The yarn delivery rate required to knit a given stitch quality on a multifeeder circular knitting machine is generally based on the belt speed of the positive yarn feed system. The actual stitch length in the fabric measured after knitting is always less than the stitch length required. Yam tension immediately before the yarn is wound on the storage yarn feed wheel is the main cause of this problem. This paper investigates the tension build-up of the yam on its way from the yarn, package to the storage yarn feed wheel. Several fabric samples are knitted with different winding tensions to the storage yam feed wheel, and the stitch lengths of the samples are measured. The results show that the stitch length is largely affected by the winding tension to the storage yarn feed wheel. Different quality knitted fabrics from multifeeder circular knitting machines are mainly produced by changing the stitch length. Altering the stitch size (stitch length) primarily requires adjustments to the yam delivery rate. The stitch cams also need to be adjusted to obtain a run-in yam tension of 2-5 cN. These adjustments need to be complemented with the correct fabric take-down rate (take-down tension) by altering the takedown roller speed.Positive yam delivery devices play a major role in delivering yarn to all knitting systems at the same rate [6. 7]. The present technology of adjusting the yam delivery rate is based on a diameter-adjustable pulley called a &dquo;quality adjusting pulley&dquo; (QAP). The QAP is driven by the main drive of the knitting machine and drives a tooth/ punched belt. The belt. in turn. drives a series of pin wheels of positive storage yarn feed units. Each yam delivery unit consists of two wheels fixed to a shaft. One of the wheels acts as a yarn delivery wheel, and the other (the pin wheel) drives the unit. The drive wheel is a lightweight plastic gear/pin wheel. This arrangement (toothed/punched belt and gear/pin wheels) prevents any slippage between the gear/pin wheel and the drive tape. Description of the ProblemKnitting on a machine is highly dependent on yarn tension at various points in the process [5]. In order to produce a fabric of a specified quality, the required yam delivery rate is calculated and the QAP is adjusted to match the drive belt speed to the required yam delivery rate, or the yam delivery rate is measured with a handheld yam speed measuring meter. Even if the diameter of the QAP is adjusted so that the yam speed measuring meter or the belt surface speed measuring instrument shows the correct speed, the.true (relaxed) stitch length measured on the fabric is always different [ t j One of the reasons for this is the slippage between the measuring instrument and the object (drive belt or yarn) being measured. Delivering an extended yam (due to yarn tension) to the needles and subsequent relaxation of the yam in the fabric is another reason for the difference between the apparent delivered yam length and the true yarn length in the fabric.A yarn from a package on a modem multifeeder cir...

Purpose The suppliers are recognized as important external sources who can significantly contribute by working together with the buyer during the innovation process. Operational capabilities of suppliers can be one of the considerable factors when selecting them to participate in the activities at the front-end of innovation. However, proper understanding of the influence of operational capabilities of suppliers on front-end decision-making in apparel product innovation is still very limited particularly in the context of the Sri Lankan apparel industry. Therefore, this study aims to explore the influence of operational capabilities of suppliers on the front-end decision making in apparel product innovation in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach Both semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey were used as data collection techniques. Six senior managers for the interviews and 60 participants for the questionnaire were randomly selected. All those who participated in interviews and the questionnaire respondents have been involved in the front-end of innovation in different apparel manufacturing organizations in Sri Lanka. Findings The results indicated that the operational capabilities of suppliers had a direct positive influence on front-end decision-making, and the suppliers’ production flexibility was found to be the most influential. Further, the results highlighted that 27.3% of the front-end decisions associated with apparel product innovation in Sri Lanka were influenced by the factors governing operational capabilities of suppliers. Originality/value The findings of the research will be beneficial for both academia and industry. The findings will be useful to extend the current understanding and make a noteworthy contribution to this topic and to provide useful and practical guidance to material suppliers and supporting industries who work with Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing.

