INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING

A new approach to apparel industry

Industrial Engineering in Apparel

Industry
It is concerned with the
development,
improvement,
implementation and
evaluation of integrated
systems of people,
money, knowledge,
information, equipment,
energy, materials and
analysis

GENERAL SEWING DATA

GSD
GSD is used to evaluate all
operations. Including
Cutting, Decorative,
Sewing, Pressing, Quality
control and packing
Costing design
Line balancing
Investment Appraisal
Pre-production planning
Time standards
Operator training
Methods rationalization

Example - Reduction in SMV

Operation : Sleeve under placket

Parameters

Before GSD

After GSD
implementation

SMV

0.534

0.437

CAPACITY

112

137

PRODUCTION

60

75

Few example
Dispos
e

Sew

Pick up
Pnls

Operation : Collar pick ready

Before
GSD

After GSD
implementation

SMV

0.30

0.15

CAPACITY

200

400

PRODUCTIO
N

120

200

Operation : Collar trim and turn

FAST TRACK TRAINING

FAST TRACK TRAINING- QQT

The role of the instructor is to
train machinists to achieve
their targets of Quality,
Quantity and Time, in the
shortest possible time.
FastNew
Track
Operator
Training

Comparison of Training methods

Training during
1990'S
SELECTION
CRITERIA

Training during
2000 to 2010
(KSA AAMT)

QQT Methodology

Age above 18 years Age above 18 yrs

Physical fitness

BASIC TRAINING i) Machine control

ii)Training given to
sew stitch by stitch

Age above 18 yrs

Trainability
assessment for
tailors.
Operations assigned
based on grade
Based on finger
obtained in the
dexterity test & color trainability
blindness test for
assessment
Tailors and others
i) Basic knowledge on
machines
ii) Paper exercises
with time targets-6
nos

i)Loop exercise No1:

Speed

iii) Fabric exercise

with time targets-7
nos

iii)Loop exercise No 3:
Speed accuracy with
precise stoppage

ii)Loop exercise No 2:
Speed and accuracy

Comparison of Training methods

Training during 1990'S

SKILL
TRAINING

Training during 2000

to 2010

i) Training given for semi i)Training on specific

skilled operations(eg :
operations directly
Joining 2 parts by a
straight seam)

QQT Methodology
i)Specific designed
fabric exercises for
every operation with
Quality &Time Targets

ii) On gaining experience ii)The operator attains ii)The operator attains

of about one year they graduation at 80%
graduation at 80%
are trained on skilled
operations(eg : Joining 2
or 3 parts by following
notches, very long
operations like bottom
hem, side seam etc.)
TRAINERTRAINEE
RATIO
AVERAGE
TRAINING
PERIOD

1:20

1:15

1:3

3 to 6 months

2 To 4 months

4 to 8 days

Snapshot of Trainee graduation Before

and After

Foundation Skills
Loop exercise No 1

OPERATION SPECIFIC SKILLS- COLLAR

RUN
40 cms

17cms

Stitch at1/4 margin

40 cms

17cms

Exercise 1
Target:
Time -14 sec.
Quality- 40 cm Straight seam in single burst.
Purpose:
Join 2 pieces
Align at foot
Straight 40 cm seam
One burst of sewing
Run off & separate
Exercise 2
Target:
Time -21 sec
Quality- inch seam following foot as guide
Purpose:
Practice all skills from exercise 1.
Stop in corner.
Position needle.
Exercise 3
Target:
Time -24 sec
Quality- Making sharp, symmetric corners

Stitch at
margin

Purpose:
Practice skills from 1&2
Stop in sharp corner.
Match cut marks

LEAN MANUFACTURING

Lean Manufacturing
It is focusing on the

ELIMINATION of WASTE
(non-value-added
activities) through
CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT!
Value-Adding Activities

Transform materials and

information into products and
services the customer wants

Non-Value-Adding Activities

Consume resources, but don't

directly contribute to product or
service

Wastes in Manufacturing
Up to 90+% of any Process is Wasted Time
or Activity
Excessiv
e
Inventori
es

Excessive Motion

(Walking to Next Task,

etc.)

