In order to enhance local manufacturing skills, the Australian Fashion Council (AFC) has partnered with textile printing company Epson Australia to explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and digitally driven smart factories.
In order to carry out a six-month feasibility assessment and develop a comprehensive plan for a pilot facility that combines automation, artificial intelligence, and digital design and print technologies to support local production, both organisations are looking for a qualified research partner.
The announcement of the AFC’s collaboration with R.M. Williams to create a National Manufacturing Strategy for the fashion and textile sector was made a week ago.
The two groups define a clothing smart factory as an automated production facility that facilitates the production of customised, on-demand clothes with quick turnaround times and low waste.
Both organisations assert that smart factories allow for quick, flexible production runs that react quickly to market trends without the high minimum order quantities that can lead to overproduction by combining digital design and print, advanced manufacturing technologies, AI-powered systems, and analytics.
According to AFC CEO Jaana Quaintance-James, “This smart factory initiative addresses multiple challenges facing Australian fashion manufacturing, from supply chain disruptions to skills shortages.”
“We are at a pivotal moment in our industry. As part of an integrated advanced manufacturing ecosystem, the feasibility study will confirm whether a smart factory pilot program can be profitable and offer wider advantages,” she adds.
According to research commissioned by the AFC, for every US $ 1 million spent on bringing production back to Australia, there may be an economic return of about US $ 1.2 million due to the creation of jobs, the adoption of new technologies, improved local supply chains, and a decrease in reliance on imports.
Craig Heckenberg, MD of Epson Australia, stated that the company is dedicated to fostering innovation in Australian manufacturing.
In order to develop a comprehensive implementation roadmap, the six-month study will evaluate operational models, technological needs, market viability, financial predictions, and social and environmental factors.
Through educational alliances, the effort seeks to upskill the workforce, restore local supply networks, foster digital innovation, and preserve sovereign manufacturing competence.
