Iris Publishers_Journal of Textile Science & Fashion Technology

Improvement of Efficiency and Productivity Through Machine Balancing in a Sewing Line

Abstract

 This study investigates and demonstrates the application of computer simulation for the design of a manufacturing process for t-shirt production in a virtual-reality environment. The focal constraint against the higher productivity is the difference in individual capacity which is the mode of improper line balancing and bottle check process. This study is based on an effective layout model where to hit upon the bottleneck process through benchmark capacity and led us to use balancing process using two separate concept of manufacturing processes- modular line and traditional system both together. The research shows that this balanced layout model has increased the efficiency by 9 % and labor productivity by 6 %.
Keywords: Productivity; Line-balancing; Apparel industry; Efficiency

Introduction

 The ready-made garment (RMG) sector is the life-blood of Bangladesh economy achieving higher export growth every year. The sector is now the largest contributor not only to overseas trade but also to the national economy. Today’s business climate for clothing manufacturers requires low inventory and quick response systems that turn out a wide variety of products to meet customers demand [1]. It is especially in the Apparel industry that managers are trying to develop their current systems or looking for new production techniques in order to keep pace with the rapid charges in the fashion industry. Therefore, to develop a new system, good observations needed. However, to observe real manufacturing systems is very expensive and sometimes cumbersome [2]. The rapid rate at which the whole process takes place, the interaction between workers and the different transition times between workers make it increasingly more difficult for a human being to make correct decisions regarding how fast each operator should work in order to continue the process, while at the same time keeping productivity high and throughput at an acceptable level [3]. Construction of a quality garment requires a great deal of knowhow, a lot of coordination and schedule management. Clothing manufacturing consists of a variety of product categories materials and styling. dealing with constantly changing styles and consumer demands is so difficult. Furthermore, to adapt automation for the clothing system is also so hard because, beside the complex structure also it is labor intensive. There-fore, garment production needs properly rationalized manufacturing technology, management and planning [4]. In garment production, until garment components are gathered into a finished garment, they are assembled through a subassembly process. The production process includes a set of workstations, at each of which a specific task is carried out in a restricted sequence, with hundreds of employees and thousands of bundles of sub-assemblies producing different styles simultaneously [5]. The joining together of components, known as the sewing process, which is the most labor-intensive part of garment manufacturing, makes the structure complex as some works has a priority before being assembled [6]. Furthermore, since sewing process is labor intensive; apart from material costs, the cost structure of the sewing process is also important. Therefore, this process is of critical importance and needs to be planned more carefully [7]. As a consequence, good line balancing with small stocks in the sewing line has to be drawn up to increase the efficiency and quality of production. An assembly line is defined as a set of distinct tasks which is assigned to a set of workstations linked together by a transport mechanism under detailed assembling sequences specifying how the assembling process flows from one station to another. In assembly line balancing, allocation of jobs to ma-chines is based on the objective of minimizing the workflow among the operators, reducing the throughput time as well as the work in progress and thus increasing productivity. Sharing a job of work between several people is called division of labor. Division of labor should be balanced equally by ensuring the time spent at each station approximately the same. Each individual step in the assembly of product has to be analyzed carefully and allocated to stations in a balanced way never the available workstations. Each operator then carries out operations properly and the work flow is synchronized. In a detailed work flow, synchronized link includes short distances between stations, low volume of work in process, precise o planning of production times and predictable production quantity [8]. Overall, the important criteria in garment production is whether assembly work will be finished on time for delivery, how machines and employees are being utilized, whether any station in the assembly line is lagging behind the schedule and how the assembly line is doing overall [9,10]. To achieve this approach, work-time study, assembly line balancing and simulation can be applied to apparel production line to find alternative solutions to increase the efficiency of the sewing line [11]. Factories in Srilanka and India operate at 80% - 90% of efficiency, whereas in Bangladesh according to some experts, productivity is between 35- 55% of efficiency with very few exceptions. For the RMG sector in Bangladesh productivity alone can make a difference between life and death [12].



For More Information: https://irispublishers.com/jtsft/fulltext/improvement-of-efficiency-and-productivity-through-machine-balancing-in-a-sewing-line.ID.000541.php


For More Open Access Journals in Iris Publishers Please click on:
https://irispublishers.com/

For More Articles in Journal of Textile Science & Fashion Technology
https://irispublishers.com/jtsft/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saturated Fatty Acids Derivatives as Assistants Materials for Textile Processes

Image
  Abstract Many auxiliaries have been used in textile industries in dry or wet processes. One of the important based materials is fatty acids and its derivatives. The present work aims at preparing some textile auxiliaries based on saturated fatty acids. Six different materials were used to react with each fatty acid. Produced materials have been characterised using FT-IR, HLB and cloud point. Based on the HLB values, produced materials have been used as softeners or as O/W emulsifiers (printing paste). Treated fabrics with softeners show a very good physical and mechanical properties and printed fabrics with prepared pastes shows a good printing paste with good prints characteristics (colour strength and colour fastness). Read More About this Article:  https://irispublishers.com/jtsft/fulltext/saturated-fatty-acids-derivatives-as-assistants-materials-for-textile-processes.ID.000516.php Read More Iris Publishers Google Scholar Articles :  https://scholar.google.com/citati...
Read more

Modern Fibers: A Human- Centered Technology

Image
Textile Science and Fashion Technology Clothing represents one of the most ancient forms of human expression and is a tool that an individual use to express his/her culture and social status in society. Since the dawn of civilization, humans have used fabrics to provide basic warmth and show aesthetics. People gradually added more patterns and styles, creating clothing out of different materials. Today, the U.S. fashion and apparel industry are a $12 billion business, with the average American family spending $1,700 on clothes annually (BLS Data 2018) [1]. The fiber sector of the clothing and textile industry has undergone substantial change in recent years, and the modern fibers have opened a whole new frontier for clothing products. Modern fibers, also known as smart fibers, are becoming a human-centered technology. The smart fabrics will have the capability to see, hear, and sense their surroundings and to respond to the external stimulus through an active control mechanis...
Read more

The Rain Maker

Image
Opinion On the bottom floor of the Besse Library and across the Media Center is a room that either most people probably don’t pay attention to or always wonder what it contains. The room holds thousands of stories from all over the country, dating from over a century ago to the present day. These stories are not limited to paper and a bound cover but by thread and fabric. They all help create the Historic Costume Study Collection. Upon entering the cold room, you might feel overwhelmed. On the wall to the left are shelves that contain purses, hats, and muffs; on the right, there are shoes, gloves, and jewelry in cabinets and in repurposed library catalog card holders. Of course, you cannot overlook the mountain of garment boxes reaching up to the ceiling. The back wall has the fur and extensive wedding gown sections. Clothing racks are placed in messy rows that make maneuvering around difficult. The Historic Costume Study Collection has all you could ever need and want from fashion. Th...
Read more