National Institute of Fashion Technology

HYDERABAD

Master of Fashion Management (2013-15)

APPAREL QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Quality Assurance Process For A Manufacturing Unit - Trousers

Submitted By: Submitted To: Chahat Jain (6)

Greeshma Vs ()

Isha Jain (15)

Raj Kumar ()

INTRODUCTION TO GARMENT MANUFATURING

Garment manufacturing is an assembly- oriented activity with a great range of raw materials, product types, production volumes, supply chains, retail markets and associated technologies.

Companies range from small family business to multinationals.

The clothing industry is labour intensive industry.

DEPARTMENTS IN GARMENT MANUFACTURING UNIT

MANUFACTURING WORKFLOW

Consumption planning to order fabric

Fabric order placement

Receipt of fabric

Fabric inspection

(Check physical appearance and properties)

Marker Planning

(For bulk production)

Sampling

Spreading & Cutting

Presewing operations

(Fusing, embroidery, marking- if required in style)

Bundling

Feeding in lines

(As per production plan)

Finishing

Packing

Warehousing

Packing and dispatch

GARMENT ENGINEERINGIt starts in design development stage because it directly affects the costing of the garments .

People involved: Designers, sample room manager, industrial engineering department and production management should all report from cutting to finishing.

Key areas for analysis:

Seam types – Various seam types should be analyzed and considered to simplify/reduce the work.

Stitch types- Explore various options in terms of seam types. For example replace lock stitches by chain stitch in case of Multineedle seams.

Machine types- Optimum use of technology to maximize, look in to machine type, bed shapes and automation that’s possible.

Attachments – Attachment help in simplifying and reducing the work content and to increase line balancing efficiency.

Special work aids- Special work aids can be used to simplify/reduce the work content.

Fabric consumption- Fabric being 70% of the garment cost is vitally important to monitor and if the engineering is done properly we can certainly expect to save fabric or reduce consumptions.

Cutting- how should it be done- we do not have Tailors now, we have operators instead and they should be working with clippers in their hands

Finishing- Finishing is the last link of the value chain which is essential for p erformance point of view.

CAD DEPARTMENTReceiving tech pack: Tech pack is received from Head office that contains all the information regarding the style illustration, size, trims, colors, stitch and seam class, fit, sampling details, and packing and finishing details.

Make basic pattern: Basic pattern is made manually by pattern master in one base size.

Digitizing: This base size is then digitized on the Gerber digitizer board.

Grading: After digitizing, it’s transferred to the computer on Gerber pattern design studio. Patterns initially are made in only one size. We need to proportionally increase or decrease the size of a pattern, while maintaining shape, fit, balance and scale of style details. Getting correct fit and drape of a garment but also maintain the measurements as graded specs is essential.

Using the CAD system, the pattern is resized according to a predetermined table of sizing increments (or "grade rules"). The computerized plotter can then print out the pattern in each size.

Incorporating shrinkage in pattern grading

- First fabric has to be relaxed so that there is no tension or strain during rolling or unrolling while layering or cutting. This will ensure that there is minimum shrinkage in garments.

- So unwashed garments are made with additional shrinkage tolerance included so that they gain their original measurements after washing.

- Woven fabric garments shrink about 2-3%. This shrinkage incorporated in patterns could be lengthwise or width wise depending on type of fabric.

Shrinkage adjusting

Shrinkage adjustments should not distort the original shape and balance of the patterns. When shrinkage is applied to a panel in garment all corresponding patterns must also be applied with shrinkage adjustments.

Gerber plotter printing: The patterns are then printed on the Gerber plotter. They are then pasted to thick aortic sheets and converted into full fledged patterns.

Send patterns to cutting department

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Efficiency: Marker plans indicate efficiency of the cutting process i.e. the efficiency of

fabric consumption. Lay plan: determines the no. of lays required to cut the specified quantity in the

predetermined size ratio. Precision in checks in stripes

FABRIC STOREThis is the most important department of the unit, where in the quality and quantity of fabric is inspected as soon as it is received in the store, along with storing and maintaining stock levels and ensuring to stock up in proper clean way.

When the fabric is in-house, it should be capable of being supplied to the cutting department.

Inspection is done prior the cutting room issue so as to remove the defective fabrics.

WORKFLOW OF FABRIC STORE

Receive P.O at head office D/O

Fabric received at gate (challan)Document are sent to

dept for checking

Documents verified Bales received in fabric dept

Bales counting Fabric unloaded

Swatches and cuts maintainedBales opened

JC & GRN MadeChecking 4 point system

Fabric mounted on greasy perch Fabric sent for inspection

FABRIC VISUAL INSPECTION

The 4 point system is generally used for fabric inspection. In this system, points are assigned for every possible defect in the fabric as follows.

Width wise point criteria Penalty pointsUpton 3” 1 point3-6” 2 points6-9” 3 points9” 4 points

Length wise point criteria Penalty pointsUpton 5” 1 point3-6” 2 points6-9” 3 points9” 4 points

Area wise point criteria Penalty points1X1 cm float 1 pointUpto 1X1 cm hole/stain 2 pointsOver 1X1 cm to 2X2 hole/stain 3 pointsOver 2X2 cm hole/stain 4 points

Yarn variation/Beam motion/Barre effect

Penalty points

FCR preparedFabric stored

Fabric issued to cutting room as and when required.

Minor 2 pointsMajor 4 points

3 points and 4 points are pointed and are called cutable defects. 1 and 2 point are identified by stickers and panels replaced cutting.

