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Questions & Answers #2

1. Chanrda Shekar asked: Please advise how to convert from KGs to Yards. Suppose if supplier gives price per KG, how I can convert it to yards. Secondly, suppose if we get consumption in yards, how to convert the consumption to KGs. Kindly advice through formula. Normally, price of knitted fabric is presented in per Kg. and price of woven fabric is presented in per yard or per meter. However if you need sometimes you can use the below formula to convert fabric price per Kg to price per yard. Price per Yard= (Price per kg X Width of the fabric in meter X GSM)/1094 Example: Fabric price INR 300/- per Kg, GSM 200 grams, Fabric width 1.2 meters. So Price per yard = (300 X 200 X 1.2)/1094 = INR 65.81/(Please note that result may vary a little from the exact price due to high density of yarn in selvedge.) For the second question follow below steps to find consumption in Kgs 1. Convert yards to meters. Multiply yards by a factor 0.9144. (e.g. garment consumption per piece in length is 2 yards) 2. Measure fabric width in meters and find gsm (grams per square meter) of that fabric. (e.g. width = 1meter, gsm = 200) 3. Now use this formula: Garment consumption (in Kg.) = (Length X GSM X width in meter)/1000 Garment consumption (in kgs) = (2 X 0.9144 X200 X 1)/1000 = 0.3657 Kg or 365.76 grams

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2. Zaman asked: I need to audit my factory. Can you give me details information about international 3rd party agents name? There is number of agents/labs those conduct factory audits. For example: SGS, Intertek, STR, TUV etc. To know more and contact details of these agents read our article Buyer Approved Garment & Textile Testing Labs

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3. Prashant Singh asked: Please give me Operation Breakdown tips for Formal Trousers. There is an article on operation breakdown for trousers in our site under Industrial engineering. To read it, open the following link. Operation Breakdown and SMV of a Trouser. We suggest you before sending any query please search with keywords in this site. Use search box on top right corner of webpage.

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4. Nancy asked: Can you give an explanation of how to calculate total cost per minute?
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Minute cost is calculated for direct labors (sewing operators) those are on salary. You can use following formula for this calculation. Minute Cost = (Monthly salary of the operators/Total minutes available in the month) For an example assume that operator monthly salary is INR 5000.00 Total available capacity per month (in minute) = 26 working days*8 hours/day*60=12,480 minutes So, per minute cost of the direct labor = 5000/12480 = 0.4006 INR I hope, you got my point. If need further explanation you can write us again. For details read: Garment CM cost estimation using SAM or SMV Secondly, if you are looking for the calculation of Total cost per minute to the factory excluding material cost then use following formula. Cost per minute= (Total production cost / total available minutes) calculated for a month and production cost is calculated excluding material cost (fabric and trims). Where Total production cost = (Depreciation of fixed capital + total interest amount + CMT cost + Overheads) calculated for a month

