MANUFACTURING WORKFLOW - Process From Fabric To Product

 FABRIC INSPECTION MACHINE This is used to inspect the fabric defects and measure the total meters of the fabric..  Type of lay plan used: Since open width fabric is used, full garment

Karthika M Dev

MANUFACTURING WORKFLOW

Consumption planning to order fabric

Fabric order placement Receipt of fabric Fabric inspection (Check physical appearance and properties)

Marker Planning (For bulk production)

Sampling

Spreading & Cutting Presewing operations (Fusing, embroidery, marking- if required in style)

Bundling Feeding in lines (As per production plan)

Finishing Packing Warehousing Packing and dispatch

GARMENT ENGINEERING

It starts in design development stage because it directly affects the costing of the garments

People involved: Designers, sample room manager, industrial

engineering department and production management should all report from cutting to finishing.

Key areas for analysis:

 Seam types – Various seam types should be analyzed and

considered to simplify/reduce the work.

 Stitch types- Explore various options in terms of seam types For

example replace lock stitches by chain stitch in case of Multineedle seams.

 Machine types- Optimum use of technology to maximize, look in

to machine type, bed shapes and automation that’s possible.

 Attachments – Attachment help in simplifying and reducing the

work content and to increase line balancing efficiency.

 Special work aids- Special work aids can be used to

simplify/reduce the work content.

 Fabric consumption- Fabric being 70% of the garment cost is

vitally important to monitor and if the engineering is done properly we can certainly expect to save fabric or reduce consumptions.

 Cutting- how should it be done- we do not have Tailors now, we

have operators instead and they should be working with clippers

in their hands

 Finishing- Finishing is the last link of the value chain which is

essential for p erformance point of view.

CAD DEPARTMENT

Receiving tech pack: Tech pack is received from Head office that contains all theinformation regarding the style illustration, size, trims, colors, stitch and seam class, fit,sampling details, and packing and finishing details

Make basic pattern: Basic pattern is made manually by pattern master in one basesize

Digitizing: This base size is then digitized on the Gerber digitizer board

Grading: After digitizing, it’s transferred to the computer on Gerber pattern design studio Patterns initially are made in only one size We need to proportionally increase or decrease the size of a pattern, while maintaining shape, fit, balance and scale of style details Getting correct fit and drape of a garment but also maintain the measurements as graded specs is essential.Using the CAD system, the pattern is resized according to a predetermined table of sizing increments (or "grade rules") The computerized plotter can then print out the pattern in each size.

Incorporating shrinkage in pattern grading

- First fabric has to be relaxed so that there is no tension or strain during rolling or

unrolling while layering or cutting This will ensure that there is minimum shrinkage in garments

- So unwashed garments are made with additional shrinkage tolerance included so that they gain their original measurements after washing

- Woven fabric garments shrink about 2-3% This shrinkage incorporated in patterns could

be lengthwise or width wise depending on type of fabric

Shrinkage adjusting

Shrinkage adjustments should not distort the original shape and balance of the patterns When shrinkage is applied to a panel in garment all corresponding patterns must also be applied with shrinkage adjustments

The picture on the left shows how a garment panel looks like after it has been

scanned and graded.

Gerber plotter printing: The patterns are then printed on the Gerber plotter They are then pasted to thick aortic sheets and converted into full fledged patterns.

Send patterns to cutting department

 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

 Efficiency: Marker plans indicate efficiency of the cutting process i.e the efficiency of

fabric consumption.

 Lay plan: determines the no of lays required to cut the specified quantity in the

predetermined size ratio

 Precision in checks in stripes

FABRIC STORE

This is the most important department of the unit, where in the quality and quantity of fabric is inspected as soon as it is received in the store, along with storing and maintaining stock levels and ensuring to stock up in proper clean way

When the fabric is in-house, it should be capable of being supplied to the cutting department.Inspection is done prior the cutting room issue so as to remove the defective fabrics

 WORKFLOW OF FABRIC STORE

D/OReceive P.O at head office

Fabric received at gate (challan)Document are sent to

dept for checking

 FABRIC VISUAL INSPECTION

The 4 point system is generally used for fabric inspection In this system, points are assigned for every possible defect in the fabric as follows.

