RESEARCH

SWOT ANALYSIS OF AN APPAREL FACTORY
(Production Units 3 & 4)

STRENGTHS

Needle guard on each SNLS machine to protect the worker from broken needle damages.

Complete display of color combo of a critical design (CECIL #700044) in cutting department decreases the chance of confusion. It enables the cutting and spreading operators to view the complete order at a glance.

Proper display of exit plan on each floor enables safety of operators in case of emergency.

The use of Textile Integrated Manufacturing system (5.5 version IBM-US) as enterprise resource planning tool which connects the fiber, yarn, fabric, finishes, garment manufacturing departments and provides a transparent platform to interact without any geographical constraints.
The planning tool Fast React keeps a tab on the working of each department and highlights the delays and causes of the bottlenecks
Each floor is equipped with a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

Each floor is well ventilated and airy
Broken needle policy maintained by maintenance department ensures that all the broken pieces are collected and recorded to avoid hazardous mistakes.
Hourly system of updating the rejection percentage, its causes and production target per line on white board on each sewing floor.

The finishing floor and inspection area is well lit and designed for operator to stand easily throughout the shift.
A good practice is exercised of bundling the bodice together and kept in ascending order of ticket no before attaching sleeves to minimize the risk of shade variation.
WEAKNESSES

Thread trimming machine is not used on the production floor.
Similarly thread-sucking machine is idle and not utilized.
Under utilization of machinery causes rusting and damage to vital machine parts
Lack of discipline on the floor creates an unhealthy atmosphere that is highly unproductive.
Piece rate system makes quality control process straining
Lack of communication between supervisors, operators and merchant often lead to wrong specifications. This adds to the additional costs and wastes labor and precious lead-time.
Operators are not frisked properly at the time of entry for tobacco and cigarettes. This causes immense problem of cleanliness and hygiene on floor.

Operators do not arrive on time and take their own time to settle
There is no testing procedure for new operators. This leads to the manufacturing of inferior quality products due to the inexperience of the operator. Overseas must input a mere percent of the annual turn over towards Corporate Social Responsibility. CSR does not only help the company to win the confidence and loyalty of doing some thing beneficial for localities but it also strengthens the company’s stand among the different competitors as now-a-days most of the international firms strongly advocate for environment and social morale compliances.
Under utilization of the administrative area in Unit 4
Lack of transport facility for the administrative staff for complying between the two units and other places for official purpose.
No provision for storing spare machinery.
A washroom area now converted into a spare fabric room has no records.

First aid kit on first floor is placed is hazardous area. In case of fire the kit will be of no good use.

Current use of battered and uncomfortable stools made of caning, wear more. Plastic stools with metallic stand have much better life and can be adjusted for different heights.

OPPORTUNITIES

Latest automatic workstations can enhance the quality and efficiency of production
By the application of different manufacturing systems and material flow apparatus the production can be done at a higher efficiency
Ergonomically designed workstations can improve the morale of operator, efficiency, quality and it can drastically reduce the no of accidents caused on production floor.
Each workstation must be provided with a rubbish bin to ensure cleanliness on production floor. This can significantly reduce the garment/ material contamination.
The operators handling machines equipped with under bed knife and spotting guns must be provided with safety masks to protect him/her from respiratory ailments.
Correct use of the Light Box can ensure that there is no mixing between various shades, tints and hues.
By conducting a joint meeting with different people across the departments can bring together different people on a common platform of interaction.
By installing an anonymous feedback system the company can realize the grievances and expectations of the employees. This creates a nurturing and motivating environment in the workplace and creates a sense of citizenship.
Special training program must be devised for each type of operator. There must be some training for everybody to ensure the continuous learning and grasping process that keeps the supervisors up to date to the latest technologies.
By placing foot mats under inspection table and using S-shape sitting chair/stool the operators can work in an efficient manner.
A fabric-testing machine can help reduce the fatigue of the checker and can run on a prescribed speed that does not allow the checker to run fabric faster than 25m/ minute

THREATS

Many lines do not maintain the feed register religiously. This can lead to trouble in case of bundle mismatch and disparity among data.
There is no specific area defined in Unit 3 basement for cartons to be checked for AQL, ok cartons, failed cartons, cartons ready for shipment. This can lead to havoc in case of a minor mistake.