OPERATIONAL LEAD
TIME
Waiting
Overproduc
(Often Results of
tion
Unbalanced

Unneeded
Processing
Time

(Identifying, Handling,
Fixing)

Tasks)

Wasted Time and

Activity
Core Process Value

Defective
products

Overproduction

Inventories

Defective
Products

Transportati
on
(Make Parts
Here, Take
Upstairs
For Assembly)

Processing

Transportatio
n

Waiting

Excess motion identify and eliminate

Lead time reduction:

Causes of Waste
Layout (distance)
Long setup times
Incapable processes
Poor maintenance

practices
Poor work methods
Lack of training
Lack of adherence
Large batches

Supervisory roles
Irrelevant

performance
measures
Ineffective production
planning/scheduling
Lack of workplace
organization
Supplier
quality/reliability
More

WAIST BAND
BUTTON
HOLE
WAIST BAND
BUTTON
HOLE
BACK
POCKET
FIINISH
BACK
POCKET
FIINISH

BRAND
LABEL ATT
BRAND
LABEL ATT

BACK PKT
BUTTON
SEW
BACK PKT
BUTTON
SEW

BACK PKT
BAG CLOSE
BACK PKT
BAG CLOSE

waist band
blind hem
waist band
blind hem

LOOP DOWN
& TOP B/T
LOOP DOWN
& TOP B/T

FLY &
CROTCH PC
FLY & B/T
CROTCH PC
B/T

WAIST BAND
TACKING
WAIST BAND
TACKING

TRIMMING

TRIMMING

LOADING
LOADING

FRONT
& BK
FRONT
PKT B/T
& BK
PKT B/T
PAIRING &
MID LINE
CHECKING
PAIRING &
MID LINE
CHECKING

END OF
LINE
END OF
CHECKING
LINE
CHECKING
SEAT SEAM

Right fy
lining close
Right fy
lining close

FRONT
POCKET
FRONT
ATT &
POCKET
BONE
ATT &SEW
BONE
SEW
FRONT
POCKET
FRONT
ATT &
POCKET
BONE
ATT &SEW
BONE
SEW
FRONT
PLEAT
FRONT
PLEAT
SIDE
SEAM
SIDE
SEAM
INSEAM
INSEAM
RGT &
LFT FLY
RGTATTACH
&
LFT FLY
ATTACH
CROTCH
SEW
CROTCH
SEW
SIDE PKT
FOLD &
SIDE PKT
SEW
FOLD &
SEW
WAIST
BAND ATT
WAIST
BAND ATT
WAIST
BAND ATT
WAIST
BAND ATT
HOOK &
BAR
HOOK &
BAR
WAIST
BAND
WAIST
EXTN
BAND
SEW &
EXTNTURN
SEW &
TURN
FLY TOP
STITCH
FLY TOP
STITCH

TRIMMI
NG
TRIMMI
NG

END OF
LINE
ENDCHECKI
OF
LINE NG
CHECKI
NG

WAIST
BAND
BUTTON
WAIST
BANDHOLE
BUTTON
HOLE
WAIST
BAND
TACKING
WAIST
BAND
TACKING
FLY &
CROTCH
FLY &PC B/T
CROTCH
PC B/T
LOOP
DOWN &
TOP B/T
LOOP
DOWN &
TOP B/T

waist
band
waistblind
band hem
blind
hem
Right fy
lining
Rightclose
fy
lining
close
SEAT
SEAM
SEAT
SEAM

WAIST BAND
IRON
WAIST BAND
IRON

FLY TOP
STITCH
FLY TOP
STITCH

WAIST BAND
EXTN IRON &
FLY IRON
WAIST BAND
EXTN IRON &
FLY IRON

WAIST
BAND
WAISTEXTN
SEW &
BAND
EXTNTURN
SEW &
TURN

F P
F F
WAIST
BAND
WAISTEXTN
IRON &
BAND
EXTN W/B
IRON
IRON &
W/B
IRON

LOADI
NG
LOADI
NG

WAIST
BAND
WAISTSETTI
BAND NG
SETTI
NG

W
SEAT SEAM

Due to Single Piece Movement and reduction in WIP the Lead

time has significantly reduced and hence improved the

W
HOOK &
BAR
HOOK &
BAR

LEAN LAYOUT

F
B

P
WAIST
BAND
WAISTATT
BAND
ATT

SIDE
PKT
SIDE
FOLD &
PKT SEW
FOLD &
SEW

CROTC
H SEW
CROTC
H SEW

RGT &
LFT FLY
RGTATTACH
&
LFT FLY
ATTACH

INSEAM

INSEAM

SIDE
SEAM
SIDE
SEAM

BACK
PKT
BACKBAG
PKTCLOSE
BAG
CLOSE

FRONT
& BK
FRONT
PKT B/T
& BK
PKT B/T

BACK
PKT
BACK
BUTTO
PKTN SEW
BUTTO
N SEW

BRAND
LABEL
BRAND
ATT
LABEL
ATT

BACK
POCKE
BACK T
POCKE
FIINISH
T
FIINISH

FRONT
PLEAT
FRONT
PLEAT

BONE
SEW
BONE
SEW

FRONT
POCKET
FRONT
ATT
POCKET
ATT

FRONT
POCKET
FRONT
ATT
POCKET
ATT

B
W
WAIST
BAND ATT
WAIST
BAND ATT

P F
B
P
P B
WP

F
FRONT
P F PANEL
P
B
BACK
P B PANEL
P

FRONT
POCKET

P
WAIST
BAND

W
BODY
PANEL
BS

B
F FLY
F

CONVENTIONAL LAYOUT

F
w
1 w
w
2
1
w w
3 2
w
3

WAIST
BAND
WAISTATT
BAND
ATT

Sewing Line Layout - Comparison

Balancing of Work Content / Cycle

time
CONVENTIONAL CYCLE TIME Vs TAKT TIME
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