Width wise point criteria Penalty points

Swatches and cuts maintainedBales opened

JC & GRN MadeChecking 4 point system

Fabric sent for inspectionFabric mounted on greasy perch

FCR preparedFabric stored

Fabric issued to cutting room as and when required

6-9” 3 points

Area wise point criteria Penalty points

Upto 1X1 cm hole/stain 2 points

Over 1X1 cm to 2X2 hole/stain 3 points

Over 2X2 cm hole/stain 4 points

Yarn variation/Beam

• 3 points and 4 points are pointed and are called cutable defects.

• 1 and 2 point are identified by stickers and panels replaced cutting.

The maximum points and flags allowed as

follows:-FABRIC Max no of

allowed points Max no of flags per linear mts.

100% cotton and its blends 40 5

100% linear and its blends 40 4

Defect points/100m2 = Total pointsX3600/Fabric widthXFabric length.

 If defect points/100m3 < 40 then accept the fabric.

 If defect points/100m3 > 40 then reject the fabric.

Major woven defects : slubs, holes, missing yarns, yarn variation, end out, soiled yarns, wrong warns.

Major dyeing or printing defects: out of register, dye stops, machine stops, color out, color smear, or shading.

These defects are marked wth colored tape so that they can be easily located.

Count or composition variation Cutable defect

Other points to remember:

1 No linear meter shall be assigned more than 4 point or a flag

2 All holes regardless of size small be assigned be assigned 4 point

3 There should not be a major defect within 5 meters from beginning or the end of the roll or part therein

4 The shade of the fabric should match with the approved shade of fabric from H.O

5 There should not be shade variation from selvedge to selvedge, centre to selvedge and start and end

6 A repeating defect or running should not extend for more than 3 yards (2.73 meters),

otherwise the roll will be considered second quality

7 No piece will be acceptable as first quality if it has noticeable side-to-side, side-to-centre or end-to-end shading within a roll or a piece

 FABRIC INSPECTION MACHINE

This is used to inspect the fabric defects and measure the total meters of the fabric Machinery Brands include Kaigu, Aura, Ramsons checkmate

 FABRIC TESTS

o Fabric Shrinkage is a very important factor for any physical inspection Mistakes in

appropriate checking might prove disadvantageous for the pilot run followed byproduction An optimum conduction of the width and shrinkage properties has to bemade The fusing of lining to some parts may also be done in the cloth store If the shrinkcharacteristics are consistent, then the patterns may be designed to the correct oversizeand sampling checks for consistent shrinkage carried out Color changes can also occur atthe time of fusing as the temperatures might have been controlled or were out of theprescribed limits

E g Size of the fabric= 100 * 100

Or

50 * 50

According to the above picture, a fabric piece of the above mentioned specification is cutand marked accordingly Then a wash with a soft enzyme is given The deviation isshrinkage if any is marked between the points Shrinkage of 1-1.5 cm is acceptable If it ismore than this then the merchandiser is supposed to take the desired action

o Color Fastness or Crocking: In order to check color fastness, 2 fabric swatches are taken.

On 1 of the swatch, a white seam is put on all the four sides of the fabric Both of the themare washed and the results are compared If it is stained or slotted then it’s rejected

o C.S or Centre Selvedge test: This test is used to check the color variation in the fabric.

Full width of the fabric is taken (length can vary according to requirement say 10”) The Fabric

is divided into 6 pieces and their grain line is marked

These pieces are then cut and re stitched in a random series For e.g 3, 6, 2, 5, 4, 1

When we arrange these fabric pieces in a series, we can see the shade variation in the samefabric Noting of this variation is very important at the time of cutting.

Maximum CS is seen in solid/printed fabrics as compared to stripes and checks

oOthers include dry clean and washability, abrasion resistance, pilling (especially for mixed

fibers), Bow and skew (using a ruler and set square for checks and stripes), Drape and creaseresistance (that includes permanent press capability), Strength (tensile, tear and bursting (forseams), Flammability, Surface wetting and penetration

 FABRIC DEFECTS

o Abrasion Mark: A place in the fabric where the surface has been damaged

due to friction or abnormally weakened by any operation through which it has been passed

o Misprint: In printed fabrics, either missed, or partially missed, or incorrectly

positioned relative to each other

o Double Pick: Two yarns running simultaneously, mostly in the weft yarn.

o Oil Stain: Oil mark on the fabric.