The maximum points and flags allowed as follows:-

FABRIC Max. no. of allowed points

Max. no. of flags per linear mts.

100% cotton and its blends 40 5100% linear and its blends 40 4Defect points/100m2 = Total pointsX3600/Fabric widthXFabric length.

If defect points/100m3 < 40 then accept the fabric. If defect points/100m3 > 40 then reject the fabric.

Major woven defects : slubs, holes, missing yarns, yarn variation, end out, soiled yarns, wrong warns.Major dyeing or printing defects: out of register, dye stops, machine stops, color out, color smear, or shading. These defects are marked wth colored tape so that they can be easily located.

Others Penalty pointsPatta Cutable defectCount or composition variation Cutable defectShort end Reject rollSelvedge loose Reject rollWrong drawing Reject rollReed marks Reject rollTemple marks Reject rollDamaged selvedge Reject rollWrong weave Reject roll

FABRIC INSPECTION MACHINE

This is used to inspect the fabric defects and measure the total meters of the fabric. Machinery Brands include Kaigu, Aura, Ramsons checkmate.

FABRIC TESTS

o Fabric Shrinkage is a very important factor for any physical inspection. Mistakes in appropriate checking might prove disadvantageous for the pilot run followed by production. An optimum conduction of the width and shrinkage properties has to be made. The fusing of lining to some parts may also be done in the cloth store. If the shrink characteristics are consistent, then the patterns may be designed to the correct oversize and sampling checks for consistent shrinkage carried out. Color changes can also occur at the time of fusing as the temperatures might have been controlled or were out of the prescribed limits.

E .g Size of the fabric= 100 * 100

Or

50 * 50

According to the above picture, a fabric piece of the above mentioned specification is cut and marked accordingly. Then a wash with a soft enzyme is given. The deviation is shrinkage if any is marked between the points. Shrinkage of 1-1.5 cm is acceptable. If it is more than this then the merchandiser is supposed to take the desired action.

o Color Fastness or Crocking : In order to check color fastness, 2 fabric swatches are taken. On 1 of the swatch, a white seam is put on all the four sides of the fabric. Both of the them are washed and the results are compared. If it is stained or slotted then it’s rejected.

o C.S or Centre Selvedge test: This test is used to check the color variation in the fabric. Full width of the fabric is taken (length can vary according to requirement say 10”). The Fabric is divided into 6 pieces and their grain line is marked.

These pieces are then cut and re stitched in a random series. For e.g. 3, 6, 2, 5, 4, 1.

When we arrange these fabric pieces in a series, we can see the shade variation in the same fabric. Noting of this variation is very important at the time of cutting.

Maximum CS is seen in solid/printed fabrics as compared to stripes and checks.

o Others include dry clean and washability, abrasion resistance, pilling (especially for mixed fibers), Bow and skew (using a ruler and set square for checks and stripes), Drape and crease resistance (that includes permanent press capability), Strength (tensile, tear and bursting (for seams), Flammability, Surface wetting and penetration.

FABRIC DEFECTS

o Abrasion Mark: A place in the fabric where the surface has been damaged due to friction or abnormally weakened by any operation through which it has been passed.

o Misprint: In printed fabrics, either missed, or partially missed, or incorrectly positioned relative to each other.

o Double Pick: Two yarns running simultaneously, mostly in the weft yarn.o Oil Stain: Oil mark on the fabric.o Hole: A breakage of yarns in the fabric involving more than two yarns.o Bow: When the weft/filling yarns lie in an arc across the width of the fabric.o Skew: Distortion in the construction of the fabric i.e. in the yarn that

constitute the fabric.

o Crease: A fabric defect across the fabric width usually caused by a sharp fold.

o Dye Stain: An area of discoloration due to uneven absorption of colorant.o Miss-pick: A pick/weft yarn not properly interlaced.o Slubs: An abruptly thickened place in a yarn.o Screen Out: The appearance of a colored separation line in a printed

design.o Calendar Line: Sharp pressmark on fabric due to the calendar during the

processing.o Contamination: Colored fibers with the warp or weft fibers.

TRIMS STORESThis store is responsible for storing and neatly maintaining the trims received from the suppliers, approved by H/O.

Trims card to be readily available for each of the PO/style being processed that is duly approved by the nominated quality assurance person.

WORKFLOW OF TRIMS STORE

Different types of trims:-

- Buttons- Hooks- Badges- Zippers- Collar pick bone- Tags : brand name, collection name and fit type- Labels : wash care, size and fit, brand- Fusible labels- Leather patches- Twill tape/ Cross grain tape ( cotton/polyester)- Needles- Threads : sewing and embroidery- Packing materials: hangers, collar stand, brand label, packing box

Receive W/O Purchase dept issues D/O to supplier

Challan

Trims receivingCheckingMake trims card

Issue for stitching according to production plan

SPREADING AND CUTTING DEPARTMENTNet cutting is an essential part of garment engineering that demands precession in cutting and low shape deformation afterwards. Accurate control of cloth width produces economies in edge margins. Precise cutting not only avoids spoilt work at the making up stage but is the key to modern sewing room practice.

As soon as the work order is received, a fabric enquiry is conducted in fabric store weather the fabric is available or not. The CAD department is responsible for making the pattern markers available in various graded sizes for cutting purpose and calculate the consumption per garment.

