General Process Flow of the apparel Industry
Industrial Engineering concepts - An Introduction
The job profile of an Industrial Engineer varies company to company, most of the job profile fall under following list.
1. Knowledge about various sewing production systems
2. Knowledge of all types of Sewing machine necessary for the company
3. Time study (Cycle timing)
4. Motion analysis of the operations
5. Operation break down
6. Preparation of OB (Operation bulletin)
7. SAM Calculation
8. M/C Layout and Work station layout
9. Line Set up
10. Production estimation of a line
11. Work Sampling
12. Method Study (Seeing Movements of an operation)
13. WIP Control
14. Line Balancing
15. Capacity study
16. Cost estimation of a garment
17. Developing and Maintaining Skill Matrix
18. Incentives schemes
19. Calculating Thread Consumption
20. Work aids, Guide and Attachment
21. Performance Rating
An industrial engineer must have knowledge and skill on each tool and technique. Implementation of all tools at a time is not needed. Engineer has to go step by step.
Almost all work study tools and methodology are adopted from others industries and implemented to the garment industry. So each work study tool has guaranteed benefit if it is used effectively.
Other Basic Concept in Industrial Engineering
Production Planning Concepts - An Introduction
• Organization and planning of manufacturing process
• It co ordinates the supply and movement of material and money
Generally
• To produce the required product with minimum total cost and time for required delivery.
• Total cost = Addition of direct and indirect labour cost, raw material cost, Equipment, capital, utility, rent, maintenance and supplies
• Production plan should be analogous to the time table in a train schedule
• It should permit one to anticipate the progress of the production of any and every individual product from the receipt of raw material to the shipment of the order.
• Also should permit one to aniticipate itemized and total cost of producing and delivering product
• The greater the deviation from the schedule time and cost, poorer the production control performance.
The General Objective of PPC department is,
Determining the nature and magnitude of the various input factors to manufacture the desire output.
To co-ordinate labour, machine & Equipment in the most effective and economic manner.
Establishing targets and checking these against the performance
Ensuring smooth flow of material by eliminating “Bottle Neck” points.
To manufacture the desire output of right quality and quantity at right time.
Apparel Construction - An Introduction
SEAMS AND STITCHES
SEAM - a seam joins two pieces of material. This was the essence of the British Standard defi nition of seams as contained in the 1965 version of BS 3870: Schedule of Stitches, Seams and Stitchings.
STITCHING - where there was only one piece of fabric, such as when fabric edges were neatened or hems created, and where decorative sewing was involved.
The current BS 3870: Part 2: 1991: Classification and Terminology of Seam Types: a seam as the application of a series of stitches or stitch types to one or several thicknesses of material. Thus the term includes virtually all sewing that goes into garments. Perhaps in the future, the further development of non-sewing methods of seaming will cause this definition to be altered, but the current definition is appropriate to present purposes.
PROPERTIES OF SEAMS
The objective of sewing is the construction of seams that combine the required standards of appearance and performance with an appropriate level of economy in production. Good appearance in a seam normally means: smooth fabric joins with no missed or uneven stitche and no damage to the material being sewn.
Alternatively it may mean regular gathering to create a style feature or a varying but controlled amount of ease to ensure a good fit to the body. Once it has been achieved, it must be maintained throughout the designed lifetime of the garment, despite the additional problems that arise during wearing, washing and dry cleaning processes.
Performance of seams:
· The achievement of strength,
· Elasticity,
· Durability,
· Security and comfort,
· The maintenance of any specialized fabric properties such as waterproofing or flame proofing.
· Seams must be as strong as the fabric, in directions both parallel to and at right angles to the seam.
· They must also stretch and recover with the fabric.
· Seams must also be durable to the kind of abrasion experienced in wearing and washing as well as secure against fraying apart or the unravelling of stitches.
· A seam in a close-fitting or underwear garment must not present an uncomfortable ridge or roughness to the skin.
If a fabric is coated in PVC, neoprene or polyurethane to make it totally waterproof, a simple form of sewn seam joining two sections will leave gaps between those sections, as well as needle holes along the join, and the seam will not be waterproof. According to the nature of the coating, the seam must be welded, taped or ‘doped’ to seal over the join and block up the needle holes.