o Hole: A breakage of yarns in the fabric involving more than two yarns.

o Bow: When the weft/filling yarns lie in an arc across the width of the fabric.

o Skew: Distortion in the construction of the fabric i.e in the yarn that

constitute the fabric.

o Crease: A fabric defect across the fabric width usually caused by a sharp

fold.

o Dye Stain: An area of discoloration due to uneven absorption of colorant.

o Miss-pick: A pick/weft yarn not properly interlaced.

o Slubs: An abruptly thickened place in a yarn.

o Screen Out: The appearance of a colored separation line in a printed design.

o Calendar Line: Sharp pressmark on fabric due to the calendar during the

This store is responsible for storing and neatly maintaining the trims received from the

suppliers, approved by H/O

Trims card to be readily available for each of the PO/style being processed that is duly approved

by the nominated quality assurance person

 WORKFLOW OF TRIMS STORE

Different types of

trims: Buttons

- Hooks

- Badges

- Zippers

- Collar pick bone

- Tags : brand name, collection name and fit type

- Labels : wash care, size and fit, brand

- Packing materials: hangers, collar stand, brand label, packing box, polybag

SPREADING AND CUTTING DEPARTMENT

Purchase dept issues D/O to supplier

Challan Receive W/O

Checking

Issue for stitching according to production plan

Net cutting is an essential part of garment engineering that demands precession in cutting andlow shape deformation afterwards Accurate control of cloth width produces economies in edgemargins Precise cutting not only avoids spoilt work at the making up stage but is the key tomodern sewing room practice

As soon as the work order is received, a fabric enquiry is conducted in fabric store weather thefabric is available or not The CAD department is responsible for making the pattern markersavailable in various graded sizes for cutting purpose and calculate the consumption pergarment

- Fabric utilization is the amount of fabric actually utilized in the marker as the percentage

of the total fabric area

- The cutting marker is laid on the topmost layer

 Type of lay plan used: Since open width fabric is used, full garment lay is used that has

both left and right pieces

 Type of lay: Multiple Ply is used in which a number of fabric layers are stacked on one

top of other

 Forms of spreading: Fabric is laid the same way up with grain or print pattern running in

the same direction Fabric has to be cut at the end of each ply

 Ideal lay height for cutting :

 Laying parameters

 Pattern matching.

 Relaxing the fabric to remove all the tensions

 Allignment of ply edges in correct position over each other

 Lay order plan :

Average no of lays = 3

Average no of pieces = Total meters of fabric

Total no of pieces in each color

= 190.50 = 1.45 mts

131Lay length = 1.45 mts X 3 = 4.35

Fabric weight Height

Heavy Weight 4-5"

Med Weight 3-4"

Light Weight 2.5-3"

 Cutting parameters:

- Precision in cutting: To ensure the cutting of fabric - accurately according to the line

drown of the marker plan

- Clean edge: By avoiding the fraying out of yarn from the fabric edge Cutting edge must

be smooth clean Knife must be sharp for smooth or clean edge

- Consistency in cutting: All the sizing safe of the cutting parts should be same of knife should be operated of the right angle of the fabric lay

 Types of cutting equipments:

- Scissors

- Round knife

- Straight knife

- Band knife cutting m/c

- Die cutting ( collars and cuffs )

 Methods for marking directly on the cloth:

CHALK: This is the traditional method in which thick lines are drawn on the cloth

 Preparation for sewing:

1) Position marking : Egg- pocket positions, tucks, pocket positions etc

2) Shade marking: each component is marked with a unique no printed on a

small ticket stuck on the component.

3) Bundle making: according to size, color, quantity

4) Bungle tickets: to identify each bundle to size, lot, style and color wise.

5) Fusing parameters: There are different types of fusings depending upon the

end use and type of fabric.

Microdot 150 degree 2.5 13 sec

Semi fusing 140 degree 1.5 15 sec

Woven fusing 175 degree 3 18 sec

EMBROIDERY DEPARTMENT

Embroidery pattern is received that specifies the no of stitches, colors, the pattern, size and placement.

Design is loaded in floppy disc and inserted in the machine memory

 Embroidery machines:

Company No of heads No of needles No of machines

Machine rings sizes: 6, 9, 7, 15, 19, 25, and 230X160

Embroidery defects: loose uncut threads, skipped stitches, pattern misalignment.

