Construction technique
CAD Pattern & Cutting
Turn a style into graded, marker-ready cut files any CAD or cutter accepts.
CAD pattern cutting turns a garment style into 2D pattern pieces with seam allowance, a graded size run and a fabric-width marker, exported as an open DXF (AAMA or ASTM D6673) that virtually every CAD system and automated cutter reads. Because it rides an open interchange standard, one file works across factories worldwide — no per-vendor sample needed.
Machine file produced
AAMA / ASTM DXF
Native formats
- DXF-AAMA
- DXF-ASTM (D6673)
- HPGL
- PLT
- .rul grade rules
How pattern-cut reaches the machine
Cutting is the one step every cut-and-sew garment needs. The pattern room drafts pieces, applies seam allowance and shrinkage, grades sizes and nests a marker for fabric yield. Output is the universal AAMA/ASTM DXF plus grade rules (.rul) and cut/plot files.
The pattern-cut software landscape
How today’s tools position — and where each leaves a gap.
| Tool | What it is | The gap |
|---|---|---|
| Gerber AccuMark / Lectra Modaris | Enterprise pattern/grading/marker systems. | Costly; little top-of-funnel content. |
| Optitex | 2D/3D pattern + marker. | Enterprise; opaque pricing. |
| TUKAcad | Pattern/grade/marker with strong tutorials. | Strongest content play — but no one owns PDF/PNG → production DXF. |
| Seamly2D / Valentina | Free, open-source pattern making. | Manual; no grading/marker at production scale. |
Where pattern-cut files fail — and how to avoid it
A cut file has to be internally consistent to be sewable: seam allowances that mate, grade rules that hold across sizes, and a marker that respects fabric width and grain. AAMA and ASTM are open standards, so the real gap is a clean path from a PDF/PNG/style spec to a compliant, graded production DXF.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between AAMA and ASTM DXF?
- Both are open DXF conventions for apparel patterns. AAMA (ASTM D6673 formalizes it) defines a layer contract — boundary, grade points, notches, grain, drills — so a pattern reads identically across CAD systems and cutters. They are interchange standards, not vendor formats.
- Can you convert a PDF or PNG pattern into a DXF?
- Yes — the pieces can be reconstructed as clean vector panels, given seam allowance and grade points, and exported as a compliant AAMA/ASTM DXF, rather than a flat traced outline.
- What is grading?
- Grading is scaling a base pattern into a full size run using per-point rules. The grade table (.rul) carries one delta per grade point, numbered identically to the DXF.
One design → the exact AAMA / ASTM DXF your machine runs
PatternAI turns a prompt, your artwork, or a live trend into a production-ready pattern-cut file — no redraw on the floor.