Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2013-4-16 - P Using Lean Manufacturing Techniques To Improve Production Efficiency in The Ready Wear Industry and A Case Study P
2013-4-16 - P Using Lean Manufacturing Techniques To Improve Production Efficiency in The Ready Wear Industry and A Case Study P
*Engin Akçagün,
Using Lean Manufacturing Techniques to
*Abdurrahim Yilmaz Improve Production Efficiency in the Ready
Wear Industry and a Case Study
Marmara University, Abstract
Faculty of Technology, Businesses apply different techniques to keep pace with the incremental competition condi-
Department of Textile Engineering tions and changing consumer demands. Lean manufacturing is one of the most effective
Göztepe Kampusu Kadıköy İstanbul, Turkey techniques, which is a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste through
E-mail: [email protected] continuous improvement by flowing the product. The implementation of lean manufacturing
*Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Vocational
starts with the development of Value Stream Maps. A value stream is comprised of all the
School Apparel Production Technology Program, actions, both value added and non-value added. The main strategy of lean manufacturing,
Bomonti Campus Şişli/ İstanbul is increasing the operating speed, reducing the duration of flow quality, and improving the
E-mail: [email protected], cost and delivery performance. This study was carried out at a men’s shirt producer i.e. a
[email protected] ready wear company. First of all, the current state of the production lines was analysed
within the scope of the study. Then shirt production lines were organised with the lean
manufacturing techniques. As a result, some improvements were made in productivity, qual-
ity and lead time.
Key words: ready wear industry, lean manufacturing, men’s shirt, productivity.
16 Dal V, Akçagün E, Yilmaz A. Using Lean Manufacturing Techniques to Improve Production Efficiency in the Ready Wear Industry and a Case Study.
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2013; 21, 4(100): 16-22.
VSM is a pencil and paper tool that helps Analyse and application all these problems the firm planned lean
you to see and understand the flow of studies manufacturing practice to solve them.
material and information as a product
makes its way through the value stream The main aim of this study is to increase Method and material
[15]. These actions consider the flow of efficiency and working activity by using Lean manufacturing techniques and espe-
both information and materials within the lean manufacturing techniques in the pro- cially that of value flow analysis are used
overall supply chain. The ultimate goal duction line. Practice in line with this aim to acquire data in this study. Moreover
of VSM is to identify all types of waste was performed in a ready wear enterprise REFA work and time study techniques
in the value stream and to try and elimi- producing shirts. The firm produces 1650 were used in determining process times
nate these [15]. shirts a day with 128 employees. There of shirt models. The material of this study
are two production lines in the firm. One consists of data obtained from the enter-
The first step is to choose a particular of the production lines is set for produc- prise producing shirts both for national
product or product family as the target tion of classical shirts and the other for and international customers.
for improvement. The next step is to production of sports shirts. Quality con-
Analysis studies
draw a current state map that is essen- trol, ironing and packaging works are set
in a single production line. First of all, the current state of production
tially a snapshot capturing how things
lines is analysed in this study. The main
are currently being done. This is accom-
Increasing the number of models and de- topics and practice studies of the study
plished while walking along the actual
creasing the number of orders in parallel performed are as follows:
process, and provides one with a basis
with the changing sense of fashion pose n Revealing current and future state via
for analysing the system and identifying
the biggest problem for the firm. The cur- value flow chart
its weaknesses. The third step in VSM is
n Analysis of product tree of present
to create a future state map, which is a rent production structure of the firm is set
models
picture of how the system should look up according to mass production in par-
n Analysis of the process time of each
after the inefficiencies in it have been allel with these problems, and it works
model group
removed. Creating a future state map is with high internal stock. And this brings n Analysis of the production labour plan
done by answering a set of questions on along with it both quality and efficiency and layout plan
issues related to efficiency, and on tech- problems. In addition, setting the ironing
nical implementation related to the use and packaging departments in one line Value stream mapping
of lean tools. This map then becomes the and high stock between the sewing lines Firstly value stream mapping is formed
basis for making the necessary changes result in extending the lead time and also in order to reveal the current situation. As
to the system [12]. realising quality problems late. Due to is seen in Figure 1, VA (Value Added) the
Entreprise Planning
Forecast
Customer
Raw Material
(Fabric,…) Team Leader
Sales Order
I I I I
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2013, Vol. 21, No. 4(100) 17
Analysis values of shirt models belong-
ing to one of the customers of the enter-
prise are shown. As seen in Table 1, the
total rate of moderate and extremely hard
models is 54 %. This is an important fac-
tor which will directly affect sewing lines
to be set. The average order number of
models to be produced in 2010 by the en-
terprise and values of the model number
a) b) are shown in Figure 2. When these val-
ues are assessed it appears that the model
Figure 2. Average order quantity (a) and counts of models (b). number within orders of the enterprise
will increase in 2010, but the average
order number will decrease. In spite of
time is 2079 seconds and the production Analysis of product flows
the increase in the model number, the de-
lead time 18.36 days. It is determined that Shirt models which will be produced for
crease in the order number will directly
a very long lead time is mostly caused by a customer of the enterprise are analysed
affect the flexibility of production lines
buffer stock and non-value added op- in this phase of the analysis study. While to be set up.
