Apparatus and method for laser etching wear patterns into denim pants

An apparatus for forming predetermined patterns into cloth pants comprising a laser device, a pants supporting mandrel having a pair of leg sections each for receiving a respective leg of a pair of pants supported on the mandrel, said mandrel being selectively actuatable from a retracted condition that permits positioning of a pair of pants onto the mandrel and an expanded condition that tautly supports the pants in predetermined relation to said laser device, and said laser device being operable for imparting a predetermined etched pattern at a predetermined location on a pair of pants supported by said mandrel while in said expanded condition.

A method for forming a pattern into cloth pants comprising the steps of:

• positioning a pair of pants onto a first expandable and retractable mandrel while the mandrel in a retracted position, expanding the mandrel to tautly support the pants on the mandrel, positioning the mandrel and the pants supported thereon in predetermined relation to a laser device, and actuating the laser device to etch a predetermined pattern into said pants at a predetermined location.

A method of forming a pattern into cloth pants comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of expandable and retractable mandrels, moving said mandrels successively to a plurality of stations including a loading station, a laser station, and an unloading station, positioning a pair of pants onto a mandrel at said loading station, expanding the mandrel at the loading station to tautly support the pants on the mandrel, advancing the mandrel with the pants supported thereon to the laser station, etching a predetermined pattern into said pants at a predetermined location by generation of a laser beam at said laser station advancing the mandrel with a pair of pants supported from the laser station to the unload station, and retracting the mandrel at the unload station to remove the pants from the mandrel.