of a scanned mannequin and to calculate a plurality of control points derived from the model to which the printing pen tip is displaceable by means of the robotic arm. Each layer of a desired custom fit garment is printable by the printing material ejected from the printing pen tip in a form of a continuous polyline that sequentially coincides with and changes direction at each region of the receiving surface that corresponds to the plurality of control points. Each of the control points is defined by a specific location of the model, an angle of a tip of the printing pen, and a speed of the tip.

Description

[0001] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CUSTOM FIT GARMENT

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of garment manufacturing. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for automatically manufacturing a custom fit garment.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] A custom fit garment is manufactured or purchased in accordance with the body size requirements of a user requesting the garment. A custom fit garment that is manually tailored involves a time consuming operation to ensure that the garment fits perfectly and is comfortable to be worn, and is usually associated with a higher price as compared to a mass produced garment.

[0006] It would therefore be desirable to automatically manufacture a custom fit garment, such as in accordance with a software controlled three-dimensional printing method. However, a human body intended to wear the custom fit garment has curved surfaces, and the 3D printing material has to be precisely printed on a curved surface so that the user will be assured of receiving a good fitting printed garment. At the same time, the heated 3D printing material that is ejected from the printing apparatus in a liquid state, usually viscous, needs to be continuously ejected to avoid formation of lumps in the 3D printing material so that each printed layer of the garment will have a substantially uniform and esthetic consistency. Another concern related to the 3-D printing method is that the heated printing apparatus is liable to damage a 3D object on which the garment is to be printed if the printing apparatus is positioned excessively close to the 3D object.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for precisely printing a custom fit garment on a 3D curved object that emulates the body size requirements of a user.

[0008] It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an algorithm that is capable of calculating all locations on the 3D curved object to be impinged upon by continuously ejected 3D printing material that ensure that a custom fit garment will be manufactured.

[0009] It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a system and method for printing a custom fit garment without damaging the 3D curved object on which the garment is printed. It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide apparatus for facilitating removal of a printed custom fit garment from the 3D curved object.

[0010] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

[0011] Summary of the Invention

[0012] A method for manufacturing a custom fit garment, whereby a plurality of layers of a desired garment are printed with heated and viscous printing material ejected from a heated printing pen carried by a reorientable robotic arm, wherein each of the layers is printed with in a form of a continuous polyline and each control point of the polyline is derived from a computer generated three-dimensional model of a scanned mannequin and is defined by a specific location of the model, an angle of a tip of the printing pen, and a speed of the tip.

[0013] A system for manufacturing a custom fit garment comprises a reorientable robotic arm, a heated printing pen carried by the robotic arm from a tip of which heated and viscous printing material is continuously ejectable, a surface for receiving the ejected printing material, and a processor of a computer located externally to the robotic arm on which is running a software component that is configured to at least generate a three dimensional model of a scanned mannequin and to calculate a plurality of control points derived from the model to which the printing pen tip is displaceable by means of the robotic arm, wherein each layer of a desired custom fit garment is printable by the printing material ejected from the printing pen tip in a form of a continuous polyline that sequentially coincides with and changes direction at each region of the receiving surface that corresponds to the plurality of control points, wherein each of the control points is defined by a specific location of the model, an angle of a tip of the printing pen, and a speed of the tip.

[0014] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] In the drawings:

[0016] - Fig. 1 is a perspective view of garment printing apparatus including a robotic arm and printing pen holder, according to one embodiment;

[0017] - Fig. 2 is a perspective view of garment printing apparatus according to one embodiment, shown in relation to a mannequin on which a garment is being printed;

[0018] - Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a printing pen holder, according to another embodiment; - Fig. 4 is block diagram of a computer system according to one embodiment for controlling displacement of the robotic arm of Fig. 1 during a printing operation;

[0019] - Fig. 5 is a method for printing a custom fit garment according to one embodiment;

[0020] - Fig. 6 is a method for preparing a mannequin for a scanning operation;

[0021] - Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a mannequin that has been applied with contrast enhancing spots;

[0022] - Fig. 8 is a perspective view of apparatus for scanning the mannequin of Fig. 7;

[0023] - Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a mannequin fixed to a base, schematically illustrating reference points used for generating a three-dimensional model;

[0024] - Fig. 10 is a method for performing a verification stage;

