he fast-changing economic conditions such as global competition, declining profit
margin, customer demand for the high-quality product, product variety, and reduced
lead-time, etc. had a significant impacts on manufacturing industries. The demand
for higher value a lower price is increasing and surviving apparel manufacturers need
to improve their operations through producing right first-time quality and waste reduction.
This paper discusses the quality and productivity improvement in a manufacturing enterprise
through practical study. The work investigates a framework to identify quantify and
eliminate sources of variation in an operational process, to optimize the operation
variables, improve and sustain process performance with well-executed control plans.
The primary quality characteristics are static physical dimensions, and secondary
qualitative are the reactions of the clothes to an applied dynamic force. The apparel
manufacturer is primarily interested in the secondary characteristics of the fabric
and focuses on the seam quality during the fabrication and production of apparel [1].
The application of this practice improves the process performance of the critical
operational process, leading to better utilization of resources, decreases variations
& maintains consistent quality of the process output. The production process includes
a set of workstations, each of has a specific task that carried out selected sequence,
for the different styles simultaneously [2] The outcome of this observation reflected that an industry might gain higher productivity
and profitability with improved quality product by minimizing reworks activities.
In the present work, the impact of an increase in needle thread tension [3], [4], [5] on the fabric is analyzed in Single Needle Lock Stitch sewing machine with stitch
type Class 300 and Type 301.
At present, the success of the Readymade Garments sector highly depends on several
factors such as manufacturing lead time, quality of the product, production cost,
etc. Broken stitch, Skipped stitch, Open seam, and others sewing problems are related
to the product quality. The lower quality products are hampered productivity. These
flaws can be repairable that leads to rework or non-repairable that leads to rejection.
Rework in the garments industry is a regular work that hampers the smooth production
rate and focuses poor quality products having an impact on overall factory economy.
Minimization of reworks is a must in quality and productivity improvement. Rework
is a vital issue for inferiority product and low production rate [6]. Reworks are the non-productive activities focusing on any operations that customer
is not willing to pay for it. Non-productive activities describe that the customer
does not consider as adding value to this product.
4. b) Methods and process sequence
We have performed this research work on 32 garments line based in Apparel Industry
in Bangladesh. Every garments line contained 26 no of the machine. As per Acceptable
Quality level (AQL) inspection system, we selected lot size code "J" and sample size
80. Everyday 80 pcs garments we have inspected and similarly, total 560 pcs sample
observed during seven days. Different types of sewing tension like 3, 4, 5, 6, and
7 applied in same garments line and found different kinds of several faults.. By
Analysis the defects% from the above research work we have identified that the top
defects of sewing problems are Broken and skipped a stitch. These are about 14.6%
and 15.94% respectively of total errors. There are many factors which directly influenced
by occurred Skipped and Broken stitch. Among them, we have applied different tensions
and found the effects. The tension scale shows 0 to 9 categories, from there we have
applied stress 3 to 7 category. "0" class tension that shows loose stitch and "9"
category tension exposition too tight stitch. As per our assessment sewing tension
"5" shows fewer defects compare to others sewing tensions. Year 2018 J Fig. 1 We have implements different sewing tensions that were the leading causes for
broken stitch as well as
This study indicates that by eliminating nonproductive activities like reworks in
the apparel industries time as well as cost are saved by ensuring quality products
which has an significant impact on the overall factory. by developing some methods
to identify the bobbin condition just before empty. on same types of faults. We can
have further research work on the way out to minimize those sewing defects