International Journal of Textile Science 2019, 8(1): 26-30

DOI: 10.5923/j.textile.20190801.04

Improving Productivity by Using Extra Mechanical

Automation on Different Sewing Machine
Israt Zebin Ansari1,*, Zulfa Ferdous1, Israt Zerin1, Syed Fuad Irfan1, Sujan Sharkar2

1
Department of Textile Engineering, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2
Soorty Denim Enterprise

Abstract Apparel sector is the most promising and rapid growing sector of Bangladesh. To sustain and survive in the
global competition, machine automation is becoming the demand of time. Now-a-days apparel manufacturing industries are
trying to improve their production efficiency to cope with the emerging challenges of this sector. The aim of this research is
to improve productivity of sewing line by using extra mechanical automation on sewing machine in affordable cost. These
reduce the cycle time, increase productivity in SMV wise 73.81 to 83.1 and manpower wise from 21.42 to 24.19. Which saves
a remarkable cost and helps to beat the lead time successfully as well.
Keywords Apparel, Productivity, SMV, Lead time

Technological advancements like high speed sewing

1. Introduction machine, CAD and computer- aided manufacturing (CAM)
applications, new techniques in cutting, fusing and pressing,
Bangladesh has already occupied the 2nd position in RMG and application of robotics on the process of garment
export in the world [1]. In the financial year 2016-2017 the production, a substantial increase in productivity can be
RMG industry generated US$28.14 billion, which was achieved [8].
81.23% of the total export earnings in exports and 12.36% of In this research we try to increase productivity by reducing
the GDP [2]. To retain this growth & safeguard our position sewing time. We develop some self-made automation
in world RMG market there is no alternative to increased through air cylinder commonly known as Pneumatic
productivity [3]. Productivity is evaluated by achievement cylinder.
toward established goals based on relationships between
inputs and outputs of industry [4].
In project management, productivity is the process by 2. Material and Methodology
which resources are optimized in order to achieve the desired
outcomes of the project. There are various components that 2.1. Product Specification
are involved in the productivity of a workplace which are Item: Short Pant
human resources (labor), machinery, and the working Buyer: Primark
condition of the workplace [5]. Fabric construction: 100% cotton
Many people think of automation on a large scale; But Order quantity: 108400pcs
automation can be added to machine tools in many other, Color: Black, dark blue, indigo
more affordable ways as well [6]. A study showed increase Sewing data:
of productivity of garment industry with their existing Sewing SMV: 20.32
industry set up. It has been observed that there is scope to Working hour: 10
improve the productivity with improving the flap design. Manpower required: 70
With regular flap design only one pocket flap can be Daily target: 1500pcs
manufacture, but with change in flap design, the double flap
can be produced at less time. [7]

* Corresponding author:
iza.kumkum@gmail.com (Israt Zebin Ansari)
Published online at http://journal.sapub.org/textile
Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Scientific & Academic Publishing
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International
License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Figure 1. Front and back side of Short pant
 International Journal of Textile Science 2019, 8(1): 26-30 27

Operation 1: Auto Disposer Machine parts:

Process: Zipper Attach to single fly  Air Cylinder
Machine: Double needle lock stitch machine  Compressed air
Machine parts:  Steel Base
 Air Cylinder  Air Pipe
 Compressed air  Air trigger
 Rubber pad
 Air trigger

Figure 2. Added automation on double needle lock stitch machine

Figure 4. Auto Mouth Cutter
For adding zipper at fly position at first zipper needs to
attach in single fly. Here requirement was used single needle For doing Waist band mouth close operation extra fabric
machine earlier but we replace this machine with double piece needs to cut by hand cutter. We are added automation
needle lock stitch machine as 2 stitches with ¼ gap needs to here to increase the helper capacity, also easier the process
give in zipper fly. Here we are adding one auto disposer also, and savings the cutting time.
so that operator doesn’t need to dispose zipper by hand. Operation 4: Auto hem cutter
Operation 2: Auto thread cutter Process: Hem cutting for Distortion effect
Process: Waist belt attach Machine: Overlock
Machine: KANSAI Machine parts:
Machine parts:  Vertical Knife
 Air Cylinder  Plastic Base
 Compressed air
 Scissor
 Steel Base
 Air Pipe
 Air trigger