Pre production meeting is not taken seriously. Many crucial details are not discussed in confusion. All the related people are not present/ informed. This results into mismanagement
The lift is not meant to carry operators. Thus the responsible authority must ensure the same to avoid any unfortunate accidents.
Poor utilization of production floor in Unit 4 can cause hurdles. E.g. stacking of ready cartons on sewing floor or surplus fabric and reject garments on finishing floor secludes some lines and tables from the view and operators are less mannered without supervision.
Poor control over night shift hinders productivity and quality. This also endangers the company property.
No records are kept for the surplus fabric.
Finishing department of ground and first floor in Unit 3 gives its production details only twice a month to the AQL department. The huge time gap between the submissions of data can cause loss of data.
Bundle checking of cut parts is not stringent for basic styles. This leads to cut part measurement variation and faulty pieces are fed into sewing lines. At the end the parts have to be re cut and re worked which wastes a lot of time, income and labor.
In spite of frisking and checking of operators at the time of entry. Still there is little control over tobacco spits in factory. Human Resources department must take strict measures to ensure a tobacco free factory.

(I) 100% PANEL INSPECTION V/S GARMENT REJECTION ANALYSIS

CURRENT SCENARIO:

Few pieces are checked randomly from a batch of bundles. In this manner many fabric faults are sent to sewing undetected. The panels are fed in the line. During in-line and end- line checking these faulty panels now sewn in garments are kept aside for re working (if possible). This was practiced because of fewer occurrences of fabric faults to save checking labor and cutting time.

Moreover this problem should be dealt at the grass root level by strengthening the fabric inspection department. 4 Point system should be religiously followed along with other standard conditions of checking. There must be 100 % checking done on fabric checking machines. These machines operate at standard speed of 25m / min. the checker must check the fabric on an illuminated base and mark the faults. These markings of faults must be carefully handled while layering the fabric for cutting. This system will prohibit the cutting of panels from faulty panels.

But as a quick solution to this problem we can apply 100 % panel inspection in cutting department to curb the problem before sewing of garment.

CALCULATIONS:

------------------------------------------------WITH INSPECTION-------------------------------------

Daily Cutting Production (UNIT 3 & 4): 15000 pieces Pieces that can be checked per checker per day: 500 pieces
No of checkers required: 30
Wages of cutting checker: 4000 Rs /month 160 Rs /day

Total wages for checkers: 4800 Rs /day

--------------------------------------------WITHOUT INSPECTION-----------------------------------

Garment rejection percentage due to fabric faults: 0.5%
Daily sewing Production (UNIT 3 & 4): 15000 pieces
Daily Rejected garments due to fabric faults: 75 pieces

Cost of fabric per garment (POLO T-Shirt): 80 Rs /garment
Cost of sewing and finishing trims: 7 Rs /garment
Cost of sewing & cutting labor: 15 Rs /garment
Overheads of the company: 8 Rs /garment
Total cost of a rejected garment: 110 Rs

Total cost of 0.5% rejected garments: 8250 Rs /day

Therefore 100% panel inspection is feasible because of high occurrence of fabric faults leading to huge losses.

100% panel inspection is economical than garment rejection and it also ensures lesser alteration percentage with superior quality garments.