SPREADING- Spreading is the process of unwinding large rolls of fabric onto long, wide tables and

laying them in superimposed plies of specified length.- The number of lays depends upon the number of garments desired and the fabric

thickness.- The maximum cutting width is the usable fabric width minus selvedge or needle marks

caused by stencil marks.- Fabric utilization is the amount of fabric actually utilized in the marker as the percentage

of the total fabric area.- The cutting marker is laid on the topmost layer.

Type of lay plan used: Since open width fabric is used, full garment lay is used that has both left and right pieces.

Type of lay: Multiple Ply is used in which a number of fabric layers are stacked on one top of other.

Forms of spreading: Fabric is laid the same way up with grain or print pattern running in the same direction. Fabric has to be cut at the end of each ply.

Ideal lay height for cutting :

Laying parameters Pattern matching. Relaxing the fabric to remove all the tensions. Allignment of ply edges in correct position over each other.

Lay order plan :

CUTTING

Cutting parameters: - Precision in cutting: To ensure the cutting of fabric - accurately according to the line

drown of the marker plan.- Clean edge: By avoiding the fraying out of yarn from the fabric edge. Cutting edge must

be smooth clean. Knife must be sharp for smooth or clean edge.- Consistency in cutting: All the sizing safe of the cutting parts should be same of knife

should be operated of the right angle of the fabric lay.

Types of cutting equipments: - Scissors- Round knife- Straight knife - Band knife cutting m/c- Die cutting ( collars and cuffs )

Methods for marking directly on the cloth: CHALK: This is the traditional method in which thick lines are drawn on the cloth.

Fabric weight Height

Heavy Weight 4-5"

Med Weight 3-4"

Light Weight 2.5-3"

Preparation for sewing: 1) Position marking : Egg- pocket positions, tucks, pocket positions etc2) Shade marking: each component is marked with a unique no. printed on a

small ticket stuck on the component.3) Bundle making: according to size, color, quantity4) Bungle tickets: to identify each bundle to size, lot, style and color wise.5) Fusing parameters: There are different types of fusings depending upon the

end use and type of fabric.

Type Heat Pressure TimeMicrodot 150 degree 2.5 13 secSemi fusing 140 degree 1.5 15 secWoven fusing 175 degree 3 18 sec

EMBROIDERY DEPARTMENTEmbroidery pattern is received that specifies the no. of stitches, colors, the pattern, size and placement.

Design is loaded in floppy disc and inserted in the machine memory.

Embroidery machines:

Company No. of heads No. of needles No. of machinesSilver sun 9 9 3Barudan 4 9 1

Embroidery defects: loose uncut threads, skipped stitches, pattern misalignment.

Type of stitches: satin, filling, patchwork etc

Types of motifs: Institutional logos (jindal, essar, cyberoam), kids wear motifs (cartoons), company logos (oxerberg, J hampstead), jeans back pocket embroidery, shirt cuff and front panel embroidery are done.

A Strike-off : is a pre production sample of embroidery which is done in order to check the accuracy of the pattern and the associated stitches in it. This is then sent to the H.O for feedback and approval. If any changes, theH.O will return their feedback with necessary changes or comments. The type of stitches depends upon the fabric. If the fabric is thin, then heavy stitches are avoided.

SAMPLING DEPARTMENTThe sampling for each season begins according to the product cycle of style. This process is also called Product development (P.D). One should also know the tentative size ratio in each style. This is because the costing of the product depends highly on the fabric consumption. Kinds of samples prepared:

1) Photosample: only sketch/illustration of the garment is present in the photosample sheet.

2) Fit sample: one sample in base size measurement is made and send for approval at head office.

3) Size set: one garment sample in each size is prepared and sent for approval. No need to add the trims to the garment.

4) PP sample: This is the pre-production sample that is the exact replica like original sample.

5) Shipment sample: A random sample is picked from the production lot and sent for approval.

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Sewing Process

The basic process of sewing involves fastening of fabrics, with the help of needle and threads. Most of such industrial sewing is done by industrial sewing machines. The cut pieces of a garment are generally tacked, or temporarily stitched at the initial stage if required. The complex parts of the machine then pierces thread through the layers of the cloth and interlocks the thread.

Industrial Sewing Industrial sewing is quite a complex process involving many preparations and mathematical calculations for the perfect seam quality. Good quality sewing also depends on the sound technical knowledge that goes into pattern designing and making. Flat sheets of fabric having holes and slits into it can curve and fold in three-dimensional shapes in very complex ways that require a high level of skill and experience to manipulate into a smooth, wrinkle-free design. Aligning the patterns printed or woven into the fabric also complicates the design process. Once a clothing designer, with the help of his technical knowledge, makes the initial specifications and markers, the fabric is then cut using templates and sewn.

These undesirable variations in the cloth tension affect the product quality. Therefore, there arises the need of strict control over the whole process. The work of sewing is focused on the handling of fabrics lying on the working table and guide them towards the sewing machines needle along the seam line. The attention is equally focused on the control of appropriate tensional force so as to maintain high quality seam.

Pre sewing functionsBefore the actual task of sewing begins, there are certain other tasks that have to be taken care of which can be termed as fabric handling functions - Ply separation; Placing the fabric on working table; Guiding the fabric towards sewing needle; and tension control of fabric during the sewing process.

When the fabric is placed on the working table, the tasks that are performed before the sewing process include - recognizing the fabric's shape, edges that will be sewn, planning of the sewing process and identification of the seam line.