[0025] - Fig. 11 is a method for performing a pre-printing process;

[0026] - Fig. 12 is an illustration of portions of a polyline that is produced during a printing operation;

[0027] - Fig. 13 is a plan view of a fractal that is produced during a printing operation;

[0028] - Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a mannequin provided with a previously printed layer of a garment to which is applied the fractal of Fig. 13, to provide a localized increased thickness of the garment;

[0029] - Fig. 15 is a front view of a 3D model to which is virtually juxtaposed a trimmable retrieved pattern;

[0030] - Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the 3D model of Fig. 15 to which is virtually juxtaposed the pattern of Fig. 15 after being trimmed and been rendered polyline worthy; and

[0031] - Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a mannequin on which is printed a polyline converted from the trimmed pattern of Fig. 16.

[0032] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0033] The current fashion industry suffers from unsustainability due to a very long production time, excessive wastage, and low wages. The time period needed to design and produce a fashion collection is very long- at times up to 20 weeks. Approximately 90% of garments produced by the fashion industry every year are discarded as a result of defective products, unsold inventory, and used clothes. Unfair wages and conditions in fashion factories of third-world countries are well known.

[0034] These problems are solved with the present invention by revolutionizing the fashion industry with the use of robotic arms to manufacture 3D-printed garments, particularly 3D-printed custom fit garments. An entire dress will be able to be printed with the apparatus in one day, without having to assemble pattern pieces together. Thus the time to design and produce a fashion collection will drop from weeks to days. In addition, new sustainable materials offer endless design possibilities, minimizing waste by 3D-printing accurate amounts for a given garment. Recycling is easy, and automated production improves worker conditions, reducing work hours and increasing wages. Locating factories closer to consumers enables faster on-demand fashion product manufacturing with efficient returns and recycling.

[0035] A robotic arm that preferably has six degrees of freedom is used to accurately print a custom fit garment using a 3D printing technique on a dedicated 3D object that represents specific body size requirements of a user (hereinafter "mannequin"). In order to accurately print the custom fit garment, a 3D model of the mannequin is computer generated and the robotic arm carrying printing apparatus is commanded to become reoriented in accordance with characteristics of the 3D model.

[0036] Fig. 1 illustrates garment printing apparatus 10 according to one embodiment that facilitates 3D multi-layer printing on a mannequin. Apparatus 10 comprises robotic arm 5 that is configured with a plurality of links, joints and actuators as well known to those skilled in the art to allow printing on any region of the mannequin. Robotic arm 5 terminates with a circular mounting plate 8 defining a planar surface on which is mounted, for example by screws, a holder 14 for an elongated printing pen 17, the latter comprising a heating element. Printing pen 17 having a nozzle defined tip 13, from which heated and viscous printing material is ejectable, is secured within a bracket 19, e.g. made from metallic or plastic material and rectilinear, which is attached to an underlying support surface 16 of holder 14, e.g. planar. Holder 14 in turn has one or more connecting elements 18 for connection with mounting plate 8. In this fashion, printing pen 17 is able to be in contact with support surface 16 and to be positioned at a predetermined angle A with respect to mounting plate 8, to ensure that printing pen 17 and bracket 19 will be suitably spaced from, and therefore prevented from damaging, the mannequin. Angle A may range from 35-50 degrees, e.g. 41 degrees. This angle A prevents, for example, the distal end 12 of printing pen 17 from contacting the mannequin when the printing pen is reoriented by an angle of approximately 180 degrees relative to the illustrated printing pen orientation, in order to print for example along the underside of a curved surface.

[0037] Suitable printing material includes polylactic acid (PLA), polypropylene manufactured by Xtellar, polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), bio-based high-density polyethylene (HDPE) derived from raw sugar care and manufactured by Xtellar, and recycled polyethylene manufactured by Xtellar. An exemplary printing pen 17 is one manufactured by MYNT3D, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA that is capable of reliably extruding the printing material with a same consistency and speed for an extended period of time, such as a number of days, and its tip has a sharp edge that is capable of printing on the mannequin without being in contact therewith and a nozzle with a width of 1 mm which is sufficiently thin to print accurate designs. The heating element of printing pen may be configured to melt the printing material at a temperature of approximately 230°C, and the ejected melted plastic printing material is capable of being dried in the air in a few seconds. Thus a second printed layer of a garment is able to adhere to the first previously printed layer when the printing material remains wet.

