Determination of body size with fuzzy expert system approach in ready-made clothing sector

In this study, it is purposed to model a common body sizing system and design an expert system that can determine the body sizes of the customers in a correct and easy way by using the size schedules, body sizes and fuzzy logic method provided from ready-made clothing enterprises dealing with women outerwear and producing their own trademarks. For this purpose, the importance of the subject was stated for the manufacturer and consumer masses and the institutions and organizations giving trainings related to the mentioned subject. Also, the hypothetical and theoretical related to the subject were explained and the studies related to the subject were stated.In the research, the ready-made clothing enterprises, which carry on business and are registered in Ankara Association of Clothing Industrial and deal with the women outerwear with their own trademark, were accepted as the target group. The present size schedules, used by the ready-made clothing enterprises included in the target group, created data of the research and the modelling was based on the bust, waistline and hip sizes shown in the size schedules.The bust was taken as the dominant for the upper body sizing and the hip sizes were taken as the dominant for the lower body sizing. The whole length size was taken as the reference for the output variable of length of the cloth. The minimum, maximum and average values of the data were calculated and these data ranges were used in the system modelling.First, the parameters effecting the women outerwear (lower body ? upper body length of cloth) sizing system were determined during the modelling and the input and output variables were defined. In the second stage, the fuzzify process was applied and the membership functions were determined. The triangular membership funcion was selected for the membership function. In the third stage, the fuzzy rule base was determined and a matrix was created. The fuzzy rules were specified to calculate the upper and lower body sizes according to this matrix. In the fourth stage, the fuzzy inference mechanism was formed. The max-min inference mechanism was used as the fuzzy inference mechanism in the sytem design. In the last stage, the 'Weight average' method was used for the clarification process. The fuzzy expert system was designed to be used in the retail sector as a result of the study and the software was encoded using the C# programming language. This software programme can set the upper body, lower body and length of cloth and the body sizes of the customer by taking into account the body shape of the customer and provides a shopping for fit clothes without any repair.It was determined in the research that there was a direct proportion between the decision given by the designed fuzzy expert system and conventional formula used for the determination of the body sizing and the fuzzy expert system was found more sensitive to determine the body size.Key Words: Ready-made clothing, body sizing, consumers, fuzzy logic, expert systems