Fabric Edges to be sewnThere are two basic types of stitches - one is that are for joining two parts of cloth together and the second one is done for decorative purposes. Sometimes, both types of stitching have to be done on some parts of cloth, for example, a denim pocket has to be joined on three sides with the apparel as well as it may be given some decorative stitches too. At what points and which type of stitching has to be done- all such information is decided by the industrial engineering department and accordingly sewn.

Planning of sewing processSequence of seams to be stitched is determined before the sewing starts. Which part will be joined first, what stitches will follow one another, etc. are decided. However, some stitches have to be necessarily done before or after another stitch. In the example above, the decorative stitches must be done first followed by the joining stitches.

Identification of seam linesSewing process is performed on seam lines situated inside the fabric edges, some millimeters inside the fabric's outer line. For the straight lines, the seam line is found by transferring the outer lines inside the fabrics i.e. the seam line is parallel to the outer edge and the distance between the two has to be determined as it is different for different parts of the cloth. Seam allowance is the area between the edge of the fabric and the line of stitching.

Sewing FabricsThe sewing process consists of mainly three functions - guiding fabric towards needle; sewing of the fabric edge; and rotation around the needle. The fabric is guided along the sewing line with a certain speed that is in harmony with the speed of sewing machine The orientation error is either manually monitored or if monitored automatically then error is fed to the machine controller so that the machine corrects the orientation of the fabrics. When one edge of seam line is sewed, the fabric is rotated around the needle till the next edge of the seam line coincides with the sewing line. The sewing process is thus repeated until all the edges of seam line planned for sewing, are sewed.

Significant Aspects of Sewing

There are certain aspects that have to be carefully considered while the sewing process as they are very crucial for high quality sewing.

Thread tension and consumption: Correct balancing of the stitch and the tension given to the threads is very important for quality stitch formation. Thread consumption, which is closely associated with correct stitch geometry and thread tension, is usually measured by digital encoders.

Presser- foot displacement and compressing force: Presser- foot is the part of the sewing machine that holds the fabric in place as it is being sewn and fed through by the feeder. The feeding system is one of the most important constituting systems of the sewing machine. If this system is not efficient then it results into irregular seams and many other defects, especially when running on high speed. To evaluate feeding efficiency, the force on the presser foot is measured with the help of electric or other sensors.

Needle penetration force measurement: The interaction of needle with fabric is very crucial. Fault-free needle penetration depends chiefly on the properties of fabric and needle choice. Needle penetration force is one of the variables whose measurement is important for the analysis of quality problems or "sewability testing" and also quality monitoring. It takes various factors into consideration, such as the needle geometry (including the point angle and point length of the needle), the friction between the needle and the fabric, the friction between the needle eye and the thread along with fabrics' property, and the sewing conditions.

ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL (AQL) – Quality measure

The AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) is the maximum per cent defective that for the purpose of sampling inspection can be considered satisfactory as a process average. In inspection how much percentage of defective pieces will be accepted, depends on acceptable quality level The AQL level varies process to process, product to product and even buyer to buyer.Sample size Code letter: This code is indicative a range of batch size. (Code 'G' means your lot size range is from 151 pieces to 280 pieces.Sample size: It means that how many pieces will be picked up for inspection from the total offered pieces (Batch).Ac (Accepted): The number in this column denotes that if the inspector finds up to that much defective pieces the shipment will be accepted by buyer.Re (Rejected): On the other hand number in this column denotes that if the inspector finds that much defective pieces or more than the listed number, the shipment will be rejected (or asked to the manufacturer for 100% inspection and re-offer for final inspection) by buyer.

Example: Suppose you have been offered a shipment of 1000 pieces for inspection. Select the range from table, it is 501-1200. Now from table you have to select number of sample you are going to actually inspect. According the above table you will select 80 pieces out of 1000 pieces. Now assume that you are inspecting at 2.5 AQL. So, after inspecting all 80 pieces if you find 5 or less than 5 defective pieces will accept the shipment. And if you find 6 or more than 6 defective pieces in 80 samples you will reject that shipment.

LIST OF POSSIBLE DEFECTS IN PRODUCTION

Component and materials

Possible Defects

Materials/fabric 1. Fabric holes2. Slubs3. Shading variation4. Misprints, out-of-register prints, undesired color spots5. Cut, visible notch mark tears or visible surface repairs6. Bow or skew exceeding 1.5 percent7. Double picks8. Pilling

Cleanliness 1. Soil, Spots, stains or Dust2. Attached thread clusters

Pressing 1. Burn or scorch marks2. Glaring shine marks3. Press marks from camps4. Absence of pressing when specified

Lot or Batch size

Size Code

Sample Size

Acceptable Quality level2.5 4.0 6.5

Ac Re Ac Re Ac Re2 – 8 A 2 0 1 0 1 0 1

9 – 15 B 3 0 1 0 1 0 115 – 25 C 5 0 1 0 1 0 126 – 50 D 8 0 1 1 2 1 251-90 E 13 1 2 1 2 2 3

91-150 F 20 1 2 2 3 3 4151-280 G 32 2 3 3 4 5 6251-500 H 50 3 4 5 6 7 8

501-1200 J 80 5 6 7 8 10 111201-3200 K 125 7 8 10 11 14 15

3201-10000 L 200 10 11 14 15 21 2210001- 35000 M 315 14 15 21 22 21 22

5. Products packaged moist after steam pressing6. Improper pressing7. Seams not lined up when specified for center leg crease8. Loops twisted after pressing9. Uneven creases after press