[0038] Holder 14 is configured with additional damage preventing features. Bracket 19 having proximal 21 and distal 24 edges facilitates axial displacement of printing pen 17 along a lengthwise direction within the internal opening of the bracket before being secured to support surface 16. When the protruding dimension J of printing pen 17 from the distal edge 24 of the bracket is longer than the protruding dimension K of a mannequin-facing surface F of bracket 19 from support surface 16 and a printing operation is performed when printing pen 17 is positioned in a similar orientation as the illustrated orientation with respect to a vertical plane, mannequin-facing surface F is urged to be sufficiently spaced from the mannequin to avoid damage-prone contact therewith and distal edge 24 is additionally prevented from biting into the mannequin. Also, the length M of each connecting element 18 may be sufficient to prevent printing pen distal end 12 from contacting the robotic arm 5. Bracket 19 may be formed with one or more apertures that are suitably located to provide accessibility to manually operable buttons of printing pen 17.

[0039] During controlled reorientation of robotic arm 5 as will be described hereinafter, the commanded location of tip 13 is defined along the x, y and z axes relative to the origin at the center of mounting plate 8.

[0040] Suitable robots include the IRB 1600 manufactured by ABB Ltd, Zurich, Switzerland that is interfaceable with all robotic arms of ABB, and the UR5e manufactured by Universal Robots, Odense, Denmark that is interfaceable with all robotic arms of Universal Robots and of Kuka AG, Augsburg, Germany. As shown in Fig. 2, pen 17 may be fed with filament 22 rolled on reel 23 by a feeding device internal to the pen, and is also electrically connected to power cable 26. Pen 17 is held by a holder connected to robotic arm 11. The heated and melted filament is ejected from pen and is applied onto mannequin 35 to form a portion of a layer of a printed garment 38.

[0041] Alternatively, pen 17 may be fed with a plurality of pellets by a feeding device internal to the pen that may comprise a compressor and / or piston for compressing the pellets when the pen is held at a significantly large angle relative to a vertical plane.

[0042] Alternatively, a holder 44 shown in Fig. 3 may be employed for holding a printing pen 47 when printing on a substantially straight surface. Holder 44 may be connected to support surface 16 while being in contact therewith.

[0043] Fig. 4 schematically illustrates an exemplary computer system 50 for controlling displacement of the robotic arm during a printing operation. Computer system 50 comprises a robot controller 53 with dedicated software 54 for controlling the actuators 56 of the robot individually and collectively. A processor 61 of a computer 63, such as of a landline or laptop computer located externally to the robot, is configured with a software component 64 that is configured to at least generate a 3D model of the mannequin and to calculate control points derived from the model to which the robotic arm is commanded to be displaced and reoriented. An application programming interface (API) 67 interfaces between robot controller software 54 and software component 64 of the external computer processor 61 in conjunction with communication devices 59 and 69, respectively, which may be short range communication devices, such as Bluetooth or WiFi supporting devices, or may be adapted to communicate over other types of communication networks, such as the Internet, generally in an arrangement of requests and responses. Accordingly, after software component 64 calculates a sequence of locations for the printing pen tip during a printing operation that correspond to the calculated control points, API 67 transmits to robot controller software 54 a sequence of target locations for the origin of mounting plate 8 (Fig.l). The difference between a calculated printing pen tip location and a target mounting plate origin location is the predetermined distance between the printing pen tip and the mounting plate origin.

[0044] Fig. 5 illustrates an overview of a method predominantly performed by the external computer processor for printing a custom fit garment. In a first stage, a selected mannequin representing specific body size requirements is fixated in step 71 on top of an underlying rectangular base having three distinctive points such as corner points that define a border of the base. For a second stage, a removable coating having a contrast enhancing non-uniform color is then applied to the mannequin in step 73. Afterwards in a third stage, the mannequin is scanned from multiple views in step 75 with respect to a given orientation of the mannequin, and for a fourth stage a 3D model of the scanned mannequin is virtually generated in step 77 by data fusion with respect to at least four reference points, including the base border points and a point associated with a most curved surface of the mannequin. In a fifth stage, the at least four reference points are aligned in all scanned images in step 79 such as with synchronization software to perform pixel matching, and then the 3D model is scaled in step 81 corresponding to a sixth stage with a predetermined safety margin, e.g. of 5%, to ensure that the heated tip of the printing apparatus will not contact and damage the mannequin, yet will be in printing range of the mannequin. For a seventh stage, a first layer of the garment is printed in step 83 with a desired pattern and a continuous polyline, wherein each control point of the polyline is derived from the scaled model and is defined by a set of values related to a specific location, tip angle and tip speed corresponding to the ejection rate of the continuously ejected printing material. For an eighth stage, a second garment layer, or any other numbers of layers, is printed in step 85 by repeating the previous step with a predetermined shift that facilitates printing a larger or smaller surface area of the mannequin, while the ending point of the previous step is the starting point of the present step.