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About Prasanta Sarkar

5. Anirban Chatterjee asked: I would like to know more in detailed form from where garment manufacturing technology can be done and the duration of the course. In India, National Institute of Fashion Technology institute is the best one for GMT course. (Presently GMT course is named as B.FTech - 4 years & M. FTech - 2 years). To know details about of this course read article Garment Manufacturing Technology. Similar kind of courses is also provided by Pearl Academy of Fashion and North Indian Institute of Fashion Technology. 6. Amer asked: In your article How to measure fabric Consumption of garments in the example of the style is = {(L*C) + (B*SL)}*2*GSM/10000 grams = [{(33*25) + (10*2*27.5)}*2*(2.54)2*200]/10000 grams = [{825 + 550}*400*6.45]/10000 grams = 354.83 grams Can you explain this line = [{825 + 550}*400*6.45]/10000 grams how comes 400*6.45 can you explain this?. Please note details calculation with color coding. I hope you can understand it. = {(L*C) + (B*SL)}*2*GSM/10000 grams = [{(33*25) + (10*2*27.5)}*2*(2.54)2*200]/10000 grams (2.54 is squared) =[{(825)+ (550) } * 2*200 * (2.54 X 2.54) ] /10000 grams = [{825 + 550}*400*6.45]/10000 grams = [1375 X 400 X 6.45 ] /10000 grams = 3548380 /10000 grams Amer: I have understood. Can you explain more about the 2.54 what is this?? In your fabric consumption details you have not mentioned about this. OCS: 2.54 is conversion factor from inch to centimeter. As you may know 1 Inch = 2.54 cm And 2.54 has been multiplied twice because we are calculating fabric area (length X width). Amer: Is this possible we know about fabric length and width? OCS: Knitted fabric is ordered in weight (Kgs). So consumption is calculated in weight. As per pattern / Marker of the garments /style fabric width is decided by pattern
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Prasanta Sarkar, the person behind Online Clothing Study, is a Garment Technologist from NIFT. He worked as Production planner, Industrial Engineer in garment export house and also worked as a consultant in the garment manufacturing industry. He regularly writes articles for fashion magazines on technical topics. Reach to him at prasanta[at]onlineclothingstudy.com Continue reading... Prasanta Sarkar
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10 Small Business Ideas in Garment Industry Posts on Industrial Engineering Posts under Apparel Merchandising How to Calculate Production Capacity of a Factory? Production Planning & Control Garment Manufacturing Process Flow Chart How to Calculate SAM of a Garment? Functions of Production Planning and Control (PPC) Department in Apparel Manufacturing Garment CM cost estimation using SAM or SMV How to Calculate Cost of Manufacturing Apparel Products
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master/cutting depart. So, fabric width is always given or predetermined and fabric length will vary depending on fabric density (GSM) and fabric consumption per garment. If you know width, fabric consumption in grams and GSM then you can calculate Length (in cm) = (Fabric consumption in grams X 10000) / (GSM X width in cm). 7. Todor asked: Hello, thanks for providing many useful information on your site. I would like to ask: Have you made some research connected with scheduling of operators who can do more than one operation (but with different efficiency)? How to balance the assembly line in that case and get the optimal operator utilization? Yes, it is possible to balance a line using operators skill matrix. You are right - by doing so we can increase operator utilization%. After receiving your query I planned to write an article on this topic (line balancing using operator's skill history). I have posted it How to do Line balancing using Operator Skill History? Go through it. I hope you will find answer of your question. 8. Mohamed asked: We are small manufacturer and we have more mistakes for calculate cost of garments and need help to way to calculate time of produce garment and time waste for solving and fabric defect cost. Mohamed in your question you have asked three different issues as I understood 1. Garment costing 2. Determining correct production time (standard time) 3. How to reduce fabric defect 1. Before suggesting you anything on garment costing part I like to understand how are you currently doing it? You can forward a sample costing sheet with brief explanation. 2. I guess you employed work study person to look after engineering part. To get production on time you have to plan your production duration (style run) based on standard time, capacity and line efficiency. To establish standard time your engineers have to work on time study and analysis of time study data. Allowance must be added correctly during standard time calculation. After setting the standard time they need to work on floor with operator -- why operators do not meet the standards. I have published lot of related articles in the section of "industrial Engineering". You can get help from those. Also look into articles on production planning section. 3. It is obvious that higher the defective pieces higher the production cost. It will also consume lot of time in repair/alter the pieces. To get rid of this you have to establish quality management system. Currently I dont have much idea about your organisation to suggest you something. If you are looking for help you can come with real information.

Trims and Accessories Inspection Procedures

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One can set inspection procedures for the trims and accessories as following. Like garments, trims are not checked for 100%. Quality inspector only needs to confirm that bulk trims are sourced as per required standards. Only trims or accessories that are made by manual processes are required to check 100% of quantity. All the trims are made in machine are considered as same quality. Like shades of threads, printed text on labels etc. In trims inspection it is not just visuals inspection of the trims but many times you need to check it physical properties. To ensure physical properties are as per
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standards, trims are processed for in-house tests. Store personnel, testing lab (if test lab is there), merchants or R&D department can be involved for the tests.

How to do Line balancing using Operator Skill History?

Home > Industrial Engineering

The prerequisite of this method is to have a skill matrix of sewing operators. Normally, at the time of line setting, operators are selected based on their experience on operations. The calculated skill level of the operators on the operations is not considered at all. As a result after couple of hours, high skilled operators start sitting idle and low skilled operators stuck with their work. Thus line becomes imbalanced and lot of productive time is lost as operators sit idle. To utilize operators maximum capacity, work allocation must be done based on operators potential performance level (efficiency) and work must be shared with operators who has excess capacity. To get a balanced line from day one, select operators for the operations based on operators skill levels and capacity required for the task. In this article I will explain, how to use skill history to balance a line. Assume that you already have skill matrix of your operators. For example, a line produces Tee shirt and skill inventory of the operators are as following. Operators skill levels in various operations have been shown in the following table-1. Table-1: Sample Skill Inventory