ANALYSIS CHART:

CONCLUSION:

100% PANEL INSPECTION

DIRECT FEEDING WITHOUT INSPECTION

ADVANTAGES
It ensures that only quality panels are fed in line
No check is there to control faulty panels
It helps in building the foundation of “Right At First Time” policy
Checking of panels after sewing wastes a lot of sewing labor and trims
It reduces the no of rejections tremendously
High no of rejections are created
Repeat job is significantly reduced
Re cutting of rejected panels and re working on sewing floor is required
It helps in minimizing the alteration percentage
It becomes very difficult to keep alteration percentage within 5 %
DISADVANTAGES
Checking each cut panel is a tedious process
Without checking panels throughput time is saved
Employing dozen more operators for panel inspection
No need for extra panel checkers
(II) COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF CLOTH DRILL MACHINE (USED FOR MARKING)

ANALYSIS CONSIDERATIONS:

IN LINE MARKING: The garment requires marking at any position for placement of a component such as, pocket, eyelet, strap, dart, pleat etc or marking is required to convey the positioning of any part to enable sewing operation such as placket box.
END LINE MARKING: the garment requires positioning of button and buttonhole on placket opening.
It is assumed that the style is running in one line only. With the increase in no of lines the In- line marking total charges will increase accordingly.
It is also assumed that only 1 operator is employed for In- line marking if the style requires marking in different areas then the labor costs will increase as per the no of operators used.

Cloth drills are available of two types namely hot and cold. For knits cold drills are recommended, especially if only a temporary mark is needed. Drill bits are available in varying widths, which have to be decided as per the fabric quality.
It is a common misconception that an awling machine damages the cloth. If a drill bit of appropriate head is used it never damages the yarn. The purpose of this machine is to make a temporary hole by displacing the yarns of the fabric so that the hole is visible only throughout the production process and displaced yarns relax back to original position on ironing.
In some cases like placing an eyelet this minute crack enables in positioning as well as inserting ring.
Technical Specifications of one of the prevalent model:

Company
STRIMA
Model
SU LEE
Needles
1.5 - 2.5 - 3.0mm & 1.0 - 2.0mm diameter + guides
Needle Height
8" [20cm]
Voltage
230V, 50Hz, motor power 150W, 4.300 rpm

CALCULATIONS:

----------------------------------IN LINE MARKING CHARGES----------------------------

Marking Labor charges= Rs 0.4/piece
Efficiency= 80 pieces/hour
Avg. line feeding= 600 pieces/day
Hours needed for marking= 600/80= 7.5 hours
Marking Labor cost
Per Line per shift= Rs 0.4*80*7.5= Rs 240
Magic pen per shift= Rs 25

Total cost per line= Rs 265

----------------------------------END LINE MARKING CHARGES-------------------------

Marking charges for button
Hole placement= Rs 0.15 /button Rs 0.15 /buttonhole

2 helpers are needed /shift

Estimated labor cost per shift= Rs 400
2 pencils are required per shift= Rs 10

Total cost per shift= Rs 410

Net Cost per Day= Rs 675

------------------------------------- CLOTH DRILLING CHARGES-------------------------

Machine Cost= Rs 10,000
Drill bit life= 3 months
Drill bit cost= Rs 20
Drill bit costs per month= Rs 7
Maintenance per month = Rs 100
Wattage= 150 w
Estimated working time per day= 4 hours
Electricity charges per month= Rs 100

Total Initial running cost
Per month= Rs 10207

As per previous calculations, following figures show the break- even analysis of the machine.

Manual marking costs/ day= Rs 675
Cost to recover= Rs 10207

Approximately after 15 days the Initial machine set up cost and running cost of a month can be recovered. Henceforth with a mere amount of Rs 9 per day (includes running and maintenance costs) marking can be done automatically.

ANALYSIS CHARTS:

CONCLUSIONS:

Besides financial benefits of automatic marking there are other reasons that make automatic marking preferable over manual marking:

S.NO.

MANUAL

AUTOMATIC
1
More time consumption

Less time consumption
2
Lesser efficiency
More efficiency by eliminating the human errs

3
Awls have to be marked on each piece
All the awls are marked at one stance in a lay

4
Manual handling lessens the freshness of the garment.

Handling of material is greatly reduced.
5
Extra labor (helper) has to be employed for marking
Marking machine can be run by the cutting master

6
Marking apparatus has to be different for each operator
Single cloth drill can cater to complete cutting department. Estimated running of the machine is only 4 hours per shift.