Embroidery threads: Silky and calypso threads

Type of stitches: satin, filling, patchwork etc

Types of motifs: Institutional logos (jindal, essar, cyberoam), kids wear motifs (cartoons), company logos (oxerberg, J hampstead), jeans back pocket embroidery, shirt cuff and front panel embroidery are done

A Strike-off : is a pre production sample of embroidery which is done in order to check the accuracy of the pattern and the associated stitches in it This is then sent to the H.O for feedback and approval If any changes, theH.O will return their feedback with necessary changes or comments The type of stitches depends upon the fabric If the fabric is thin, then heavy stitches are avoided.

MAJOR PROBLEM FACED IN EMBROIDERY:

The major problem faced during embroidery is the thread breakages The reason for this may be that either the thread is too tight or has less strength Since the designs are fed into these machines through computer, if even a single thread breakdown happens, then all the machines stop at the same time To help avoid it to some extent, a helper is put up against each machine that keeps a check on the breakages and accuracy of the stitches The bobbin case also plays an integral part.

SAMPLING DEPARTMENT

The sampling for each season begins according to the product cycle of style This process is also called Product development (P.D) One should also know the tentative size ratio in each style This is because the costing of the product depends highly on the fabric consumption Kinds of samples prepared:

1) Photosample: only sketch/illustration of the garment is present in the photosample

sheet

2) Fit sample: one sample in base size measurement is made and send for approval at head

office

3) Size set: one garment sample in each size is prepared and sent for approval No need to

add the trims to the garment

4) PP sample: This is the pre-production sample that is the exact replica like original

garment are generally tacked, or temporarily stitched at the initial stage if required The

complex parts of the machine then pierces thread through the layers of the cloth and

interlocks the thread

Industrial Sewing

Industrial sewing is quite a complex process involving many preparations and mathematical calculations for the perfect seam quality Good quality sewing also depends on the sound technical knowledge that goes into pattern designing and making Flat sheets of fabric having holes and slits into it can curve and fold in three-dimensional shapes in very complex ways that require a high level of skill and experience to manipulate into a smooth, wrinkle-free design Aligning the patterns printed or woven into the fabric also complicates the design process Once a clothing designer, with the help of his technical knowledge, makes the initial specifications and markers, the fabric is then cut using templates and sewn

These undesirable variations in the cloth tension affect the product quality Therefore, there arises the need of strict control over the whole process The work of sewing is focused on the handling of fabrics lying on the working table and guide them towards the sewing machines

needle along the seam line The attention is equally focused on the control of appropriate tensional force so as to maintain high quality seam

Pre sewing functions

Before the actual task of sewing begins, there are certain other tasks that have to be taken care of which can be termed as fabric handling functions - Ply separation; Placing the fabric on working table; Guiding the fabric towards sewing needle; and tension control of fabric during the sewing process

When the fabric is placed on the working table, the tasks that are performed before the sewing process include - recognizing the fabric's shape, edges that will be sewn, planning of the sewing process and identification of the seam line

Fabric Edges to be sewn

There are two basic types of stitches - one is that are for joining two parts of cloth together and the second one is done for decorative purposes Sometimes, both types of stitching have

to be done on some parts of cloth, for example, a denim pocket has to be joined on three sides with the apparel as well as it may be given some decorative stitches too At what points and which type of stitching has to be done- all such information is decided by the industrial engineering department and accordingly sewn

Planning of sewing process

Sequence of seams to be stitched is determined before the sewing starts Which part will be joined first, what stitches will follow one another, etc are decided However, some stitches have to be necessarily done before or after another stitch In the example above, the

decorative stitches must be done first followed by the joining stitches

Identification of seam lines

Sewing process is performed on seam lines situated inside the fabric edges, some millimeters inside the fabric's outer line For the straight lines, the seam line is found by transferring the outer lines inside the fabrics i.e the seam line is parallel to the outer edge and the distance between the two has to be determined as it is different for different parts of the cloth Seam allowance is the area between the edge of the fabric and the line of stitching

Sewing Fabrics

The sewing process consists of mainly three functions - guiding fabric towards needle; sewing

of the fabric edge; and rotation around the needle The fabric is guided along the sewing line with a certain speed that is in harmony with the speed of sewing machine

The orientation error is either manually monitored or if monitored automatically then error is fed to the machine controller so that the machine corrects the orientation of the fabrics When one edge of seam line is sewed, the fabric is rotated around the needle till the next

edge of the seam line coincides with the sewing line The sewing process is thus repeated untilall the edges of seam line planned for sewing, are sewed.