Work sharing between the operators may vary depending on production systems. I will explain line balancing method considering that we are balancing an assembly line (Progressive Bundle system). Assumptions: Operators will work on single work station. Work will be shared or operators excess capacity will be utilized only where machine type matched and operator has performed that operation earlier
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(refer to operator skill inventory) No time delay when an operator switches from one operation to another. Step 1: Keep a copy of the skill matrix of all operators working in the sewing line where new style will be loaded. Or you can prepare it if you dont have one. Step 2: Collect Operation bulletin (OB) for the style to be loaded or is running on the line. Operation bulletin must have information such as Operation name, SMV of the operations, type of machine is used and hourly target from the line. Refer to following OB. Daily target output is 675 pieces in 8 hours shift and hourly target is 85 pieces. Figure-1: A Basic Operation Bulletin (For a Tee for example only)

Step 3: Prepare a table on spread sheet with the headers as shown in the following Figure-2. Enter information to this sheet from your operation bulletin. Columns A, B, C and E to be filled from OB. Figure-2: Line balancing calculation table

Step 4: Other columns and formula used for calculation are explained in the following paragraph. Insert formula in your spread sheet as explained here. Output Needed per Hour (B): Target output per hour in pieces. Initially target output in each operation is 85 and when an operator worked in an operation produce part quantity,
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balance quantity will be the needed quantity for second operator doing the same operation. Standard output (D): Potential production at 100% efficiency. D= 60/ SMV of an operation Operator (F): Operator name to be entered after selection from skill inventory. Potential performance (G): It represents operators efficiency level in the past on the listed operations. Information will be selected from skill history. Hourly potential output (H): Number of pieces expected from the operator based on his/her past performance. H= Standard output X operators efficiency% Time Available (I): Time available to an operator in hours at the time of starting of a task. If an operator spends 0.5 hours in an operation, he will have 0.5 hours for another operation. Over and under production (J): It is the variation of potential output against target output. Negative (-) sign represents underproduction and no sign represent overproduction. J = (Hourly potential output Hourly target production) Time needed to make target production (K): Operators time needed to produce target output. K = (Hourly target production/ Hourly potential output) Spare Time (L): Excess time than time required to produce target quantity. L = (Time available Time need to make target production) To get access of the following table for calculation sent us your mail id and subscribe our post. Table-2: Filled format

Step 5: In this step you will learn how select an operator from skill inventory and allocate them for the operation one by one. All calculations are done for one hour. In the above sheet (Table -2) for the 1st operation (Mark Neck trim and run stitch) operator Radha has been selected as her efficiency is highest (81%) among 3 operators can perform this task. Based on her past experience (skill inventory) she can produce 88 pieces per hour. So she can meet the hourly production target and her spare time is 0.04 hour in an hour. With this much spare time we dont give her any other job.
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For the second operation (Join shoulders) operator Seema has been selected. Her potential efficiency to the job is 93% and she can make 124 pieces per hour. But we need only 85 pieces to maintain continuous feeding flow in the line. To make 85 pieces Seema needs to spend only 0.69 hour. Balance 0.31 hour can be allocated for other operation that can performed 4TOL machine. Her excess capacity will be used later where it is needed. Similar ways calculate and fill details for 3rd, 4th 5th and 6th operations. Anil who is allocated for operation serge margin has spare time of 0.45 hours and Nirmal who has been allocated for operation Top stitch on neck seam has spare time of 0.36 hours. For the 7th operation Attach Sleeve we will utilize Anils spare time (0.45 hour) as he is working on similar type of machine (4TOL). At 77% efficiency Anil can produce 59 pieces if works for full hours (out of 85 pieces). In his spare time he can only produce 27 pieces. Balance quantity 58 pieces (85 27) need to be made by another operator. Here, Sunita (4TOL operator) is selected to make balance quantity. In an hour she can make 62 pieces (short fall was 58 pieces). Thus Anil and Sunitas combined output meets hourly target. Roma, who is given operation Sew side seam with labels, can make 66 pieces in an hour. Balance 19 pieces will to be given to another operator. Seema, who is doing an operation Join shoulder, has spare time of 0.31 hours. As she is working similar machine type (4TOL), Romas work is shared with Seema. At 90% efficiency Seema can make 64 pieces and in her spare time (0.31 hour) she can make 20 pieces. Combined output of Roma and Seema meets the hourly production target. Similar ways 9th operation Sleeve hem allocated to Komal and his excess work has been shared with Nirmal. As Nirmal has spare time of 0.36 hours. The last operation has been allocated to Sivani, who can produce 91 pieces in one hour. In this way we can maximize utilization of operators excess capacity and balance a line better in a better way. Instead allocating 13 machines and 13 operators, the target quantity is achieved by 10 operators. By using this method, with balancing a line we can increase labor productivity and labor utilization percentage. I hope you have understood above explanation on line balancing using skill history. For further clarification you may write us or enter your comments below.

