UNIT II – Pre Production Operations

CHAPTER 3: INITIATION OF PREPRODUCTION OPERATIONS

LESSON 5: MATERIAL UTILIZATION

Objectives:
Understanding perproduction operations
Optimizing fabric utilization through cut order planning
Factors impacting material utilization

Changing market demands and varied production strategies are creating diverse
needs for preproduction processes. Small orders, increased flexibility, and Quick Response
expectations are creating the need for fast turns on markers, low-volume spreads, and
high-speed low-ply cutters. Another significant change in preproduction has evolved from
team-based production units. Some manufacturers have expanded the team approach to
include spreading and cutting operations. One preproduction team spreads and cuts for two
or three team-based sewing modules. It creates a pull system where cutters must have the
work ready for the module on time and presented in the manner needed. If cutting is not
accurate the sewing team knows with whom they need to work to improve the process. If a
part is damaged and it holds up sewing production, the sewing team can immediately go to
the preproduction team and have another piece cut. If the sewing team makes its
production goal, this means the cutting team does also. This system can work effectively if
teamwork is a priority with management.

Because of proportionately high fabric costs and the increasing costs of managing
waste, firms have increased their focus on ways to increase the utilization of material.
Material utilization is the process of optimizing the use of materials during product
development and production. All preproduction operations-cut order planning, marker
making, spreading, and cutting- impact material utilization.

Preproduction operations are dependent on perfected patterns. Technical designers

and production pattern makers develop the patterns for styles accepted into the line, perfect
them, and grade them into appropriate sizes. All the patterns in each size of a style are
verified, that is, checked very carefully before sending them to cut order planning.
Pattern verification includes checking the following:

• Correctness of grade increments

• Compatibility of grading with style specifications
• Length and alignment of adjoining seam allowances
• Notch placement and alignment with adjoining pattern pieces.
• Placement of internal markings
• Placement of grain markings

5.1 Cut Order Planning

Cut order planning translates customer orders into cutting orders. It is the process
that coordinates customer orders with all the variables of marker making, spreading, and
cutting to minimize total production costs and meet customer demand for timely products. It
seeks the most effective use of labor, equipment, fabric and space. Cut order planning
involves the following responsibilities:

• Examining incoming orders and width and availability of piece goods.

• Determining volume, size ratios, and sectioning procedures for marker making
• Determining whether file markers are available or new ones are needed.
• Developing specifications for optimum marker making and fabric utilization
• Determining most effective use of spreading and cutting equipment.
• Issuing orders for marker making, spreading, and cutting.

Cut order planning can be done manually or by computer. New computer technology
is much faster, more accurate, and supported with more data on all the variables.
Computerized cut order planning allows experimentation with alternative cutting plans to
develop the most efficient options. Cut order planning is a prerequisite to tight markers.

As many as fifty different variables, in addition to fabric information, may affect cut
order planning. Some of the most common considerations are these:
Number of sizes in order
Number of colors in order
Maximum/minimum number of sizes allowed in marker.
Maximum spread length
Maximum ply height
Percentage of overcut or undercut units
Fabric cost per yard
Usable cloth width
Width variation
Common lines among pattern pieces
Costs of making markers
Costs of spreading
Costs of cutting
Costs of bundling
Fabric roll change time