erations. The takt time is calculated by making the analysis study, shirt models
proportioning with the daily demand. are distributed into 3 main groups by Analysing process times of shirt models
The daily demand is 1800 pieces/day,
comparing with a classical shirt. In this After grouping shirt models according
and the firm works 9 hours a day. There-
grouping process the difficulties to be to their production difficulties, process
fore the available working time is found
to be 9 × 60 × 60 = 32400 seconds. experienced in production are especially flows are determined according to shirts
As a result the takt time is found as considered. Shirt group number 1 is ac- of each group. Then during the model
9 × 60 × 60/1650 = 19.6 seconds. As the cepted as models for easy models, shirt sewing of 10 shirts from each group, pro-
amount of buffer stock in production is group number 2 - for moderate hard mod- cess times are determined by using REFA
21970 pieces, it constitutes one of the els, and shirt group number 3 is for ex- work and time study techniques. Table 2
main reasons for high time loss. tremely hard models. shows processes in the assembly line of a
sample shirt and standard times.
Table 1. Shirt analysis data.
Analysis studies of workers plan of
Order count Percentage, Model count Percentage,
Average current shirt production line
Model group order count When current sewing lines are assessed,
(count) % (adet) %
per model
there are two sewing lines: One is for the
1. Easy group 38.991 46 59 39 661
production of a classical shirt and the
2. Moderate hard group 12.187 14 20 13 609
other for the production of sports shirts,
3. Highly hard group 33.786 40 74 48 457 with one ironing and packaging line as
Total 84.964 100 153 100 indicated above. 110 persons are working
in the preparation department of current
first and second lines, and 25 operators
Table 2. Operation standard times of shirt assembly line.
are working in the assembly line of the
No Name of Operation Time, s current first line. Table 3 shows a worker
1 Front-back joint on shoulder 0.51 plan of operators and their operations.
2 Collar joint to shoulder 0.43
9 persons are working on the assembly
3 Collar closing 0.54
line of the current second line. When cur-
rent operations are examined it is decided
4 Joint sleeves 0.47
to make a kaizen study for the operation
5 Sleeve edge stitch 0.46
performed by operators performing the
6 Closing side stitch 0.50
matching operation.
7 Matching 0.12
8 Joint cuff 0.46 In the current situation the ironing-pack-
9 Hem folding and stitch 0.44 aging line is working in a body as a sepa-
10 Stitch collar buttons 0.14 rate unit from the sewing line. 48 opera-
11 Yarn cleaning 2.48 tors are working in this department in the
12 Yoke ironing 0.19 current situation. Table 4 shows a labour
13 Body ironing 1.07 distribution plan of the ironing-packag-
14 Collar cuff pressing 0.18 ing line and operations of 45 operators.
15 Shirt buttoning 0.24 In addition to this table, 3 operators are
16 Final inspection 1.11 used in carrying processes caused by
17 Shirt folding 1.51
stock and layout problems both between
sewing and ironing-packaging and within
18 Packaging-barcode 0.42
ironing-packaging. It is decided to re-
18 FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2013, Vol. 21, No. 4(100)
Table 3. Current state of Line 1 and Line 2 assembly worker plan.