[0045] In another embodiment, the external computer processor performs the last three stages with respect to a previously generated 3D model. Of course, the external computer processor will regenerate the 3D model upon determining that any of the first five stages has been performed differently than the aforementioned method.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 6, the second pre-scanning stage is performed in one embodiment by covering the mannequin entirely in step 91 with strips of body clinging masking tape, e.g. horizontal strips, such that each strip overlaps an adjacent strip without any spaces therebetween, to allow strips adhered with polymeric material or other viscous printing material during a printing stage to be peeled off without discoloring the mannequin. Afterwards, various contrast enhancing spots or other types of non-uniform coloring are applied to the masking tape in step 93 to improve visibility during the scanning stage. Fig. 7 illustrates a mannequin 35 that has been applied with contrast enhancing spots. Adhesive material such as in the form of a spray is additionally applied to the masking tape in step 96 to improve the adhesivity of the printing material following ejection from the tip, such as during conditions when the printing material is ejected upwardly onto a mannequin region. It will be appreciated that step 96 may be performed prior to step 93.

[0047] Fig. 8 illustrates apparatus 95 fixed within an enclosure 94 for scanning mannequin 35 in the third stage. Apparatus 95 includes an array of interconnected horizontal and vertical poles 97 on each of which are mounted one or more stationary cameras 99. Each camera 99 images mannequin 35 at a different vantage point, for example at a different height or at a different angle. Cameras may also be provided behind the mannequin, or alternatively the mannequin may be caused to rotate to allow the cameras to image the rear of the mannequin. The cameras 99 are in data communication with processor 61 of Fig. 1, or with an image processor that is in data communication with processor 61, to facilitate suitable processing of the imaged data in accordance with the predefined algorithm.

[0048] Alternatively, the scanning apparatus may be constituted by robotic arm 5 of Fig. 1, to the mounting plate 8 of which is attached a camera 99 that transmits data representative of imaged content to an image processor. A single camera 99 attached to the mounting plate of the robotic arm may be a 3D- scanner, for example one manufactured by Creaform, Levis, Quebec, Canada. While camera 99 is continuously imaging mannequin 35 during a dynamic scanning operation, processor 61 commands the robotic arm to be displaced to specific locations around the mannequin from which suitable images can be acquired.

[0049] Fig. 9 schematically illustrates the reference points that are used in conjunction with the fourth stage. Although mannequin 35 is shown without the contrast enhancing coating, it will be appreciated that identification of the reference points is made after the contrast enhancing coating is applied in the second stage, such as shown in Fig. 7.

[0050] While the three border reference points 101-103 of base 105 are easily and automatically identifiable by the image processor, the fourth reference point 107 associated with a most curved surface, such as bust line 109, needs to be manually indicated by a user upon applying a distinctive indicium at a central region of the most curved surface.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 10, a verification stage may be performed after the fourth stage to determine whether the scanned mannequin is physically positioned at the same orientation as indicated in the generated 3D model. In the verification stage, a vertical line is extended in step 111 from a centerline of the base that has been generated in the 3D model to a selected point that is expected to be on the centerline, such as reference point 107 of Fig. 9. A spatial deviation between the extended vertical line and the selected point, if detected, is determined in step 113. The generated 3D model is then corrected in step 115 by applying the determined deviation at each of the reference points and regenerating the 3D model with a mapping function. The subsequent stages are performed with reference to the regenerated model.