Seams and Stitching 1. Twisted, roped, or puckered seams2. Open or broken stitches3. Raw edges where covered edges are specified4. Seams not back stitched or bar tacked when specified5. Irregular or uneven top stitching6. Seam grin-through, seam slippage7. Pinching or any part of product caught in seam or stitches8. Any exposed drill holes9. Length of legs off by more than 3/8 inch10. Stitch count not conforming to specifications11. Stitch or seam type not conforming to specifications12. Label is not correctly attached, position and layout13. Sewn on design attached at incorrect place andsewn not according to specs14. Double needle stitch on crotch seam is missing15. Use of monofilament thread, other seams than where specified

Button holes 1. Size is not within specs2. Ragged edges3. Uncut button hole4. Out of alignment or improper button spacing5. Stitch depth too narrow or wide

Button/Button Sewing 1. Button not securely attached2. Butler-missing3. Broken or damaged button4. Out of alignment or improper spacing5. Button not matches to specs6. Lack of support materials on fragile fabric7. Buttons that crack, chip, discolor, rust, bleed, melt or otherwise cause consumer dissatisfaction when care label is followed

Waistband 1. Uneven in width2. Excessive fullness, puckering or twisting3. Closure misaligned4. Belt loops are crooked

Belt Loops 1. Not fully secure2. Extend above waistband

3. Missing tacks4. Color shade not to specs5. Thread shade not to specs6. Raw edges showing

Front and back 1. Uneven at bottom hem2. Under facing showing3. Pockets conspicuously uneven4. Darts uneven in length5. Darts poorly shaped6. Spot shirring not even right and left sides

Hems 1. Twisted, roped, puckered, pleated, or excessively visible from exterior2. Uneven in width3. Uneven length of product unless specified

Pockets 1. Not uniform in size and shape2. Misaligned horizontally or vertically3. Crooked4. Missing bar tack, back tack or rivet where specified5. Bar tack or rivet not as specified6. Sewn-in pleats or puckers

Zippers 1. Any malfunction in operation2. Tape does not match color specs3. Wavy zipper4. Exposed zipper that distracts from product's appearance5. Irregular or uneven stitching on zipper6. Crooked or uneven zipper 7. Bar tack missing or incorrectly located at bottom or base of zipper

Gripper 1. Misaligned2. Missing or incorrect3. Defective in operation

Fly area 1. Width is not uniform2. Bottom stopper does not securely clinched3. Top of zipper not caught in band4. Either side of fly extends past other side by excessive amount.

Labels 1. Labels are not correct, text and/or layout2. Located at incorrect location3. Insecurely attached to the garment

Garment inspection procedures :

During the course of garment production, i.e right from cutting to final dispatch, Oxemberg QAD team will conduct various inspections as follows:

1. Inline/mid inspection : This will be carried out during the production of garment in order to carry out this inspection effectively following information is a must.A) Updated W/O sheetB) Style approved, saple approved by the merchandiserC) Fabric, trims and accessories cards rectified by the merchandiser.D) Approved measurement specification.

2. Random final audit or inspection : this will be carried out when goods are in the pressing and packing till its completion. Oxemberg QAD team will carry out random audit at AQL 4 inorder to make this audit a truly effective tool, since it is the last check point before dispatch, following information is essential.A) All the line detail information mentioned there in plus.B) Washed approved samples ( in case of washed order).C) Packing list wherever applicable.

PRODUCTION PLANNING, SCHEDULING AND CONTROLLING

i. Planning: This involves a long term overview around the year, based on market forecast. An agreement is necessary about whether the production unit can cope up with the expected sales, in terms of overall volume and in terms of specialized plant and operatives. The action is required of relevant departments to revise the plan, purchase the necessary machinery, train staff, obtain new premises or lease off unwanted ones, buying additional capacity from other manufacturers etc.

ii. Scheduling: The work is allocated to the production capacity according to the agreed plan as soon as the orders are confirmed. It is at this stage that schedules are prepared as an exercise and later drafted in detail.

iii. Controlling: The production process is very uncertain and rarely goes according to the schedule, especially when the processes are complex and dependent on the performance of individuals. Sometimes orders are cancelled and rush orders come through. Inefficiency can be avoided if the preliminary work is done thoroughly and the routine terms are accurately recorded. Balancing is a part of the process.

KEY FACTORS IN CONTROLING AND SCHEDULING

i. Time/ unit input: e.g. meters of cloth or SAM of work per minute.

ii. Work in process delays: Extension in output time is necessary to provide buffer against fluctuations in output where the no. of processes involved are many.

iii. Technical maintenance: Proper usage and maintenance of the machines and other electronically equipments should be done to provide smooth operation processes.

iv. Employee Training: The employees should be trained efficiently to increase production efficiency and reduce wastage.

v. Non productive hours: A provision for non-productive hours should be provided in the total available minutes as these by default are bound to happen. For e.g. lunch time, talking, going to washroom, sitting idle etc. These hours can be deceased by making changes in the production plan wisely.

vi. Line balancing: This is necessary to reduce the wastage of time as some workers might be sitting idle because the feeding has not been done properly and the pieces are not being delivered to them on time. The overall operation machine layout is faulty due to improper line balancing. A machine layout is considered to be optimum if all the machines in the line are producing their required quantities of pieces and no worker is sitting idle. Line balancing can be a way to increase the productivity as increasing or decreasing unwanted operations from the line can be done.

vii. Analyzing labour requirements and deficiencies: A difference in skilled and non-skilled labour can be assessed and accordingly work can be assigned to them.

viii. Optimum utilization of time and raw materials: Any type of unnecessary wastages should be avoided as far as possible. This requires a good production plan and the co ordination of related activities.