Line 1 Line 2
Opr. No Operation Department Time, s Machine
Work load No. of workers Work load No. of workers
1 Front-back joint on shoulder 0.51 3.06 3 1.02 1
2 Collar joint to shoulder 0.43 2.56 3 0.85 1
3 Collar closing 0.54 Lock Stitch M. 3.25 3 1.08 1
4 Joint sleeves 0.47 2.85 3 0.95 1
5 Sleeve edge stitch Assembly 0.46 2.74 3 0.91 1
6 Closing side stitch 0.50 Double Chain Stitch M. 3.03 3 1.01 1
7 Matching 0.12 Manuel 0.72 1 0.24 1
8 Joint cuff 0.46 2.79 3 0.93 1
Lock Stitch M.
9 Hem folding and stitch 0.44 2.64 3 0.88 1
move work free of value added of these necessary transportation, and supermar- plan its activities in the long term, and to
3 operators by arranging the layout here. ket for inventory reduction. After this, end the complicity The main tasks of this
the future state VSM was developed for department are as follows:
Analysing multiple skills of employees the finishing line in Figure 4 (see page n Classifying ordered shirt models ac-
When current multiple skills of employ- 20). Due to the future demand of 2400 cording to their degree of difficulty
ees are analysed (Table 5), it is seen that pieces/day (targeted demand), the takt n Executing time, method studies and
employees mostly know only one op- time changed to 13.5 seconds. In ad- preparing product trees and labour
eration, which poses one of the biggest dition to this it is attempted to reduce plans.
problems for increasing the model num- stocks within production with the one- n Preparing weekly production pro-
ber and decreasing production. Training piece flow technique in the assembly line grams.
plans are drawn aimed at teaching em- and supermarket between the prepara-
ployees the closest operations to theirs tion and assembly lines. In this way the New production line balancing
on the flow to solve this problem. As a and layout plans for future state
production lead time becomes 6.14 days.
result of this training, operators learn
Moreover it is attempted to determine Labour plans of new lines are formed to
new operations and there are attempts
operations free of value added and it is implement changes planned in the value
to reduce problems experienced during
planned to remove them. stream map for the future state. The plan
model change and to provide a continu-
ity of flow. is started from assembly lines in the new
Organisational structuring studies production lines. Assembly lines are ar-
Layout plan of current production line A preplanning department is formed in ranged as 4 lines to provide continuous
When the current layout of shirt produc- the enterprise to provide continuity of flow. Ironing and packaging (finishing)
tion lines are analysed, the findings be- the improvement and arrangement works units of each assembly line are sup-
low are obtained (Figure 3, see page 20). performed, to enable the enterprise to plemented to ends of lines (Table 6 see
It consists of two sewing lines and an Table 4. Current state of iron-packaging line workers plan.
ironing-packaging unit which irons all
Opr. Time, Work No. of
products sewed. As the ironing-packag- No
Operation Department
s load workers
Machine
ing unit is a separate unit, it causes inter- 1 Stitch collar buttons 0.14 1.07 1
mediate stock and carrying. 2.48
2 Yarn cleaning 12.44 13
3 Yoke ironing 0.19 2.67 3 Lock Stitch M.
As the products coming from both of the
4 Body ironing 1.07 4.93 5
lines are ironed in the same place and Assembly
5 Collar cuff pressing 0.18 1.33 2
stock between lines is high, quality prob-
6 Shirt buttoning 0.24 1.78 2 Double Chain Stitch M.
lems are realised late. Distances between 7 Final inspection 1.11 5.26 6 Manuel
units are very large and this causes carry- 8 Shirt folding 1.51 8.22 9
ings, resulting in unnecessary cost accord- 9 Packaging-barcode 0.42 3.11 4
Lock Stitch M.
ing to lean manufacturing philosophy.
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2013, Vol. 21, No. 4(100) 19
Figure 3. Current layout plan of shirt production lines.
Entreprise Planning
Forecast
Customer
Raw Material
(Fabric,…) Team Leader
Sales Order
Line Balancing
and Layout
Super market Super market
Change
for inventory for inventory
reduction reduction
RM Warehouse Cutting Preparation Assembly & Packaging Warehouse
No. Of Operators 24 No. Of Operators 108 No. Of Operators 77
No. Of Operators 5
No. Of Operators 6 CT= 288 sec. CT= 846 sec. CT=933 sec.
