Apparel production System

Three types of production systems that are commonly

used to mass produce apparel or are:
1. MAKE THROUGH SYSTEM,
2. MODULAR PRODUCTION SYSTEM,
3. ASSEMBLY LINE SYSTEM.
Each system requires different types of:
management philosophy
material handling arrangement
floor layout
employee training
Companies may combine the systems or use only one
depending on their need.

Contd.

1. Make through system :It is the traditional method of manufacture in which an operator
makes right through one garment at a time. That is one operator will
do all the stages of the sewing operations of one garment and after
completing it he will go for the next garment

The advantages of the make through system are:

Quick throughput time
Easy to supervisor.
The disadvantages of the make through systems are:
low productivity
high labor cost
only very experienced operator can be used
it is a system only suitable in couture and sample making

Contd.

2. Modular system
A team is a small number of people with complimentary skills who are
committed to common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for
which they hold themselves mutually accountable".

Working in modular system:

The line layout is U -shaped with garments progressing around the line.
Each operator is cross trained on a different portion of line (i.e. continuous
operation) depending on skills and operation complexity. Ideally all the
operators are cross trained on all the operations.
Thus operators work to predominantly predetermined adjacent tasks.
Each operator is assigned at least one operation.
Operatives work on standing workstations.
The first and last operations are uniquely assigned to the first and last
operator respectively
Work In Progress (WIP) is kept to a minimum.

Contd.

3.Assembly Line System :Each operator is assigned to one operation only,

# Bundles of garment components are moved sequentially from operation to
operation
# Bundles consist of garment parts needed to complete a specific operation or
garment component.
# Some companies work with varied bundle sizes others with standard bundle
sizes
# Bundles are assembled in cutting room where cut parts are matched.
# Bundle tickets consist of a master list of operations and corresponding
coupons for each operation.
# Each bundle receives a ticket that identifies style#, size , shade and list of
operations (is some cases)
# Bundles are assembled is cutting room where cut parts are matched
Bundle receives a ticket that identifies style#, size, shade and list of operations.

There are two variations of the assembly line system

Progressive Bundle systems and

Unit production system.

Assembly Line contd.

A: Progressive Bundle system: Machines and operations are organized into sections according to
basic functions, which produce sub components.
Within each sections works is balanced according to time required
for each sub-functions.

The disadvantages of progressive bundle system are:

Machine investment costs are high.
The system is not very adaptable for short-run production and
frequent style changes, as these require rearrangement of the
workstation.
It involves high handling costs for bundle handling and
transportation.
It requires a high level of work in progress and therefore a high
capital commitment

Assembly Line contd.

A: Progressive Bundle system: - contd

It requires a high level of management skills to arrange the workflow

and decide on the number of operators for each operation.
Individual performance can be monitored and incentives offered.

The advantages of the progressive bundle systems are:

High productivity
A high level of labour utilization can be achieved
Training time and costs can be reduced
Semi-skilled labour can be used.

Assembly Line contd.

Unit production system
All the components for one garment are loaded into a
carrier at a work station specially designed for this
purpose.
The carrier itself is divided into sections, with each
section having a quick release retaining clamp which
prevents the components from falling out during
movement through the system.
When a batch of garments has been loaded into carriers
they are fed past a mechanical or electronic device
which records
The essential features are as follows

Assembly Line contd

b .Unit Production systems (UPS) :Similar to a relay race, each production operator has a task and passes that garment
on to the next person. Normally there is only one garment between operations.

As a mechanical system this has been in use for many years, but a major advance
was made in 1983 when computers were first used to plan, control and direct the flow
of work through the system.

The essential features of this system are:

1. The unit of production is single garment and not bundles

3.The work station are so constructed that the components are presented as close as
possible to the operators left and in order to reduce the amount of movement
required to grasp and position and component to be sewn.

2. The garment components are automatically transported from work station to work
station according to pre-determined sequence.