Production flow

This refers to the series in which the garment moves from one workstation to another, requiring completion of the desired operation. The garments move from one work station to another in a straight line. The straight could be work stations set up on either side of a belt conveyer/runner table. There is little amount or work in process between the stations. In these cases, a limited amount of storage occurs after each workstation. This can take the form of work bins attached to the machines stand in which the work is

Straight line or conveyer chain system

Where a work station is is storage indicates the direction of movement

A production process comprises of : Fabric consumption calculation, Thread consumption calculation, Fabric inspection, pattern making, fabric cutting, machine layout and SAM calculation completed, pilot run completed, testing sampling completed, line sewing completed, finishing sewing completed, final machine inspection completed, end of line quality check completed, off pressing and finishing done, packing completed and goods dispatched.

Production Quality Control

Quality implies value. It is something that is build into the garment from the stage of market research and design right up to pack and dispatch and extends beyond a careful analysis of the customer returns and consultation with the buyers. The quality of the garment is the reason that is bought by the customer and comprises of a set of ‘quality characteristics’ which together make up its ‘fitness for purpose’. The key to profitable garment manufacture is to provide the best combination at lowest cost ‘the economic quality level’.

The costs of quality come from:

style; fabric and trimmings; cutting and making and packing (including repairs and rejects); Quality control function; Learning time of the workers; Work content; Present productivity; Other overhead costs (like salary, electricity, administrative cost, maintenance, transport etc)

Fitness for purpose comprises of:

Quality of design Quality of conformance Quality of delivery and service Economic cost

Quality Control Department

The main function of the quality control department is not to control quality but to provide a service which allows people to make good clothes. Their main concern should be to do this at the minimum cost, balancing the expense of the department against the savings in terms of reduced repairs and rejects. One aspect of this is to define the quality level of plant and of the workplace in it. The raising of quality levels requires a major project involving investment in machinery and training which cannot be done quickly.

The maintenance of quality at an agreed level implies clear specifications and these are an important task for this department. The Product information sheet for individual styles can be kept as brief as possible. They should contain the maximum information in the form of sketches and all dimensions should me quoted with tolerances. Tolerances reflect the extent to which less than perfect is acceptable. However, small tolerances exist for the garments.

The function of the quality control department is to reduce the amount of bad work being made. This gives savings in cost of the repairs and rejects but also speeds up delivery. Its aim is to make garments correctly at the first time. When the consistency of quality is poor, the expected quality level is substantially below standard. Greater consistency has an even higher priority than raising the standard of the majority of the garments made.

Tolerances

These are the limits of acceptability expressed in figures usually or by examples or photographs to demonstrate the limits of acceptability. For example, the specification for a seam margin may be 1 cm and the tolerance is -/+2 mm.

Quality characteristics

Quality of design requires higher amount of market research to establish what is the ultimate customer’s preference at an acceptable price amongst a competitive set of characteristics. These can form the basis for design. Customers demand various combinations of the following, in various orders of importance:

Price and value for money Individuality of appearance Fashion is appropriate to the period and group Image enhancement (e. g reliability of an executive’s suit, smartness for the air hostess

etc) Comfort in wear, both from cut and fabric Durability of function and appearance Psychological qualities(waterproofing, warmth, sweat absorption etc) Ease of Care (crease and stain resistance, shape retention, washability etc) Size and shape Consistency of the product The production incharge must stick to the specifications and should also consider the

needs of the retailers like:

Consistency (means to achieve the required quality level, the will to confirm of Management and workforce, maintaining the specifications with tolerances).

Delivery on time Lower cost to support competitive price.

Quality Specifications o Factory specifications

Cloth and trimmings, button spacing Threads, needle types and sizes, by fabric and seam type Stitches per inch or per 2 cms Seam types, seam margins and tolerances Cutting standards

o Style or garment specifications

Items of difference Special size ranges and grading Key features and quality points Special tolerances Fabric and trimmings, colors and shades ( shade cards checked regularly for fading)

Department wise quality system in factory

1) FABRIC STORES:o Neatly arrange the fabric rolls received and maintaining the department cleanliness to

avoid spotting and contamination of the fabrics. Packing the fabrics in plastic sheets can be useful.

o Fabric inspection is done on 4 point system.o Shade cards/fabric quality swatches for each style approved by the PO are maintained.

2) TRIMS STORES:o Trims stores have racking system to store the trims in a proper order.

o Trims card for each PO/style being processed should be maintained.

3) CUTTING SECTION:o Making CSV ( centre to selvedge variation) sample for each of the roll to analyze

the shade variation.o Maintaining shade samples and providing shade details to presentation checkers

in finishing dept for shade reference.o Proper pattern checking report.o Proper lay check, marking check, sorting/bundling check report.o Cutting projection tallies updated.

