Methodology for Design of Well Fitting Load-Bearing Belts

Rapid advances in scanning technology have revolutionized the ability to accurately reproduce the contours of scanned objects, facilitating the design process for various product categories.In the apparel industry, these systems are particularly effective in creating custom-fit garments tailored to individual customers.However, for mass production, it is necessary to generalize and interpret the scan data to establish standard size categories that represent typical consumer groups.At the same time, some products manufactured within this framework can only achieve their functionality if they smoothly fit to the human body.An illustrative example would be a carrying system whose main function is to distribute weight between the shoulders and hips.The effectiveness of this load distribution is directly influenced by the contact area between the belt and the body: the larger the contact area, the lower the perceived load.This principle can be applied to various load-bearing products such as backpacks, functional harnesses such as tactical harnesses and mounting harnesses as well as baby carriers.The goal of our research is to develop and test a methodology for the design of function-specific massproduced items that closely conform to the surface of the lower body, using functionally specific harness systems with tool bearing belts or assembly belts as a case study.For this purpose, parametric human models in standard sizes (e.g.German women's sizes 38 to 54) with three hip width variants -narrow, normal and wide -were used, which were previously developed for 3D product design projects.These models served as a prerequisite to investigate the typical geometry of the lower body surface.The area of interest was limited to the area between waist and hip circumference, as recommended for optimal belt positioning on the body.The 3D construction of the functional belt is carried out directly on the parametric human model in the Design Concept 3D software, Lectra.The 2D pattern parts are automatically unfolded from the 3D design.These flattened patterns were analyzed and standardized, taking into account the body geometry of the different sizes, the material properties and the subsequent manufacturing processes.The anthropometric fit of these designs was verified through simulations in 3D garment design software.This approach ensures that the resulting products not only meet the requirements of mass production, but also provide the necessary functionality and comfort for the end user.