57
54
54
54
53 59 42 41 42 41
46
4237
38
37 39 37
37 40 40
37 33
37
3637 46
35
33
33
20 27
19

TIM E (IN SECS)

Best Possible Combinations to be close

to the Takt Time
NEW COMBINATIONS
Method Study
Work place engineering and ergonomics

OPERATIONS

Check Points Introduced

LEAN CYCLE TIME Vs TAKT TIME
70
60
50
40
30 5854535359485050544753535147535953 534854565854606158
43
20
10
0
TIM E (IN SECS)

OPERATIONS

Keeping Material Flow in Mind: Layout

Modification
INTRODUCTION OF SINGLE PIECE
MOVEMENT AFTER LINE
BALANCING
Takt Time=465 mins / 450 pcs = 62
sec

Improvement
Characteristics

Before

After

avg 430
Lead time (Days)
1.52Days
94 min
1.Efficiency%
59%
72%
3.Multi skill Index
3.43
5
4.WIP In line
530 pcs
< 100
pcs
5.Rework %
10.58%
< 5%
6.Loss time due to style change avg 94.70 min
< 30
over
min
Manpower per line
54
38
Production / day

301

Comparison of Traditional vs. Lean

Traditional

Lean

Complex
Forecast Driven
Excessive Inventory
Speed Up ValueAdded Work
Large Batch
Production
Long Lead Time
Quality Inspected-in

Simple and Visual

Demand Driven
Inventory as Needed
Reduce Non-ValueAdded
Small Lot Size
Minimal Lead Time
Quality Built-in

SIX SIGMA REWORK

REDUCTION

Six Sigma approach

Project Charter

GEMBA

WHY- WHY Analysis

SIPOC

Cause & Effect

Diagram

Solutions to Root cause

D M
MA
A I C

CTQ Tree Diagram

High RPN Causes

Control chart

Prioritization matrix

FMEA

Defects Zone
A zone The defects of the garment
which is visible when it is packed.

B zone The defects of the garment

which is visible when garment is
opened flat.

C zone The defects which can be

seen when the garment is turned.

List of Top defects

Side Seam- Raw Edge Open
Stitch

Pareto Chart of Top Defects- March to May

1600

100

1400
1000

60

800

40

600
400

20

200

Uneven Cuff High Low Open

LIST OF TOP DEFECTS

Pocket Shape Out & Down Stitch

Bottom Hem- Roping
Untrim Thread

Count
Percent
Cum%

506 309 226 168 144 96 60

33.5 20.5 15.0 11.1 9.5 6.4 4.0
33.5 54.0 69.0 80.1 89.7 96.0 100.0

Percent

80

1200
Count

Collar Finish - Down Stitch

Sleeve Placket - Slant & Down
Stitch

Top Defects
Collar down
stitch

Side
seam
raw
edge

Cuff
Uneven

Bottom
roping

Pocket
down stitch

Sleeve Placket
- Slant & Down
Stitch

Cause and effect - Example

Potential causes were identified
by Brain storming sessions with
the operators.

Cause & Effect diagram was made

depicting the causes category wise.

MAN

M/C
control
Size
mix-up
Uneven
Improper margin
or wrong W/C
label attachment
Improper armhole T/S

Improper
Improper sleeve
trimming
attachment
Front & back up & down

METHOD
Armpit join up & down
Improper feeding
Improper armhole T/S
Operator handling
Fabric constraint at the
end of seam
Improper sleeve attachment

Folder problem
Front & back up & down
Blunt needle point

Uneven margin
Uneven cut parts

MACHINE

MATERIAL

Side seam
raw edge

Improve Few examples

Red Flag- new operator/

operator change
Red Flag

In line rework
monitoring board

End line rework monitoring

board

Control Phase

Data Used to establish control limits

WORLD CLASS
MANUFACTURING

WCM
Work environment 5S
- House keeping
- Red tag
Systematic improvement
- Generating new Ideas Kaizen
- Employee involvement
Self Maintenance
- Reduction M/C downtime
- Monitor Spares consumption
Technology management
- New Machineries
- Up gradation of new technology

Environment Health and safety

- Awareness of seasonal diseases
- Near miss Accidents
- Visual display for safety
People Management
- Career Planning
- Family Visits for employees
- Employee satisfaction and plan

Thank you

Pradeep
Industrial Engineer