Contains finished products
Contains raw materials AT= 32400 CO= 120 sec. CO= 50 sec.
and logistics
AT= 32400 AT= 32400
5S Kaizen I
I I
20 FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2013, Vol. 21, No. 4(100)
Figure 5. Layout plan of new shirt production lines.
page 22), (Figure 4, 5). To accomplish production lines smaller leads to reduc- Kaizen studies
this plan, Line 1, Line 2 and packaging ing stocks within production. Kaizen studies are performed in order to
operators (25 + 9 + 45 = 79) were reor- remove operations free of value added
ganised by means of the line balancing Continuous work flow is provided by within the enterprise.
plan. Firstly the finishing line operators settling the finishing unit at the end of
were divided into 4 lines so that L1 finish- assembly lines and unnecessary carrying 1st sample Kaizen study - matching op-
ing has 12, L2 finishing 11, L3 finishing is removed by placing shirts into parcels eration
11, and L4 finishing 11 operators. Stitch at the end of the same production line. A study is done to improve the opera-
collar buttons, collar cuff pressing and Moreover by providing continuity of tions of operators matching bodies and
shirt buttoning operations are common, work flow, faults are realised immediate- sleeves on the assembly line, which is
performed by 2 operators. After the set- ly and quality problems are minimised. determined as operations free of value
tlement of the finishing department, the While assembly lines are organised like added. The reason for the matching op-
sewing department was divided into four this, the preparation unit is rearranged eration is sought. The reason is found
lines. Hence L1 sewing has 8, L2 sew- with cellular production and planned that labels (meto) indicating size and se-
ing 8, and L3 and L4 sewing lines have 8 to serve each assembly line. Prepara- quence number fall and operators mount-
operators. As a result, in total Line 1 has
tion groups are planned to firstly serve ing sleeves look for labels. To solve this
20, Line 2 19, Line 3 19 and Line 4 19
feeding assembly lines of supermarket problem, the type of label is changed and
operators.
points. a stickier label is chosen. Moreover the
After the settlement of operators, the place where labels are pasted is stand-
work flow was organised by the one- In the layout change, the production line ardised. In addition, tables and trestles
piece flow technique. There are two main is rearranged according to the work flow present in the operation of mounting the
aims here: The first one is to send differ- plan. In the new layout plan, supermar- sleeve are rearranged. In this way mount-
ent production models to the customer at ket points are formed between cutting ing the sleeve by controlling the label
the same time. The second one is to make and preparation-montage as indicated is added to methods of operators who
production lines smaller in order to in- above. The aim is to control the amount mount sleeves and those who fulfil an
crease production efficiency and quality of order and to produce in the amount of operation free of value added are taken to
due to decreased order numbers. Making the order. other departments.
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2013, Vol. 21, No. 4(100) 21
Table 6. New production lines worker plans. and additional current situation analyses
were made inside and
Opr. No Operation Old line 1 Old line 2 Line 1 Line 2 Line 3 Line 4
outside the field. And then a value flow
1 Front-back joint on shoulder 1 3 1 1 1 1
chart for the future situation is planned.
2 Collar joint to shoulder 1 3 1 1 1 1
Necessary labour plans, layout plans, and
3 Collar closing 1 3 1 1 1 1
kaizen points are determined to achieve
4 Joint sleeves 1 3 1 1 1 1
this situation and necessary arrangements
5 Sleeve edge stitch 1 3 1 1 1 1
in these points are applied according to
6 Closing side stitch 1 3 1 1 1 1
a designated calendar. This practice was
7 Matching 1 1 - - - -
performed with a group within the com-
8 Joint cuff 1 3 1 1 1 1
pany and after practice it is continued by
9 Hem folding and stitch 1 3 1 1 1 1
a team formed within it.