7
Manual marking done by chalk or pencil leaves a temporary/ semi- permanent stain
Cold cloth drill only leaves a temporary mark which is completely removed after ironing

8
Additional spotting (chemical and labor) is required

Spotting not required
9
Due to wrong interpretation of pattern information wrong or extra marks are done, as every personnel on sewing floor are not well versed with pattern making.

Cutting master has best knowledge to interpret information given on industrial patterns.
10
Manual constraints like fatigue and lethargy are removed.

Machine can perform as per the satisfaction if maintained regularly.

(III) WORK STATION MANIPULATION

Cycle sewing machines drastically improve the efficiency of any operation.
This kind of machinery enables the operator to feed in the machine and engage in some other work while the cycle completes.
Cycle sewing machine carries out different steps in sequence as programmed by the technician.
Due to the fixed sewing cycle production rate is constant throughout the day unaffected by fatigue and lethargy of operator.

Example of possible workstations (available in the factory) where this arrangement can be possible:

Work-station No
Machine
Feeding Time
(Sec)
Sewing Time (Sec)
Removing Time
(Sec)
Total Time (Sec)

A
Button Holing Machine

2.5

4.5

1.5

8.5

B
Button Sewing Machine

3.5

5.5

1.5

10.5

1 BUTTON + 1 BUTTON HOLE (Case 1)

19.0

2 BUTTONS + 2 BUTTON HOLES (Case 2)

38.0

ACTION TIMELINE:

CONCLUSION:

CONVENTIONAL WORKSTATION

IMPROVISED WORKSTATION
Operator sits idle with the notion of handling/ holding the material while cycle sewing is performed

Operator’s idle time is utilized in doing second task
Old/ poorly maintained machines can only be used in the conventional manner
Knife of button holing machine must be sharp. The setting of the machine should be correct to avoid breakage of thread and needle in between the process

Longer the sewing cycle greater is the wastage of man hours
The cycle sewing time should not be too small

No extra time allowance except the basic fatigue allowance
Some time allowance must be given to the operator to swivel between the operations

Any kind of basic sitting position will work
Operator must be provided with a proper sitting apparatus enabling multi- tasking

Operator must be motivated enough to support the experimentation and company officials must widen the horizons for new production practices

The workstations should be positioned in such a manner that picking and dropping of pieces from bin is convenient and less time consuming

(IV) AUTOMATIC COMPUTERISED WORKSTATIONS FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF OPERATIONS

(A) Automatic Rib Knit Bottom Band Setting Station
Shirt and band may be tubular or with side seams
DC electronic motor & microprocessor controls
Tandem operation
Reduces ergonomic risk
Minimizes fabric waste
Uniform gathering
Dual electronic active edge guiding system
Automatic stack
Increased production
Piece counter DESCRIPTION
An automatic workstation for sewing circular rib knit bottom bands on sweatshirts.

OPERATION
The operator folds the circular rib knit piece in half to form a band and places it over the expansion guide rollers. The rollers automatically expand for loading the body. The body is loaded over the rollers and band and a touch of the start sensor expands the rollers to sew position and indexes the parts under the presser foot and sew cycle begins. The operator is free to load a second machine. When the finished seam is sensed the parts are over sewn a predetermined distance, thread chain is cut, and the part is automatically stacked.

MACHINE CLASS
Yamato AZ8403, Pegasus, Juki

PRODUCTION
180 - 225 dozen bottom bands per 8 hour shift. (Based on a tandem setup)

(B) Automatic Cuff Machine
30 Rib knit cuffs cut, folded, and counted per minute
Tubular or with seams
Touch screen stores up to 25 styles
Select the language of your choice
Fully automatic operation after loading
Microprocessor controls
Self-diagnostic software

DESCRIPTION
A fully automatic rib knit cuff workstation, utilizing a programmable microprocessor with touch screen for operator input and style recall. The self-diagnostic software prompts the operator or technician to quickly identify a problem.