 Significant Aspects of Sewing

There are certain aspects that have to be carefully considered while the sewing process as they are very crucial for high quality sewing

Thread tension and consumption: Correct balancing of the stitch and the tension given to the

threads is very important for quality stitch formation Thread consumption, which is closely associated with correct stitch geometry and thread tension, is usually measured by digital encoders

Presser- foot displacement and compressing force: Presser- foot is the part of the sewing

machine that holds the fabric in place as it is being sewn and fed through by the feeder The feeding system is one of the most important constituting systems of the sewing machine If this system is not efficient then it results into irregular seams and many other defects,

especially when running on high speed To evaluate feeding efficiency, the force on the presserfoot is measured with the help of electric or other sensors

Needle penetration force measurement: The interaction of needle with fabric is very crucial

Fault-free needle penetration depends chiefly on the properties of fabric and needle choice Needle penetration force is one of the variables whose measurement is important for the analysis of quality problems or "sewability testing" and also quality monitoring It takes variousfactors into consideration, such as the needle geometry (including the point angle and point length of the needle), the friction between the needle and the fabric, the friction between the needle eye and the thread along with fabrics' property, and the sewing conditions

ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL (AQL) – Quality measurre

The AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) is the maximum per cent defective that for the purpose ofsampling inspection can be considered satisfactory as a process average In inspection howmuch percentage of defective pieces will be accepted, depends on acceptable quality level TheAQL level varies process to process, product to product and even buyer to buyer

Sample size Code letter: This code is indicative a range of batch size (Code 'G' means your lot

size range is from 151 pieces to 280 pieces

Sample size: It means that how many pieces will be picked up for inspection from the total

offered pieces (Batch)

Ac (Accepted): The number in this column denotes that if the inspector finds up to that much

defective pieces the shipment will be accepted by buyer

Re (Rejected): On the other hand number in this column denotes that if the inspector finds that

much defective pieces or more than the listed number, the shipment will be rejected (or asked

to the manufacturer for 100% inspection and re-offer for final inspection) by buyer

Example: Suppose you have been offered a shipment of 1000 pieces for inspection Select the

range from table, it is 501-1200 Now from table you have to select number of sample you aregoing to actually inspect According the above table you will select 80 pieces out of 1000pieces Now assume that you are inspecting at 2.5 AQL So, after inspecting all 80 pieces if youfind 5 or less than 5 defective pieces will accept the shipment And if you find 6 or more than 6defective pieces in 80 samples you will reject that shipment

I S T

OF POSSIBLE DEFECTS IN PRODUCTION

Materials/fabric 1 Fabric holes

2 Slubs

3 Shading variation

4 Misprints, out-of-register prints, undesired color spots

5 Cut, visible notch mark tears or visible surface repairs

6 Bow or skew exceeding 1.5 percent

7 Double picks

8 PillingCleanliness 1 Soil, Spots, stains or Dust

2 Attached thread clustersPressing 1 Burn or scorch marks

2 Glaring shine marks

3 Press marks from camps

4 Absence of pressing when specified

5 Products packaged moist after steam pressing

6 Improper pressing

7 Seams not lined up when specified for center leg crease

8 Loops twisted after pressing

9 Uneven creases after pressSeams and Stitching 1 Twisted, roped, or puckered seams

2 Open or broken stitches

3 Raw edges where covered edges are specified

4 Seams not back stitched or bar tacked when specified

5 Irregular or uneven top stitching

6 Seam grin-through, seam slippage

7 Pinching or any part of product caught in seam or stitches

8 Any exposed drill holes

9 Length of legs off by more than 3/8 inch

10 Stitch count not conforming to specifications

11 Stitch or seam type not conforming to specifications

12 Label is not correctly attached, position and layout

13 Sewn on design attached at incorrect place and sewn not according to specs

14 Double needle stitch on crotch seam is missing

15 Use of monofilament thread, other seams than where specifiedButton holes 1 Size is not within specs

2 Ragged edges

3 Uncut button hole

4 Out of alignment or improper button spacing

5 Stitch depth too narrow or wideButton/Button Sewing 1 Button not securely attached

2 Butler-missing

3 Broken or damaged button

4 Out of alignment or improper spacing

5 Button not matches to specs

6 Lack of support materials on fragile fabric

7 Buttons that crack, chip, discolor, rust, bleed, melt or otherwise cause consumer dissatisfaction when care label is followed