Figure 5. Auto hem cutter

Buyer requirement was to bring distortion effect in bottom

hem by wash, but at first hem needs to cut so that it creates a
distortion effect after washing. This process is too slow, a lot
of manpower needed. We are innovating a easier way to cut
Figure 3. Adding auto thread Cutter on a Kansai machine it by overlock machine including a vertical knife.
Operation 5: Auto Pocket hem folding
After attaching waist band by kansai machine loose Process: Back Pocket Hem
threads comes, though Kansai machine doesn’t have auto Machine: Single Needle Chain Stitch machine
thread cutting system that’s why after joining waist band Machine parts:
loose threads needs to cut by hand. Operator dose this by
 Air Cylinder
hand cutter before. We are adding here one auto thread
 Compressed air
cutting automation, so that we can reduce the thread cutting
 Steel Base plate
time.
 Air Pipe
Operation 3: Auto mouth cutter
 Air trigger
Process: Waist belt mouth close
Machine: Self-made cutter
28 Israt Zebin Ansari et al.: Improving Productivity by Using Extra Mechanical Automation on Different Sewing Machine

2.2. Methodology (Working Flow Chart)

Selecting machines and processes

Studying the machine capacity without automation

Adding automation on the selected machine

Studying the machine capacity after adding automation

Figure 6. Auto pocket turner
Calculating the unassigned time
For attaching back pocket, at first back pocket mouth
position have to fold by hand thus it consumes time. So we
are adding a automation to fold the pocket automatically. Eliminating extra machine and men power

Calculating efficiency, productivity and others

3. Data Analysis
Daily Production target 150pcs/hr needed to beat the lead time
Target in 100% efficiency=60/SMV
Capacity=3300/Actual cycle time (5mins was allowance time)
Table 1. Capacity before Adding Automation

Target (pcs) in Actual Cycle time (Sec) Manpower

Capacity pcs/hr
Process Machine SMV 100% required for
1 2 3 Avg (here 1hr=55min)
efficiency 150pcs/hr
Zipper attach to single fly lock stitch 0.43 139 27 26 25 26 126 1.5
Waist belt attach Kansai 0.87 69 57 58 60 58 56 2.5
Waist belt mouth cut Cutter 0.44 136 26 26 27 26 126 1.5
Decorative hem cutting Over lock 2.03 30 123 122 124 123 27 6
Back pocket hem Chain stitch 0.42 143 24 25 26 25 132 1.5

Table 2. Capacity after Adding Automation

Target (pcs) in Actual Cycle time (Sec) Capacity Manpower

Process Machine SMV
100% efficiency 1 2 3 Avg pcs/hr required

Zipper attach to single fly lock stitch 0.18 333 9 11 12 10 330 0.5
Waist belt attach Kansai 0.75 80 43 42 44 42 78 2
Waist belt mouth cut Cutter 0.36 166 19 21 20 21 157 1
Decorative hem cutting Over lock 0.33 181 18 19 20 20 165 1
Back pocket hem Chain stitch 0.3 200 17 19 18 18 183 1

Table 3. Calculation of Unassigned time, SMV and Manpower reduction

Required Required
Before SMV before SMV after
After Unassigned SMV manpower manpower Manpower
Process cycle adding adding
cycle time time (sec) reduction before adding after adding reduction
time automation automation
automation automation
Zipper attach to
26 10 16 0.43 0.18 0.25 1.5 0.5 1
single fly
Waist belt attach 58 42 16 0.87 0.75 0.12 2.5 2 0.5
Waist belt mouth
26 21 4 0.44 0.36 0.08 1.5 1 0.5
cut
Decorative hem
123 20 103 2.03 0.33 1.7 6 1 5
cutting
Back pocket hem 25 18 7 0.42 0.3 0.12 1.5 1 0.5
∑=2.27 ∑=7.5/8
 International Journal of Textile Science 2019, 8(1): 26-30 29