OPERATION
The rib knit cuff material may be tubular or pre-seamed utilizing the optional sewing module. After loading, the operation is fully automatic. This workstation may be programmable to produce a predetermined style or quantity of cuffs.

PRODUCTION
Approximately 1,800 cuffs per hour, depending on material and size of parts

(C) Automatic Two Needle Hemmer Sleeves and Shirt Bottoms.
Patented Serial Bus Control System
Reliable edge trimmer
Fold-in-half & stack or stack only
Stacker & return conveyor for bottom hemming available
DESCRIPTION
An electronically downturn hemming apparatus with two-or-three needle bottom and/or top cover stitch sewing head, automatic edge trim, and self-contained waste disposal.

OPERATION
The operator places parts to an edge guide and initiates sewing. The unit will continue sewing as long as parts are placed on the conveyor within a specific distance. The sew cycle will stop if the operator fails to position the next part.

OPTIONS
211EG Edge Guide System
Accessory kit (light and blow hose with nozzle)
Top cover option: Yamato/Pegasus/Rimoldi
Spare parts kit
12’ conveyor
Fold-in-Half Modular Stacker
Pick and Stack and return conveyor
Pick and Stack w/push table for sleeves & pockets
PRODUCTION
Sleeves: Approximately 1,950 pieces per hour, depending on material and size of parts.
Bottoms: Approximately 1,260 pieces per hour
MACHINE CLASS
Most industrial cover stitch machines

(D) Automatic Locker Patch Setting Station
Automatic semi-circular sewing
Automatic stacking
DC electronic motor & microprocessor controls
Automatic thread trimming
Patch sizes adjustable from 6” to 7.75”
Patch must be semi-circular
DESCRIPTION
An electronically controlled sewing station to set semi-circular patches to the back of sweatshirts.

OPERATION
An operator places the back of the shirt (fleece up) on the work plate, then places the semi-circular locker patch on top. The parts are then moved to the laser locator lights and a touch of the start sensor initiates the automatic sew cycle. A rotating clamp sews the patch to the shirt as the garment is rotated to the rear of the station. At the end of sew the thread is trimmed and the finished piece is stacked. The operator prepares the next piece during the automatic sew cycle.

PRODUCTION
Approximately 240 pieces per hour, depending on material and size of parts. (V) APPAREL FACTORY WELFARE POLICY

(A)
CURRENT SCENARIO:

The management and Human Resource department is unable to control the hygiene troubles created by operators by carrying tobacco inside the factory.
Newly painted area near work lift and hand- rail of staircase is again in a bad shape because of spit stains. Chewing of tobacco while working, stains the garment, machine area and floor area. Consumption of tobacco in the factory premises is a breach of discipline.

SUGGESTED SCHEME:

The company for the benefit of workers can initiate a social health campaign.
This campaign will not only emphasize the ill effects of tobacco but also the amount of money a person spends on tobacco in a year.
The company can install a small temporary stall inside factory premises once in a month (after the shift hours).
The campaign must highlight the damages done by tobacco not only at individual level but also the passive effects on complete family.
The stall can have posters of diseased patient’s lungs and mouth to show the after effects of tobacco
It must make the consumer to think and calculate the amount of money spent by him on tobacco in a month.
The consumer must be asked to make a note of regular family diet.
He can be suggested to invest the saved money in buying fruits and milk and other nutritional essentials for family
A personalized emotional talk can make consumer reflect on the evils of tobacco

BENEFITS:

This campaign will not only help the workers but also the company because if the campaign is successful enough to steer even a mere percentage of tobacco victims to tobacco free individual then the hygiene problem will be solved automatically.
By initiating such social events the company can boost the moral and confidence of workers.
In longer run the company premises will always be neat not just a day before audit.