Purpose – High Work In Progress (WIP) and its fluctuation are found to be common in garment manufacturing lines in Sri Lanka. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a lean cellular manufacturing model as a solution. Design/Methodology/Approach – The application of group technology/ lean cellular manufacturing techniques and its benefits are examined. The significance of the WIP and its fluctuation is investigated through the data obtained from several garment manufacturing lines. Root cause analysis on the problem reveals the major factors contributing to the problem. The sewing line is identified in few (more commonly four) clusters and each cluster behaves as a separate manufacturing cell termed as a ‘sub cell’. Findings – The hypothesis testing demonstrates that WIP fluctuation is significant in garment manufacturing lines. Poor line balancing is one of the major reasons for WIP fluctuation. Practical Implication - The proposed sub cell concept leads to reduce the WIP level and its fluctuation significantly and delivers many advantages. The validation of the model is tested by implementing the concept into a garment manufacturing company with 20 production lines. The results are promising with a 12% increase in the production efficiency, equivalent to US$ Million 1.23 annually. Originality/ Value –The existing cellular systems are dedicated to work on parts of few products. In garment manufacturing the lines are temporarily dedicated to manufacture only one product. The existing cellular manufacturing systems do not suit for manufacturing garments. Presently each garment manufacturing line behaves as one entity, where empowerment, team work are difficult to be promoted. The new sub-cell concept changes the organizational culture and makes the production lines more flexible through motivated, cohesive team. The operators are motivated with higher earning through higher productivity and dignity.

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Purpose Organization’s core competencies are acknowledged as most valuable assets and skills which contribute to enhance the ability of innovation, the competitive advantage and commercial success of the business. Although several researchers have studied the effects of core competencies on the success of an organization, no enough work has been carried out to investigate the effect of core competencies onfront-end decision-making. Apparel-specific studies in the area of core competencies relating to front-end decision-making are rarely found. Therefore, this paper aims to determine the impact of organizational core competencies on front-end decision-making in the apparel innovation. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual framework was developed focusing four groups of competencies; technological/ technical, customer, network/ partnership and financial competences and hypothesis were derived. Sixty participants in different companies across Sri Lanka were randomly selected based on their involvement in the front-end of the apparel innovation for questionnaire survey. The data were analyzed using the SPSS version 20 statistical software package. Spearman's rho correlation and Linear regression analysis were used to quantify the impact of the competencies on front-end decisions. Findings The factors of network competencies are found to be the most influentialon effective front-end decision-making in apparel innovation in Sri Lanka. These results strongly suggests strengthening companies’ ability to interact with partners who possess raw materials, machineries and technology know-how to facilitate efficient front-end decision-making. The next most influential are the factors of technological competencies. It highlights the importance of strengthening the companies’ own technical/ technological competencies to facilitate effective front- end decision-making in apparel innovation. Originality/value The findings of this research are of main interest to extend the current understanding on how different factors of organization’s core competencies influence on effective front-end decision-making in apparel innovation. Particularly, apparel domain practitioners will be motivated in implementing and nurturing these important/ and most influential competencies within their firms to facilitate front-end decision-making to achieve better results consistently.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop mathematical relationships to calculate the loop length to knit compact plain knitted fabrics and to validate the model using the fabric parameters of commercial fabrics. Design/methodology/approach Ellipse defines the shape of the head of a knitted loop and straight lines define the arms of a knitted loop. The mathematical relationships developed relate the yarn count to the loop length of compact knitted fabrics. The experimental data and the data from previous similar research validate the accuracy of the mathematical model. Findings The model can calculate loop lengths to knit compact plain knitted fabrics in terms of thickness of the yarn and the coefficient defined to express the ratio of minor axis to major axis of the ellipse that defines the shape of the head of the loop. The mathematical model can deliver several loop lengths to produce compact plain knitted fabrics for different values of this coefficient. For commercial fabrics the error of the model was 0.53%. Originality/value The present model defines the head of the loop as an ellipse. The uniqueness of the present model is that several ellipses can exist for any given yarn thickness for a range of values assigned to the minor axis of the ellipse. The accuracy of the model against experimental data ascertains that the model is closer to the reality for commercial fabrics and proves the uniqueness of the model. Further, this model is an ideal and a simple model to introduce knitted loop configurations in teaching knitted fabric geometry.