4. Results and Discussions

Before adding automation After adding automation

SMV: 20.32 SMV: 18.05
Working hr: 10 Working hr: 10
Manpower: 70 Manpower: 62
Output: 1500pcs Output: 1500pcs
Now, Now,
Input-hour in minute=(Number of operator*total working time in min)= Input-hour in minute=(Number of operator*total working time in min) =
(70*10*60)=42000 (62*10*60)=37200
Output-hour in minute=(Number of garment*Standard Output-hour in minute=(Number of garment*Standard
time)=(1500*20.32)=30480 time)=(1500*18.05)=27075
So, So,
Productivity = {(Output/Input)*100} Productivity = {(Output/Input)*100}
= {(30480/42000)*100} = {(27075/37200)*100}
= 72.57% = 72.78%

Productivity
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Before After Productivity Before After productivity
automation automation increase automation automation increase
SMV wise Manpower wise
Changes in productivity 73.81 83.1 9.29 21.42 24.19 2.77
Factors

Figure 7. Productivity changes in SMV wise and manpower wise

Figure 7 shows productivity changes in SMV wise and cutter in hem cutting for distortion effect, v. auto pocket hem
manpower wise before and after adding automation. folding for back pocket hem joining. All these effort increase
Productivity increase 9.29 in SMV wise and 2.77 in the productivity by reducing the cycle time and ultimately
manpower wise. saves huge cost in respect of by reducing SMV and operator.
Our findings are:
- Sewing SMV reduces to produce primark short pant
5. Conclusions from 20.32 to 18.05.
To meet and beat the buyer’s lead time, machine - The number of operators is reduced from 70 to 62 after
automation has no alternate. In our country, the order adding automation.
quantity is increasing day by day but the lead time and price - Line productivity increases from 72.57% to 72.78%
of the product are decreasing. So, it’s high time to introduce after adopting automation.
and implement lean manufacturing and machine automation - The effect of automation is also considered in terms of
as well. productivity in SMV wise and Manpower wise. The
In this part we want to summarize our work and also point productivity in terms of SMV is increased from 73.81 to
out our findings; 83.1 which is about 12.6% and in respect of manpower,
We implement different automation in five operations in the productivity reaches from 21.42 to 24.19 which is
this work these are-i. Auto disposer to attach zipper with also about 12.93%.
single ply, ii. Auto thread cutter in waist belt attachment, iii. Thereby we can conclude that there is a remarkable
Auto mouth cutter in waist belt mouth cut, iv. Auto hem improvement in cost and productivity by introducing very
30 Israt Zebin Ansari et al.: Improving Productivity by Using Extra Mechanical Automation on Different Sewing Machine

simple existing technology and locally available equipment. [4] Mustafa A., Locating defects on shirt collars using image
Our main focus is to increasing the productivity by existing processing, International Journal of Clothing Science &
Technology, Vol.10, 1998, 365– 378.
technique and parts without purchasing a full automatic
machine. [5] Key Factors Affecting Productivity in Workplace,
https://www.sinnaps.com/en/project-management-blog/facto
rs-affecting-productivity.
6. Limitations [6] https://www.productionmachining.com/columns/the-effects-
of-automation-on-manufacturing.
- We cannot provide actual costing of automation
because of company privacy. [7] Suprit Borse, Venkatesh Shrinivasan, V.S. Shivankar;
- Further research can be done in this respect. Improving the Garment Productivity by Using New Designs
of Folder; International Journal on Textile Engineering and
Processes ISSN 2395-3578 Vol. 2, Issue 2; April 2016.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [8] Global Scenario of Automation in Garment Industry;

http://fashion2apparel.blogspot.com/2018/02/automation-gar
We acknowledge to all the members of IE and ment-industry.html.
maintenance & mechanical department of Soorty denim [9] Md. Monirul Islam (Rajib), ATM Adnan (2016). Improving
enterprise for their kind co-operation. Ready-Made Garment Productivity by Changing Worker
Attitude. European Scientific Journal, vol.12, No.4 ISSN:
1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431.
[10] Dhanashree Rajput, Madhuri Kakde, Pranjali Chandurkar,
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