(B)
CURRENT SCENARIO:

Uncomfortable and battered stools are given to workers on sewing floor that makes them stoop and sit in awkward posture for hours together. The caning of many stools is wearing thin and the height of the stool can’t be adjusted.

SUGGESTED SCHEME:

Ergonomically designed stools helps in maintaining the S- shape of lower spine
Latest polyurethane covered stools have longer life up to 10 years without any maintenance.
The initial cost of setting up such stools will be Rs 1500 per stool

BENEFITS:

It prevents muscular disorders and painful injuries
It enables the operator to sit in right posture
It helps in avoiding excessive stooping and bending forward
If the operator sits comfortably then efficiency will increase
With better satisfaction there will be less lethargy and fatigue and operator will be motivated to give better output with less absenteeism
There is no extra maintenance cost
The height of the stool can be adjusted as per the operator
The aluminum coated stool won’t rust or require coating of paint after subsequent use of years
OTHER SUGGESTIONS

(VI) STOP ISSUING SCISSORS ON SEWING FLOOR

There is no need of issuing scissors on sewing and finishing floor
Label attaching operators can be provided with thread trimmer
Operator can mishandle the fabric panels by using scissors
Old and unclean scissors can leave rust marks
A separate record has to be maintained metallic tools
In case of an incorrect seam a dishonest operator can adopt a shortcut and chop off the seam and make new one with lesser allowances. This can change the measurements of the garment.
This can reduce the mending faults
It can also reduce the spotting cases as handling of the garment is lessened

(VII) SPLICING TECHNIQUE IN CUTTING DEPARTMENT TO SAVE FABRIC

Splicing technique is used to utilize the end bit of a roll and cut & remove the fabric faults from the roll while layering for cutting.
This technique helps in saving the fabric. As fabric has 3/4th share in garment costing. Thus saving fabric is crucially important
If a fabric fault is detected in between a roll and the ply is incomplete in marker length then splicing can be done.
In the marker some splicing zones are created. If the ply falls shorter in length then it is cut until the nearest splicing zone.
In this way some of the big patterns are placed in splicing zones so that there is minimum wastage.

EXAMPLE:

Assume a marker. Splicing zones are placed in such a manner that bigger patterns are saved.

In the stated marker, if the ply finishes:

Between A-B: remove and keep for reject panel cutting
Between B-C: start layering from line A
Between C-D: finish layering till line C
Between D-E: finish layering till line D
Between E-F: finish layering till line E

MERCHANDISING DEPARTMENT

There can be two ways of communication between the buyer and the vendor (APPAREL FACTORY):

Buyer >> Vendor
E.g. Cecil, Splash, Woodland

Buyer >> Buying Office >> Vendor
E.g. John Levis, Marks & Spencer, Galleris, O’Niel, Humbey, Sansukai, George

Marketing Department handles the order booking and procurement of new orders.
They are responsible of costing and sampling an order.

Sampling Procedure:

[a] Proto Sample/ Development Sample-

This sample is made by the vendor to assure the buyer whether the garment can be made by the vendor in question or not. In this sample the fabric type is not of much importance but the overall look and appearance of the garment is significant. E.g. if a buyer places an order of a ladies top made in single jersey 210 GSM knitted fabric, therefore the sample will be prepared in the in-house available single jersey knitted fabric, irrespective of its GSM.

[b] Fit Sample-

This sample is created to check the fit and fall of garment. It is made in base sizes, i.e. ‘L’ for Men’s and ‘M’ for Ladies’. The fit of the garment takes at least 2 tries to get approved.

[c] Size Set Sample-

In this sample a garment is made in each size required by the buyer in each color. This is to check the grading increments/decrements of the patterns as per specifications.

[d] PP Sample- (Pre Production Sample)

In this stage the garment is made from the original fabric and the required trims and accessories approved by the buyer. This sample is made just before sending the order for bulk production. Minute care is given to the operations and critical operations are further simplified into minor steps.