[0052] Fig. 11 illustrates a pre-printing process. Following generation of the 3D model in the fourth stage or following the verification stage, the generated model is displayed on a computer screen in step 121 and appears identical or essentially identical to the real-world mannequin. A desired computer generated pattern to be included in the printed custom fit garment is generated with a curved 3D continuous line in step 123 by a pattern creation tool, and is linked by a desired positional relation with the 3D model, and is also displayable on the computer screen. The curved 3D continuous line is defined by a large number of pixels, generally on the order of thousands of pixels, and the robotic arm will have difficulty in efficiently recreating the curved 3D continuous line due to the high resolution line that is required. In lieu of a curved 3D continuous line, a realistically printable path is generated in step 125 that is defined by a polyline emulating the curved 3D continuous line. A discontinuous polyline 132 shown in Fig. 12 comprises a plurality of segments 134, or discrete lines, each of which has a predefined length that includes a limited number of pixels, e.g. 50-100 pixels. Each vertex 136 of a segment 134 defines a control point that is associated with a set of values derived from the model that includes location, tip angle and tip speed. A list of control points for use in a printing operation is then able to be outputted in step 127 following generation of the polyline.

[0053] Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate another pre-printing process.

[0054] A desired 2D pattern 163 is retrieved from a pattern library and is virtually positioned in front of the 3D model 165 generated in the fourth stage or following the verification stage, by the pattern creation tool, as shown in Fig. 15. When the selected pattern 163 has a surface area greater than the projected surface area of 3D model 165 such that the width of pattern 163 is greater than the projected width of the 3D model, the larger sized pattern 163 is virtually trimmed by a trimming tool to designed contour lines 167, which are generally unsymmetrically arranged. Each of the contour lines 167 after being trimmed may be parallel or perpendicular one to the other, and are calculated by the external computer processor to be curved when applied to the mannequin.

[0055] The illustrated pattern 163 is generated with a plurality of rows 168, and each row is defined by a plurality of predefined straight or curved segments 173, which may coincide one with another to produce the pattern. The pattern creation tool is operable to analyze the rows 168 and segments 173 to determine whether the trimmed pattern is able to be converted to a continuous printable polyline. As is evident, the illustrated trimmed pattern has spaces 174 between adjacent rows 168 and is not yet able to be converted to a continuous printable polyline.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 16, the pattern creation tool virtually fuses rows 168 or other pattern-related objects together by selectively adding an element to form a junction 181, or by adding one or more elements externally to a row, to facilitate conversion of the trimmed pattern 163' delimited by contour lines 167 to a continuous printable polyline. The external computer processor in turn defines each control point of the polyline with reference to 3D model 165 with a specific model location, tip angle and tip speed.

[0057] Fig. 17 illustrates a layer of a garment that has been printed on mannequin 35 in conjunction with polyline 184 that has been converted from the trimmed pattern 163' of Fig. 16. The masking tape on which polyline 184 is printed is not shown for purposes of clarity.

[0058] One type of pattern that is able to be generated and subsequently printed is a fractal, an exemplary fractal 144 being illustrated in Fig. 13. Fractal 144 is shown in Fig. 14 when combined with a previously printed layer 147 of a garment, to provide a localized increased thickness of the garment. Alternatively, the localized increased thickness may be integrally printed together a thinner surrounding layer of the garment. A fractal is an infinite pattern that repeats itself on different scales. Fractals are the visual explanation of a recursive mathematical formula.

[0059] A fractal is particularly suitable to be printed with a robotic arm since it is able to be defined by a continuous polyline. The apparatus continues printing uninterruptedly for more efficient time and energy utilization. In one implementation, a parametric design method based on the Rhino and Grasshopper software was used to print fractals with the robotic arm. The function LSystem was used to create a morph code based on an axiom and a set of production rules. Its inputs are Axiom - the first word, which is also called seed, a list of production words to generate the words in the LSystem language, and a number of words to be generated, thereby determining the number of repetitions of the fractal. The LSystem output is the last word derived by the LSystem. The Turtle function receives a source string from the system, a step length that determines the size of the shape of the fractal, an angle that determines the different shapes of fractals, and an initial position and orientation that influence the rotation of the fractal.

[0060] In one embodiment, the eight stages shown in Fig. 5 are performed in order to print a front section of a custom fit garment onto the mannequin, and are repeated in order to print a rear section of the garment. One or more interface sections are then selectively printed onto the mannequin in order to combine the front and rear sections together. Alternatively or in addition, one or more interface elements such as a zipper or a hook and eye element may be employed to attach the front and rear sections together.