Waistband 1 Uneven in width

2 Excessive fullness, puckering or twisting

4 Color shade not to specs

5 Thread shade not to specs

6 Raw edges showingFront and back 1 Uneven at bottom hem

2 Under facing showing

3 Pockets conspicuously uneven

4 Darts uneven in length

5 Darts poorly shaped

6 Spot shirring not even right and left sidesHems 1 Twisted, roped, puckered, pleated, or excessively visible from exterior

4 Missing bar tack, back tack or rivet where specified

5 Bar tack or rivet not as specified

6 Sewn-in pleats or puckers Zippers 1 Any malfunction in operation

2 Tape does not match color specs

3 Wavy zipper

4 Exposed zipper that distracts from product's appearance

5 Irregular or uneven stitching on zipper

6 Crooked or uneven zipper

7 Bar tack missing or incorrectly located at bottom or base of zipperGripper 1 Misaligned

2 Missing or incorrect

3 Defective in operation

Fly area 1 Width is not uniform

2 Bottom stopper does not securely clinched

3 Top of zipper not caught in band

4 Either side of fly extends past other side by excessive amount.Labels 1 Labels are not correct, text and/or layout

2 Located at incorrect location

3 Insecurely attached to the garment

 Garment inspection procedures :

During the course of garment production, i.e right from cutting to final dispatch, OxembergQAD team will conduct various inspections as follows:

1. Inline/mid inspection : This will be carried out during the production of garment inorder to carry out this inspection effectively following information is a must

A) Updated W/O sheet

B) Style approved, saple approved by the merchandiser

C) Fabric, trims and accessories cards rectified by the merchandiser

D) Approved measurement specification

2. Random final audit or inspection : this will be carried out when goods are in thepressing and packing till its completion Oxemberg QAD team will carry out randomaudit at AQL 4 inorder to make this audit a truly effective tool, since it is the last checkpoint before dispatch, following information is essential

A) All the line detail information mentioned there in plus

B) Washed approved samples ( in case of washed order)

C) Packing list wherever applicable

PRODUCTION PLANNING, SCHEDULING

AND CONTROLLING

i. Planning: This involves a long term overview around the year, based on market

forecast An agreement is necessary about whether the production unit can cope upwith the expected sales, in terms of overall volume and in terms of specialized plant andoperatives The action is required of relevant departments to revise the plan, purchasethe necessary machinery, train staff, obtain new premises or lease off unwanted ones,buying additional capacity from other manufacturers etc

ii. Scheduling: The work is allocated to the production capacity according to the agreedplan as soon as the orders are confirmed It is at this stage that schedules are prepared

as an exercise and later drafted in detail

iii. Controlling: The production process is very uncertain and rarely goes according to theschedule, especially when the processes are complex and dependent on theperformance of individuals Sometimes orders are cancelled and rush orders comethrough Inefficiency can be avoided if the preliminary work is done thoroughly and theroutine terms are accurately recorded Balancing is a part of the process

KEY FACTORS IN CONTROLING AND SCHEDULING

i. Time/ unit input: e.g meters of cloth or SAM of work per minute.

ii. Work in process delays: Extension in output time is necessary to provide buffer against

fluctuations in output where the no of processes involved are many

iii. Technical maintenance: Proper usage and maintenance of the machines and other

electronically equipments should be done to provide smooth operation processes

iv. Employee Training: The employees should be trained efficiently to increase production

efficiency and reduce wastage

v. Non productive hours: A provision for non-productive hours should be provided in the total

available minutes as these by default are bound to happen For e.g lunch time, talking, going towashroom, sitting idle etc These hours can be deceased by making changes in the productionplan wisely

vi. Line balancing: This is necessary to reduce the wastage of time as some workers might be

sitting idle because the feeding has not been done properly and the pieces are not beingdelivered to them on time The overall operation machine layout is faulty due to improper linebalancing A machine layout is considered to be optimum if all the machines in the line areproducing their required quantities of pieces and no worker is sitting idle Line balancing can be

a way to increase the productivity as increasing or decreasing unwanted operations from theline can be done

vii. Analyzing labour requirements and deficiencies: A difference in skilled and non-skilled labour

can be assessed and accordingly work can be assigned to them

viii. Optimum utilization of time and raw materials: Any type of unnecessary wastages should be

avoided as far as possible This requires a good production plan and the co ordination of relatedactivities