[e] TOP Sample- (Top of Production Sample)
This sample is taken out from the sewing line after the start of the bulk production.

[f] Shipment Sample-

This garment sample is taken out from the ready shipment randomly to ensure the accuracy and consistency of production.

TYPES OF YARNS USED IN LNJ BHILWARA

S.NO
PRODUCT CATEGORY
COUNT RANGE

ENGLISH COUNT
(Ne)
METRIC COUNT
(Nm)

Regular Yarns

1
Knitting & Weaving
10s to 32s
17 to 54
2
Double Yarns (TFO)
10s to 32s
17 to 54
3
Multi Plied Yarns (upto 4 plies)
10s to 32s
17 to 54

Special Yarns

4
Bamboo/Cotton**
10s to 40s
17 to 68
5
Modal/Cotton**
10s to 40s
17 to 68
6
Recycle Cotton (upto 20% recycle cotton)
10s to 32s
17 to 54
7
Organic Cotton Yarns
10s to 40s
17 to 68
8
Fair Trade Cotton Yarns
10s to 40s
17 to 68
9
Pima/Supima Cotton Yarns
10s to 40s
17 to 68
10
Cotton** Core Spun Lycra
16s & 30s
28 & 50
11
Cotton** Slub Yarns
10s to 32s
17 to 54
12
Compact Yarns**
10s to 40s
17 to 68
13
Contamination Free Yarns
10s to 40s
17 to 68
14
Reverse Twist Yarns “S&Z” Twist
10s to 40s
17 to 68
15
Zero Twist Yarns for towels
10s to 40s
17 to 68
16
Yarn on plastic dye cheese
10s to 40s
17 to 68
17
100% Cotton** and Cotton Blended Dyed Yarn
Up to 40s
Up to 68

ACCREDITATION

FLO
FLO- Cert Gmbh for specified fair-trade products
CUC (SKAL)- GOTS & OE
Organic production methods
Global Recycle Standard
Recycle production methods
ISO 14001 : 2004
Environment management methods
ISO 18001
Occupational Health & Safety Management System
ISO 9001 : 2000
For Quality Management systems
OHSAS 18001 : 1999
Occupational Health and Safety System
Oeko- Tex 100
For tested harmful substances
CCI
Cotton Council International for US Cotton
M & S and NEXT
Laboratory Accreditation
WRAP
World-wide Responsible Apparel Production
SA 8000 : 2001
Social Accountability Management system
SUPIMA
Extra-Long Staple Cotton from USA

CAD DEPARTMENT

COMPANY Gerber Technology, Germany
VERSION Advanced
TIME 5 yrs
UPGRADATION Professional version required

ADVANTAGES >Much easier >Convenient >Saves time >Reduces redundancy >Extra support in Pattern Making >No need of extra shifts

MAIN USAGE >Grading >Digitization of patterns

COST 6-7 Lakhs
SKILLS Pattern Making and CAD both required
ACCEPTANCE OF CAD Tremendous resistance was witnessed at the implementation phase but the Pattern masters are slowly realizing the importance of CAD. Still interference is seen. Pattern masters make the simple procedure lengthy and cumbersome, e.g. changes reflected by buyer after test fit.

CAD PERSONNEL readily available, but never tried
AVAILABILITY

CAD TRAINING 1-2 weeks provided by the company

CUTTING DEPARTMENT

Fabric Relaxation

Fabric is relaxed for minimum 10 hours. The more the relaxation time the better is the result. But for urgent orders this time period is shortened up to 30 minutes. A fabric relaxation register is maintained.