4) SEWING SECTIONo Effective maintenance for each of the machine.o Proper updated broken needle log (should have needle issuing record from

stores and properly pasted broken needle book).o Keyhole, bartack, overlock, label attach operation internal approvals and display

of mockups.o Effective mockup system on all operational areas.o All scissors and trimmers should be secured properly.o Clearance of WIP at all levels.o Display of trim card at required areas.o Checking garments before wash and after wash for both quality and

measurement.o Random in-line checking at each chain stitch operation like feed of arm machine.o Each supervisor is advised to check randomly the operation in their own working

limits.o Each operator is advised to clean their machine and area before start of work in

the morning and after lunch- waste fabric is issued to the operator for the same.o In-line and end-line checking report.o Before wet processing in-line audit report is also maintained.o Washing facility is not available in-house. It’s done on jobber basis.

5) FINISHING SECTIONo Fabric defect identification by stickering and alteration piece identified by

knotting at place of alter by the checker.o Dusting is done by dust pads wherever sucking machine is not used.o Cartoons are properly stacked.

o Presentation checker to have ready reference of shade cards of fabric and trims cards as well.

o Daily checking report is maintained.o Measurement audit report is maintained.o Pre-final auditing is also gone on garments.o Defective cartoons are replaced by good cartoons.

6) PACKING AND DESPATCH SECTIONo Separate departments are maintained for topwear and bottom wear.o The fully packed garments are racked in sequential manner and each rack is

given a number for identification.o Garments are stored brand wise, sizewise, and garment wise.o Barcode stickering is done and checked.o Packing in inners and outer cartoons is done according to the size ratio or

packing specifications as specified.o Goods to be shipped are packed readily with proper covering and sealing and

kept near the main gate to be loaded in the cargo.o Proper recording of dispatch, packing and stock stored in-house pending for

shipment are maintained along with Chelan entries of cargo and transportation services.

o Good relations with distributors are held.

7) ENTIRE WORKING AREAo Properly certified fire extinguisher to be free from all obstacles.o Each operator to wear mask to avoid inhalation of dust inside the factory.o Dust collection bags for each work station/machine.o Separate area for storing rejected garments.o Proper covering of stored pieces.o Properly maintained QC reports and files maintained by QA.

Department wise quality check points

Fabric Store 100% fabric inspectionTrim & accessories Trims inspectionCutting Room Marker checking

Cut parts checking or audit Bundle inspection

Embroidery 100% inspection of embroiderySewing Department

Inline check point (at critical operation) Roaming checking (Random checking) End of Line checking (100%) Audit of checked pieces

Finishing Department

Initial finishing inspection (after wash) and alterations Final finishing inspection (After Pressing) Internal shipment audit

1. Fabric Store: In the fabric store fabric is being checked before issuing it to cutting department. In general not all the fabric is checked. 100 % fabric checking is done. Fabrics are checked in flat table, flat table with light box or on fabric checking machine. 4 point system for fabric inspection is used to measure the quality level of the incoming fabric.2. Trims & Accessory: Trims quality is also very important for having a quality garment. Trims inspection is done randomly against the given standards, like color matching. But for trims and accessories quantity checking is essential.3. Cutting Room: It is said that cutting is the heart of production. If cutting is done well then chances of occurring defects in the following processes comes down. In cutting room, check points are – I) marker checking, ii) cut part audit and iii) bundle checking.4. Embroidery checking: It is also not a compulsory process. If there is embroidery work in the garment panels then 100% inspection is done before issuing to sewing.5. Sewing Department: Checkpoints in the sewing departments are as following.

- Inline inspection: In assembly line generally check pints are kept for the critical operations. In these checkpoints, 100% checking is done for partially stitched garments and defect free pieces are forwarded to the next process. - Roaming inspection: In this case checkers roam around the line and randomly check pieces at each operation.

- End of line inspection or table checking: A checker checks completely stitched garment at the end of the line. 100% checking is done here.- Audit of the checked pieces: 100% inspected garment are sent to finishing from sewing department. And all defective pieces are repaired before sending to finishing. 6. Finishing Department: Check points in finishing department consists- Initial finishing inspection: checking done prior to pressing of the garment at finishing room is known as initial finishing.- Final finishing Inspection: After pressing garments are again checked and passed for tagging and packing.- Internal final audit: After garments are packed up to certain quantity, quality control team, does audit of packed garments. This process is carried out to ensure that before handing over shipment.

If the completed work is being checked at each process and defective pieces are corrected before handing to the next process than at the end of production there is very little chance to have a defective at final inspection stage.

FINISHING DEPARTMENTThe finishing process includes all those activities concerned with making the appearance of the fabric more presentable. It includes activities like stain removal, thread trimmings, washing, ironing, tagging, and hanger alignment.

TYPES OF DEFECTS

I. PATTERN DEFECTS IN GARMENTS: (CAD)

Some parts of pattern are missing, probably because the marker did not include the correct number of parts.

Mixed parts, probably because the marker is not correctly labeled, resulting in a marriage of wrong sized parts. Patterns not facing in correct direction on napped fabrics.

Patterns not aligned with respect to the fabric grain.

Bartack and buttonholing Washing Button and rivet attatch

Thread trimmingStain removalThread sucking

End of line inspection Alteration Ironing

Tagging and stickeringPackingWarehousing

Poor line definition (e.g. too thick chalk; indistinctly printed line, perforated lay not powdered) leading to inaccurate cutting.

Skimpy marking, caused by either the marker did not use the outside edge of the pattern; or the pattern was moved or swung after partial marking to squeeze the pattern into a smaller space for economizing the fabric.

