Garment Production Systems
• Straight Line System
• Conventional Bundle System
• Progressive Bundle System
• Unit Production System
• Modular Manufacturing System
• Technology-enabled Manufacturing Systems
◼ Straight Line System
o Very successful and popular mass production system in the 50’s but not so today.
o Production unit is single garment, assembled in sequence and passes from operation to
operation.
o Layout planned and chutes are custom made with operator seated behind/opposite the
next one.
o Work fed by gravity chutes or pushing along bench, conveyor can be used.
o All operations takes same time to complete. Each operator makes same amount of
money determined by output at end of the line.
❖ Advantages:
- Low level of work-in-progress is accumulated.
- Throughput time can be as little as the labor content.
- No back tracking of material and less material handling time.
- Small space is required for each operator.
- Shading control is extremely easy.
❖ Disadvantages:
- Even a minor product change cannot be accommodated.
- Quality problems easily accumulate.
- Machine breakdown can be critical and troublesome.
- specialisation and workplace engineering is difficult.
- Pre-production planning skill is essential.
- The line is paced by the slowest operation.
❖ Applications:
- Production of simple garments e.g. underwear
- Production continues for lengthy periods, say 8 weeks or more
◼ Conventional Bundle System
o A common system of mass production in the 60’s
o Production unit is a bundle of cut parts to be assembled into certain number of
garments. Specific quantity of parts in the bundle is determined by number of fabric
plies and weight of bundle.
o The operator receives bundle from central store, unties bundle, perform the sewing,
cuts ticket and reties bundle.
o Then the return bundle back to store where it waits until the next operation and the
process repeats until the garment is completed.
o Operators of specialized skills are independently working at own pace and paid by
piece rates.
Advantages:
❖ Advantages:
- Absenteeism does not cause many problems.
- Pre-production planning is not critical.
- Operators are encouraged to work as fast as he can.
- The system rewards a high individual productivity.
- Uniform level of quality can be achieved.
❖ Disadvantages:
- Very high level of WIP is required.
- A storage area is needed to hold WIP that is not easy to control.
- Throughput time is lengthening to a month or more.
- Material handling time is spent substantially.
❖ Applications:
- Orders in low to medium volume.
- Conventional style of production with less managerial skills
◼ Progressive Bundle System
o Widely used system in the 70’s
o Engineered operations are laid out in sequence.
o Each operator does his bundle and passes it directly to the next operators, as the
garments are gradually assembled as they flow sequentially in bundle form.
o If bundle truck/clump truck used, bundle tying is often not required.
o Inter-process bundles are temporarily stored in between neighbored operations.
o The amount of machinery for each operation is determined by the output required.
❖ Advantages:
- The line is easier to balance and control.
- Uniform quality can be ensured by in-process control.
- Semi-skilled labor requires less training time and cost.
- Individual performances can be monitored by incentives.
❖ Disadvantages:
- High investment on machine cost.
- Short run production is not adaptable.
- High level of WIP extends throughput time.
- Complicated management skill is required.
❖ Applications:
- Basic garments with little change.
- Lengthy production runs on the same style.
◼ Unit Production System
o Major advance made in the 80’s when computers were used to plan, control and
direct the work flow through the system.
o The production unit is a single garment. All parts of a garment unit are clamped by a
carrier which automatically transports from station to station along the overhead
transportation system.
o The work stations are so designed that the components are presented at the earliest
position for handling. Many operations can be performed without removing the
work from the carrier.
o After sewing, disposal is automatic as the operator press a button and the carrier
progresses to the next operation according to a pre-determined sequence.
❖ Advantages:
- Bundle handling and matching is completely eliminated.
- Dramatic reductions in WIP and throughput time.
- Repairs tends to be lower and repair tracking is easy.
- Working condition is improved.
- Computers automatically control the workflow and balancing
- Many styles can be produced simultaneously on one system.
❖ Disadvantages:
- High investment per work station (US$4-5k).
- Its fixed physical configuration takes up large space.
- High maintenance cost and operating cost.
- Pre-production planning is essential.
- Frequent job changing for balancing is required.
❖ Applications:
- Fashioned garments with quick response.
- Orders with low to medium volume.
◼ Modular Manufacturing System
o -Used successfully in Japan, Europe and US since 90’s
o -Groups operators into teams or modules of 5-17 crossed trained operators. The team
work on one garment at a time with operators standing at their work stations and rotate
to different machines as they work. It can assemble an entire garment or sub-assembly
of more complex product. Arrangement follows a logical operation breakdown.
o -The team inspects their own work, besides inspiring teamwork and improving morale, it
enhances quality and reduces worker turnover.
o -Layout is usually in a U-shape with more workplaces than operators. Operators move
between operations within module whenever extra WIP exists.
o -Team paid as a group for work quantity and quality, or a time basis instead of the
traditional piecework system.
o -Time spent per garment is also little; e.g. T-shirt 3 mins, Pull-on pants 6 mins.,
unstructured jacket 25 mins., lined blazer 40 mins., tailored coat 120 mins.
❖ Advantages:
- Lower level of WIP frees up capital tied up and floor space.
- Fast throughput time enables quick response and prompt delivery.
- Quality becomes a team responsibility and monitored at source.
- Peer pressure encourages a team spirit and discourages absenteeism.
- The system is highly flexible with style changes.
❖ Disadvantages:
- Training time and cost is increased.
- It requires considerable changes in management philosophy.
- specialized equipment is poorly utilized.
- Operators cannot develop the rhythm and pace of high performance.
- Individual effort is difficult to recognized within the group.
❖ Applications:
- Fashioned garments with quick response.
- Orders with low volume and frequent changes.
- Company with mutual trust between management and operators.
◼ Automation
Many technologically advanced sewing machines, some computerized, help to speedily and
accurately perform the various steps in assembling a garment, e.g. machines that complete complex
operations like shirt collars and tailored jacket pockets.
◼ Robotics in Garment Production
-R & D stages, limited use. The use of robotics has very much defied in apparel production due to
the limpness of the material, however, it is slowly been used in limited areas such as moving
fabrics in mills, vision systems and tactile sensing system to locate fabric pieces, pick and place.
Garment production systems: An overview the choice of best apparel production system will
depend on the product and policies of the company and on the capacities of manpower, affirms.
◼ Conclution
Temporary storage time is time during which the garment/bundle is idle as it waits for next operation
or for completion of certain parts. Inspection time is time taken for inspecting semi-finished garments
for any defects during manufacturing or inspecting fully finished garments before packing.