What is skill Matrix for Sewing Operator?

Home > Industrial Engineering

Skill Matrix is a chart or a database where operators past performances on various operations are recorded in a systematic way for the future reference. In a skill matrix operator performance is recorded in efficiency percentage. Skill matrix is also called as skill inventory of the operators. A basic skill matrix is shown in Figure-1. (Click on the picture for zoom). Skill matrix is updated on a regular interval. Or after completion of each style operator's current performance (efficiency%) updated on the database (for manually developed skill matrix). Figure-1: A Basic Skill Matrix developed in spread sheet

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A part of complete skill matrix for reference only

The benefits of an operator skill matrix are enlisted below. It keeps record of all operations an operator had done in the past and efficiency level in each operation. Engineers / line supervisors need minimum time to find and select most efficient operators for an operation from the pull of operators. For line balancing, operators can be selected according to work content. For example where an operation is required 50% less time than pitch time, engineers can select an operator whose efficiency level is 50% on that operation. When operation clubbing is required (for less work content works), skill matrix gives the information what all operation to be given to an operator. When someone is absent, supervisor can easily find suitable person from the skill matrix table and replace. A skill matrix can be made in spread sheet. Or real time shop floor data tracking system can be used for skill matrix development. In the skill matrix, an user can do sorting of operator performance in various operation and other way in a operation how many operator are there who had earlier worked on and their efficiency level. Related Article How to balance a line using skill history?

Apparel Case Studies

This is a database of e-publications, Fact sheets, Articles and Case Studies related to apparel industry. This is an initiation to supply you wide range of reading materials. All documents listed here are available in the web. The link will open on the server owner's site. You can read and download these articles. Entrepreneur's Story: How Varsha Bhawnani turned Vinegar Exports into Rs 12-cr brand?
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Success Story of Ishita Swarup, Founder & CEO, 99labels by yourstoty.in Interview of Ishita Swarup, Founder & CEO, 99labels by IIFL Lean Manufacturing Improving Productivity and Profitability by TBM Consulting Group Lean Manufacturing in the Apparel Industry Application of Lean Sigma in the Garment Manufacturing by Technopak Lean Manufacturing: The way to Manufacturing Excellence by Technopak.com Latest Technology for Apparel Industry RFID's Potential in the Fashion Industry: A Case Analysis Item-Level RFID key to Merchandise Management What has PLM done for you Lately? Garment management for controlled environment:an introduction A case analysis of adoption of an RFID-based garment manufacturing information system Apparel Production Improving Labor Productivity in Egypt's Ready-made garment sector Productivity in Indian Apparel Industry How people propel Productivity at Levi StraussProductivity and competitiveness of Indian Manufacturing Sector: Textiles & Garments Guideline for Fabric Store and Cutting Room management Profiting through quality improvement of your product and work environment Sewing operator recruitment and training Sri Lankan Garment industry and Factory Improvement Program (FIP) Improvised Fabric alignment system in Fabric Spreading Corporate Social Responsibility Threads of Labour in the Global Garment Industry Indian garment industry steps up efforts to hire people with disabilities Action research on garment industry supply chains Current Status and prospects of female employment in the apparel industry in Pakistan MAS Holdings: Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility in the Apparel Industry Corporate Social Responsibility in Practice -Improving Working conditions in Bangladesh False Promises - Migrant workers in Global Garment Industry Fashion Retailing E-business in Apparel Retailing Industry - Critical issues
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Keeping inventory and Profits off the discount Rack Retail @ Speed of the Fashion by Devanshu Dutta The Structure of GAP's Supply Chain Garment Industry supply chains Miscellaneous Overview of the Indian Garment Industry On-line fabric defect detection and full control in a circular knitting machine New Look Case Study - Productivity Incentives in India Bangadesh's ready-made garments landscape: The challenge of Growth Tal Apparel, Hong Kong Based Clothes Company considers its option

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