A web-based 3D virtual display framework for warp-knitted seamless garment design

Abstract

Purpose The virtual display of 3D garment is one of the most important features in a computer-aided garment design system. The purpose of this paper is to present a novel web-based 3D virtual display framework for the online design of warp-knitted seamless garment using the latest WebGL and HTML5 technologies. Design/methodology/approach Based on the feature-based parametric 3D human body model, the 3D model of skin-tight warp-knitted seamless garment is established using the geometric modeling method. By applying plane parameterization technology, the 3D garment model is then projected into corresponding 2D prototype pattern and a texture-mapping relationship is obtained. Finally, an online 3D virtual display application framework for warp-knitted seamless garment is implemented on modern WebGL-enabled web browsers using the latest WebGL and HTML5 technologies, which allow garment designers to globally access without installing any additional software or plugin. Findings Based on the 2D/3D model of warp-knitted seamless garment, an online 3D virtual display application running on modern WebGL-enabled web browser is implemented using the latest Javascript, WebGL and HTML5 technologies, which is proven to be an effective way for building the web-based 3D garment CAD systems. Originality/value This paper provides a parametric design method for warp-knitted seamless garment 2D/3D model, and web-based online virtual display of 3D warp-knitted seamless garment is implemented for the first time, which establishes the foundation for the web-based online computer-aided warp-knitted seamless garment design system.