The pattern may have worn out edges. Generous marking, especially in combination with skimpy marking results in

components being sewn together with puckering and pleating. When the marker is too wide, the garment parts at the edges of the lay get cut with bits

missing. Not enough knife clearance freedom. Wrong check matching, i.e. lines across the seam are not matching. Wrong checks boxing i.e. checks are not showing a full/partial box across the seam. Notches and drill marks omitted, indistinct or misplaced.

II. SPREADING DEFECTS IN GARMENTS

Not enough plies to cover quantity of garments required. Plies misaligned, resulting in garment parts getting cut with bits missing in some plies at

the edge of the spread. Narrow fabric width, causes garment parts at the edge of the lay getting cut with bits

missing. Incorrect tension of plies, i.e. fabric spread too tight or too loose. This will result in parts

not fitting in sewing, and finished garments not meeting size tolerances. Not all plies facing in correct direction (whether 'one way' as with nap, or 'one way

either way' as with some check designs). This happens when fabric is not spread face down, face up, or face to face as required.

Unacceptable damages in the garment parts. Parts not fully included owing to splicing errors.

Spread distorted by the attraction or repulsion of plies caused by excessive static electricity e.g. in satin fabric.

Plies are not spread accurately one above another for cutting. This results in mismatching checks.

III. CUTTING DEFECTS IN GARMENTS

Failure to follow the marker lines resulting in distorted garment parts.

Top and bottom plies can be a different size if the straight knife is allowed to lean, or if a round knife is used on too high a spread.

Notches, which are misplaced, too deep, too shallow, angled, omitted, or wrong type to suit fabric.

Frayed edges, scorched or fused edges, caused by a faulty knife, not sharp enough, or rotating at too high a speed knife cut.

Garment part damaged by careless use of knife, perhaps overrunning cutting previous piece.

Marker incorrectly positioned on top of spread. Garment parts have bits missing at edge of lay. If too tight or too loose then garment

parts are distorted. Spread distortion due to electricity, particularly in checks.

IV. COLOR DEFECTS IN GARMENTS

Color defects that could occur are difference of the color of final produced garment to the sample shown, accessories used are of wrong color combination and mismatching of dye amongst the pieces.

V. SEWING DEFECTS IN GARMENTS

Broken buttons Broken snaps Broken stitching Creasing of garments Defective snaps Different shades within the same garment Dropped stitches Exposed notches Exposed raw edges Fabric defects Holes Inoperative zipper Loose / hanging sewing threads and buttons Misaligned buttons and holes Missing buttons Missing stitches Needle cuts / chews

Open seams Pulled / loose yarn ( thread tension ) Stain Unfinished buttonhole Wrong stitching technique

Zipper too short

Usage of different color threads on the garment, creasing of the garment Sizing defects - Wrong gradation of sizes, difference in measurement of a garment part

from other, for example- sleeves of XL size but body of L size. Such defects do not occur has to be seen too.

VI. WASHING DEFECT IN GARMENTS

A rotation, usually lateral, between different panels of a garment resulting from the release of latent stresses during laundering of the woven or knitted fabric forming the garment. Twist may also be referred to as Torque or Spiraled.

WAYS OF DEFECT ALTERATION OBSERVED

Most of the fabric defects that are not acceptable in garments are removed during cutting and stitching processes. Still damaged part is found in the sewn garment due to heavy washing, dyeing or other reasons.

Instead of rejecting the defective garment, only damaged part can be changed and converted it into a quality garment. It should not increase the fabric consumption or produce further defective garment in the part changing process

1. End bit usage for part changing: In the cutting room, during layering cutters store end bits that are not layered in the lay for a cutting. These end bits are one type of cutting waste. So for the part change we can use those end bits without increasing fabric consumption. We need to take care about shade matching or lot matching of the fabrics with the damaged garments. If the garments were heavily washed, then it will be very difficult to match the garment fabric shade. After changing the parts garment must be washed again to give matching finished look and similar hand feel.

2. Fresh fabric usage for Part changing: If there are not enough end bits to replace the damaged parts from the garment, then available fresh fabric is used. Only use fresh fabric if there is no problem with shade matching otherwise it will increase the fabric consumption. But for solid colors and yarn dyed fabric there is no issue related to shade matching.

3. Using good components from other damaged garments:This option is chosen when garments are dyed and there are no fresh fabric or end bits or fresh fabric for that order. Also for the high value garment with fine hand embroidery work and where you have less time to complete the shipment, this option is preferred.Here we need to keep care of shade matching.

TROUSER WASHING

1. Drum washing m/c (horizontal loading)Capacity: 98kg (big) 450 and 48kg (small). This machine is used for washing cotton shirts and trousers.This machine can also be used for dyeing.Trouser – 700 germs

Garment 98kg m/c 48kg m/cTrousers 200 pHs 80pcs

2. Sample washing m/c (horizontal loading)Capacity: 8 kegsThis is used for washing the samples that are less in quantity.

3. Hydro extractor (squeezing m/c)

4. Dryer (S.R.E engineering)Trouser – 60 pcs

5. Steam boiler

Gas, coal, thermal oil

WASHES a. Softener wash ( enzyme wash )

It’s of 3 types ionic, non-ionic, and cationic.

b. Enzyme washOT, desizer, lubricant, water washing at 52degrees, Acetic acid (pH), Enzyme (to stabilize), Water wash, Silicon, softener.

Power wash enzyme: Powdered enzyme is used with ball beatingBiofinish

c. Detergent wash Ariel and tide

d. Leather washe. Powder wash pumice in powder formf. Pumice stone wash