[0061] In another embodiment, the eight stages shown in Fig. 5 are performed in order to integrally print front and rear sections of a custom fit garment onto the mannequin without having to be combined together. The base of the mannequin may be positioned on, or connected to, a rotatable platform to assist in both scanning the mannequin from the front and back and in integrally printing front and rear sections of a garment.

[0062] In another embodiment, two-dimensional front and rear sections of a garment are printed on a planar surface such as a table and are then applied to the mannequin.

[0063] A 2D layer is printed with the robotic arm in accordance with the method shown in Fig. 5 mutatis mutandis while taking into account the configuration of the mannequin. That is, a translation function associated with the pattern creation tool translates the calculated location of the printing pen tip if it were printing a layer on the mannequin to a corresponding location on the 2D layer. After being printed, the surface area of the layer is greater than the projected surface area of the mannequin such that the width of the layer is greater than the projected width of the mannequin. In order to be applied on the mannequin, the larger sized layer is trimmed by a trimming tool such as a laser or the heated printing pen tip 13 (Fig. 1) to designed contour lines. Each of the contour lines after being trimmed may be parallel or perpendicular one to the other, and when applied to the mannequin may be curved.

[0064] Following being trimmed, the 2D layer has frayed edges. An edging conditioning operation is subsequently performed whereby edging is printed by the printing apparatus and selectively combined with the trimmed layer. The trimmed layer is then applied to the front of the mannequin to assume a 3D shape, such as after the mannequin has been applied with adhesive material as described with relation to Fig. 6, and is subsequently combined with a trimmed rear section.

[0065] According to another embodiment, Artificial Intelligence (Al) techniques may be used to create an accurate 3D computer generated model by performing a supervised or unsupervised training stage, that automatically extracts features (e.g., reference points) for optimally aligning all the scanned images and the orientation of the mannequin. Such Al techniques may also be used for generating various patterns that optimally fit desired styles for dressing the mannequin.

[0066] While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried out with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within the scope of persons skilled in the art, without exceeding the scope of the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method for manufacturing a custom fit garment, whereby a plurality of layers of a desired garment are printed with heated and viscous printing material ejected from a heated printing pen carried by a reorientable robotic arm, wherein each of the layers is printed in a form of a continuous polyline and each control point of the polyline is derived from a computer generated three- dimensional model of a scanned mannequin and is defined by a specific location of the model, an angle of a tip of the printing pen, and a speed of the tip.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional model is generated by scanning the mannequin from multiple views, integrating scanned images of the mannequin by data fusion with respect to at least four reference points including a most curved surface of the mannequin, and aligning the at least four reference points in all of the scanned images.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the garment is printed on the mannequin.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the three-dimensional model is scaled by a predetermined safety margin to prevent contact between the heated tip of the printing pen and the mannequin and each control point of the polyline is derived from the scaled three-dimensional model.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein front and rear sections of the garment are independently printed on the mannequin and are subsequently combined together.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a layer of the garment is printed on a surface spaced from the mannequin and is subsequently applied to the mannequin.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein a coating with contrast enhancing non-uniform color is applied to the mannequin prior to being scanned.

8. A system for manufacturing a custom fit garment, comprising a reorientable robotic arm, a heated printing pen carried by the robotic arm from a tip of which heated and viscous printing material is continuously ejectable, a surface for receiving the ejected printing material, and a processor of a computer located externally to the robotic arm on which is running a softwarecomponent that is configured to at least generate a three dimensional model of a scanned mannequin and to calculate a plurality of control points derived from the model to which the printing pen tip is displaceable by means of the robotic arm, wherein each layer of a desired custom fit garment is printable by the printing material ejected from the printing pen tip in a form of a continuous polyline that sequentially coincides with and changes direction at each region of the receiving surface that corresponds to the plurality of control points, wherein each of the control points is defined by a specific location of the model, an angle of a tip of the printing pen, and a speed of the tip.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a bracket from holding the printing pen in such a position that a protruding dimension of the printing pen from a distal edge of the bracket is longer than a protruding dimension of a surface of the bracket that faces the receiving surface from a support surface to urge the surface of the bracket that faces the receiving surface to be sufficiently spaced from the receiving surface to avoid damage-prone contact therewith.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the receiving surface is a surface of the mannequin.

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