10 Stitch collar buttons 1 1 - - 1
11 Yarn cleaning 13 3 4 3 3 In the next studies of simple production
12 Yoke ironing 3 1 1 1 1 practice, practices to be performed before
13 Body ironing 5 1 1 1 1 production via simulation may be useful
14 Collar cuff pressing 2 1 - 1 - to see possible problems beforehand.
15 Shirt buttoning 2 1 - 1 -
16 Final inspection 6 1 2 1 2
17 Shirt folding 9 2 2 2 2 References
18 Packaging-barcode 4 1 1 1 1
1. Ohno T. Toyota Production System: Be-
Total operators 79 20 19 19 19
yond Large-Scale Production. Produc-
tivity Press, 1988.
2. Womack J. The Machine that Changed
Table 7. Results of lean manufacturing practices.
the World. New York: Rawson Associ-
ates, 1990.
Target Previous Next
No Performance measure
situation situation situation
Change, % 3. Womack J. Lean Thinking: Banish Waste
and Create Wealth in your Corporation.
1 Production units, unit/day 2400 1800 2400 33
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
2 Productivity, % 80 62 80 29 4. Sanchez A. International Journal of
3 Production lead time, days 6.14 18.36 6.14 66 Operations & Production Management
4 RFT, % 90 65 88 35 2001; 21(11): 1433-1451.
5 Takt time, s 13.5 18 13.5 25 5. Tapping D. The Lean Pocket Guide XL-
6 VA times, s 2023 2079 2035 2 Tools dor the Elimination of Waste. Kin-
7 Total WIP 4400 21970 4400 80
dle Edition, Kindle Book, 2006.
6. Taj S. Journal of Manufacturing Technol-
8 Manpower used in production 221 228 221 3
ogy Management 2008; 19(2): 217-234.
7. Gurumurthy A, Kodali R. Journal of
Manufacturing Technology Management
2nd sample Kaizen study – bunch system a result of decreasing stock within pro- 2011; 22(4): 444-473.
Cut products are transferred to the pro- duction. The production lead time went 8. Zayko See M, Broughman D, Hancock
duction line in the current situation with- down to 6.14 days. The total stock within W. Lean Manufacturing Yields World-
out making any arrangement. In this case, production occurred to be 440 pieces. In Class Improvements for Small Manu-
facturer. HE Solutions, April 1997, pp.
balancing and following products within this way, customers were answered fast- 36-40.
production is not possible. A bunching er. Very important improvements were 9. Rahman SL. Journal of Manufacturing
unit is formed after cutting to make the experienced in the rate of Right First Technology Management 2010; 21(7):
product follow within production and cut Time (RFT) by decreasing stock within 839-852.
10. Monden Y. Toyota Production System-
products are bunched. The bunch system production and the practice of one piece An Integrated Approach to Just-In-
provides ease of product matching and flow, especially in the assembly lines. Time,third ed. Georgia: Engineering &
maintaining product efficiency and prod- The RFT rate increased to a value like Management Press,Norcross, 1998.
88%, and the daily production capacity 11. Feld W. Lean Manufacturing: Tools,
uct sequence.
Techniques and How To Use Them.
rose to 2400 pieces/day with increased London: he St. Luice Press, 2000.
efficiency. A 29% increase in efficiency 12. Abdulmalek FR. International Journal
n Results of Production Economics 2007; 107:
was also achieved. Separating production
The product line was rearranged in line 223-236.
lines and combining ironing-packaging
13. Czarnecki H. Simulation of lean assem-
with labour and layout plans prepared lines for each assembly line have a strong bly line for high volume manufacturing.
in order to achieve the future state tar- effect here. The takt time occurred to be http://www.scs.org/confernc/hsc/hsc02/
geted. Production lines were followed 13.5 seconds. During these practices, 5S hsc/papers/hsc037.pdf (5 August 2011).
14. Kalaoğlu FS. Fibre & Textiles in Eastern
for 30 days after organising production practices were performed in the whole Europe 2007; 15, 3 (62): 93–96.
in this way and the results obtained are production and arrangements were made 15. Rother MS. Learning to See: Value
briefly summarised in the Table 7. within production. Stream Mapping to Add Value and Elimi-
nate Muda. Cambridge, MA: The Lean
When data acquired after practice is Consequently the current situation is first Enterprise Institute, Inc., 2003.
assessed, the biggest improvement is put forward via the value flow chart in
achieved in the production lead time as the simple production practice performed Received 10.10.2012 Reviewed 18.12.2012
22 FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2013, Vol. 21, No. 4(100)