 Production flow

This refers to the series in which the garment moves from one workstation to another, requiringcompletion of the desired operation The garments move from one work station to another in astraight line The straight could be work stations set up on either side of a belt conveyer/runnertable There is little amount or work in process between the stations In these cases, a limitedamount of storage occurs after each workstation This can take the form of work bins attached

to the machines stand in which the work is

Straight line or conveyer chain system

Where a work station is is storage indicates the direction of movement

A production process comprises of : Fabric consumption calculation, Thread consumption calculation, Fabric inspection, pattern making, fabric cutting, machine layout and SAM

calculation completed, pilot run completed, testing sampling completed, line sewing completed,

finishing sewing completed, final machine inspection completed, end of line quality check completed, off pressing and finishing done, packing completed and goods dispatched.

Production Quality Control

Quality implies value It is something that is build into the garment from the stage of market research and design right up to pack and dispatch and extends beyond a careful analysis of the customer returns and consultation with the buyers The quality of the garment is the reason that is bought by the customer and comprises of a set of ‘quality characteristics’ which together make up its ‘fitness for purpose’ The key to profitable garment manufacture is to provide the

best combination at lowest cost ‘the economic quality level’.

The costs of quality come from:

 style;

 fabric and trimmings;

 cutting and making and packing (including repairs and rejects);

 Quality control function;

 Learning time of the workers;

 Quality Control Department

The main function of the quality control department is not to control quality but to provide a service which allows people to make good clothes Their main concern should be to do this at the

minimum cost, balancing the expense of the department against the savings in terms of reduced repairs and rejects One aspect of this is to define the quality level of plant and of the workplace

in it The raising of quality levels requires a major project involving investment in machinery and training which cannot be done quickly

The maintenance of quality at an agreed level implies clear specifications and these are an

important task for this department The Product information sheet for individual styles can be kept as brief as possible They should contain the maximum information in the form of sketches and all dimensions should me quoted with tolerances Tolerances reflect the extent to which less than perfect is acceptable However, small tolerances exist for the garments

The function of the quality control department is to reduce the amount of bad work being made This gives savings in cost of the repairs and rejects but also speeds up delivery Its aim is to make garments correctly at the first time When the consistency of quality is poor, the expected quality level is substantially below standard Greater consistency has an even higher priority than raising the standard of the majority of the garments made

 Price and value for money

 Individuality of appearance

 Fashion is appropriate to the period and group

 Image enhancement (e g reliability of an executive’s suit, smartness for the air hostess etc)

 Comfort in wear, both from cut and fabric

 Durability of function and appearance

 Psychological qualities(waterproofing, warmth, sweat absorption etc)

 Ease of Care (crease and stain resistance, shape retention, washability etc)

 Size and shape

 Consistency of the product

 The production incharge must stick to the specifications and should also consider the needs of the retailers like:

 Consistency (means to achieve the required quality level, the will to confirm of

Management and workforce, maintaining the specifications with tolerances)

 Delivery on time

 Lower cost to support competitive price

 Quality Specifications

o Factory specifications

 Cloth and trimmings, button spacing

 Threads, needle types and sizes, by fabric and seam type

 Stitches per inch or per 2 cms

 Seam types, seam margins and tolerances

 Cutting standards

o Style or garment specifications

 Items of difference

 Special size ranges and grading

 Key features and quality points

 Special tolerances

 Fabric and trimmings, colors and shades ( shade cards checked regularly for fading)

 Department wise quality system in factory

1) FABRIC STORES:

o Neatly arrange the fabric rolls received and maintaining the department cleanliness to avoid spotting and contamination of the fabrics Packing the fabrics in plastic sheets can

be useful

o Fabric inspection is done on 4 point system

o Shade cards/fabric quality swatches for each style approved by the PO are maintained