Practical Garment Production Process – A Case Study

Production Department

The sewing department is the most crucial department of any apparel industry. This is the place where the cut components of a garment, are shaped and styled into a new form with proper seams and stitches as required.

 

Role of People in Sewing

• IED: This department works online balancing. They ensure optimum WIP to keep the production smooth. The heads inline setting according to style, number of operations, number of machines, number of operators. Line setting is done so that no operator should sit idle while working.
• FLOOR INCHARGE: This makes the operator understand the process well and make it easier for him to operate the machine and the operation. He also provides them with the working aids in the critical points, to make the operation easy. All the supervisors work under the floor in charge. He takes the charge of all the lines on the floor. He is constantly on a check all over the floor and manages the operator’s problems.
• QA: He handles all the checkers of the checking table of all lines. He ensures that no problem occurs related to quality in garments. He should always be present in PP meetings. He checks all the operations of the first piece that comes to the production line and takes the measurement of garments of all sizes.
• INLINE ROAMING QC: He keeps the quality manager updated about all the inline quality reports. He takes the measurement of the first piece of every order that comes from production. He checks for the critical operation in the line. He also keeps the information about jumping operations.
• SUPERVISOR: His work is manpower handling. He keeps an account of the operator skills and allots them for operation. He deals with absenteeism and decides the substitutes. He checks whether proper input is coming to their line or not and always works for better output. He clears alterations from floaters (jolly operators). His main work is to give a report of order closing.
• PRODUCTION WRITER: His main work is to make attendance of all operators. He makes an hourly report of operators and the number of pieces that they made during that hour. He cross-checks the attendance of operators every 15 days.

Sewing lines of Trouser

1. Pearl
2. Emerald
3. Topaz
4. Diamond
5. Gold
6. Ruby
7. Turkish
8. Opal
9. Coral

Preparatory Sections of trouser

1. Waistband
2. Front pocket
3. Back pocket
4. Fly section
5. Panels

 

1. Waistband

2. Front Pocket

3. Back pocket

4. Fly

5. Panels

Table 9.2- Preparatory Section

Front

Table 9.2 Preparatory Section

Back

Table 9.3 Front section

Assembly

Table 9.4 Back section

 

Table 9.5 Assembly Section

 

Table 9.6 Quality Checking in Lines

 

 

Table 9.7 Machines Details

Jacket

There are two lines in the jacket that are

1. Jade
2. Jasper
   1. Five sections in each line:-
      1. Sleeve-line 1
      2. Lining- line 2
      3. Body- line 3
      4. Assembly 1- line 4
      5. Assembly 2- line 5
         1. One floor in charge for each line
         2. One QA for each line
         3. One inline QC for each line
         4. 10 supervisors are there- one supervisor for each subline
         5. One production writer for each line
         6. One quality writer for both line
         7. One store writer for each line
         8. One dispatch writer for each line
         9. 3 helpers are there in each line
         10. Manpower in jacket line (for one line):-
      6. Sleeve- 14 (piece rate), 3 (fix rate)
      7. Lining- 28 (piece rate), 3 (fix rate)
      8. Body- 34 (piece rate), 3 (fix rate)
      9. Assembly 1- 30 (piece rate), 3 (fix rate)
      10. Assembly 2- 21 (piece rate), 2 (fix rate)
      11. Checkpoints in each section:-
          1. Sleeve- there is one checkpoint in the sleeve section and the points which should be checked are as follows:
             1. Sleeve out seam and inseam
             2. Sleeve vent
             3. Sleeve hem
             4. Sleeve lining
             5. Lining tacking
             6. Shade variation
             7. Balancing for both sleeves
          2. Lining- there is one checkpoint in the lining section and the points which should be checked are as follows:
             1. Collar shape and points
             2. Collar attaching with lining
             3. Collar band shape
             4. Collar felt attaching
             5. Facing attaching
             6. Inside velt pockets (both sides)
             7. Labeling- the main label, wash care label, size label, fit label
             8. Side panel attaching
             9. Centre back seam
             10. Shoulder seam
             11. Shade variation

Machines in jacket Line

1. SLEEVE LINE
   1. SNLS-9
   2. Fake Eyelet-1
   3. Pressing Table-3
   4. Button Attach-2
   5. Sorting Table-1
   6. Checking Table-1
2. LINING
   1. SNLS-28
   2. SNCS-1
   3. DNCS-2
   4. APW-1
   5. Button Hole-1
   6. Pressing Table-4
   7. Over Lock-1
   8. Bartack-1
   9. Gixer Machine-1
   10. Zig-zag-1
   11. Sorting Table-2
   12. Buck Press-1
   13. Checking Table-1
3. BODY
   1. SNLS-15
   2. SNCS-1
   3. Pressing Table-5
   4. Buck Press-1
   5. Armhole tape attach machine-1
   6. Micro zigzag machine-1
   7. APW-1
   8. Sorting Table-1
   9. Checking Table-2
4. ASSEMBLY 1
   1. SNLS-14
   2. SNCS-2
   3. Shoulder Basting-1
   4. Shoulder Pad Pressing-1
   5. Pressing Table-7
   6. Zig-zag-1
   7. Edge Cutter-3
   8. Basting-1
   9. Buck press-1
   10. Sorting Table-1
   11. Checking Table-2
5. ASSEMBLY 2
   1. SNLS-2
   2. Sleeve Attach-3
   3. Basting-4
   4. Sleeve Head Roll Attach-1
   5. Lining Attach-2
   6. Button Hole-2
   7. Pick Stitch-3
   8. Pressing Table-1
   9. Sorting table-1
   10. Thread Cutting Table-1
   11. Checking Table-2
6. Chest Piece & Sleeve Head Roll
   1. SNLS-3
   2. Zig-Zag-2
   3. Basting-1

 

Table 9.8 Machine & Needle Type

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Pressing and Finishing Department

 

Table 10.2 Pressing Details

 

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Packing Department

 

 

Table 11.2 Packing Details

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Maintenance Department

Apart from having a quality system and the best practices, machine maintenance’ is also a very important area to get ‘quality’ products. Unacceptable quality of products often results from ill-maintained machines. Breakdown and preventive maintenance are primarily aimed toward reducing downtime and increasing life respectively proper machine maintenance are also necessary to avoid casualties on the floor. The function of preventive maintenance includes;

1. Care of the fitting
2. Adjusting status report
3. Machine status report.
4. Machine configuration charts
5. Needle movement chart
6. Needle log cards

Machine maintenance also carries the purchase and receiving activities. Its purchase has a track of every inventory including a needle present in the factory stock and procures new inventory whenever possible. The stock register is maintained with discipline.

Maintenance schedule

The maintenance schedule is carried out floor-wise. Every production floor is provided with a team of two mechanics, one assistant, and one helper, which takes care of the day-to-day maintenance, breakdown, and settings of the machine. Whenever there is a breakdown of the machine on the floor it is immediately shifted to the maintenance department and the same is replaced with a new machine from stock so that production is not disrupted. Oil checking is done on a weekly basis and changing of the oil and servicing of the machines is done every three months.