Fabric relaxation registers information:
Roll no=
Operator no=
Buyer=
Shade=
Time in=
Time out=

Pattern Information:

Style No
Buyer
Approved By
Signature
Date
Size
Grain
Cut Pc
Pattern Name

Cutting Master receives Cut Master Sheet from Cutting Manager. Cut Master Sheet information:

S.no=790623
Style=48757
Shade=black
Lot =922527
Roll=8
Meters=696
Buyer=blair
Consumption per garment=340 gm (avg)
Garment Order per size

Cutting master lays 1 ply of fabric and arrange the patterns of 1 or 2 sizes to achieve maximum consumption. After satisfactory result is achieved, the required no of plies are calculated based on the order quantity per size and plying/ layering is done.

Spreading

Labor= 2
Time=2 hrs
Tools=wax marker, metal rod for straightening, hand shears

After the completion of each roll the remnant ply is rolled and kept until the style finishes and later discarded as surplus fabric. Spreading operator keeps a record of no of plies layered from each roll (which generally lies between 9 and 11). Before starting a new roll various strips of contrasting knit fabric are laid to identify different rolls.

Spreading audit is done in which roll no, style no, no of plies per roll are recorded.

Marker Planning

Example:

S.no=890108
Shade=moon white
Style=SR357
Lot=925024
Roll=4
Meter=203

M= 37
L= 108
XL= 36
2XL= 60

Thus 1st lay contains L size and 72 plies. 3 bodice patterns are placed, namely 2 back and 1 front along with 4 sleeves. This produces 72 complete L size garment pieces and 72 backs with 36 pair of sleeves. 36 back necklines will be reshaped to give front pieces. Thus the no of cut garment pieces are 108.
Similarly, 2nd lay contains 2XL size and 40 plies. 3 bodice patterns are placed, i.e. 2 back and 1 front, along with 4 sleeves. This yields cut patterns of 60 garments (40 complete + 20 reshaped front necklines)

ERP

Enterprise Resource Management Software: TIM

Computer operator issues printed job cards. He is responsible for correct feeding of data in warehouse. He keeps and maintains fabric record.

TIM generated job card contains following information:

Order no=
Article no=
Shade=
Operations=
Date=
Company=
Buyer=
Sign=

Cutting

Type: Straight knife
Company: Eastman- Blue Streak II
Specification: 10A 220V
Blade Length:8”
Frequency of blade sharpening: after every 15 cm
Knife Clearance: 0.5 cm
Cutting operator wages: Rs 4000
Usage: for block cutting
No of machines: 8
Blade Life: 2 months

Type: Band knife
Company: Eastman
Frequency of blade sharpening: after every 15 cm
Knife Clearance: 0.2 mm
Cutting operator wages: Rs 4000
Usage: for line cutting
No of machines: 1
Blade Life: 2 months

Labor: 1
Time: in coherence with daily spreading

The patterns that are cut from end plies a ticket of random no are placed to identify pieces of same roll. No records are maintained for such pieces.

Fusing

Commonly used interlining material:

Cotton tricot
Microdot

Color code system is used to keep track of fused pieces in file.

Morning= green
Afternoon=orange
Evening=blue

Slightly bigger fabric panels are fused and then re-aligned/ re-stacked for re- cutting using band knife. Directly pattern is manually held onto the stack and cutting is done.

Bundling

After cutting, patterns cut from same roll are bundled together. The computer operator issues job card. The bundling operator writes the roll no on the card and places it on top of bundle and ties it with a contrasting color strip of knit fabric.

Bundling audit is done in which each job card is signed. 2-3 bundles are checked in every size.

Labor: 1
Time: in coherence with daily spreading

Ticketing
Machine Name: ticketing gun
Company: Blitz
Method: for each bundle the numbering starts from 1 i.e. while sewing a garment all the parts must contain same no. This shows that all the parts of the garment are cut from same ply and belong to same roll. This takes care of the problem of shade variation.

Labor: 1
Time: in coherence with daily spreading

Storage

For light colors each bundle is stored in a clear bag. Surplus fabric is kept till the style is not completed and later on sends back to the supplier, which in most cases is sister concern APPAREL FACTORYSarovar, Indore.