Study of Parameters Influencing the Production and Improvement of the Launch System in a Production Department: Case Study in the Clothing Industry in Tunisia

Abstract

This study was carried out in a clothing company to determine the parameters that influence the decline in production. The results showed that the parameter “Machine failures” had a 34.6% effect on production, and “lack of versatility” 19.7%, while the parameter “heavy launch” had an effect of 17.1%, “lack of supplies” 9%, touch-ups 3%, and “lack of cut parts” 2%. Indeed, the application of lean and six sigma tools and especially the D.M.A.I.C and TPM methods are two tools that improve efficiency and productivity in a production workshop. Thus, a grid was developed to monitor and maintain the effectiveness of improvement actions and for the continuity of the spirit of improvement within the production department without forgetting that teamwork makes it possible to improve the result.

Optimizing the Material-Product Transformation Processes in the Clothing Manufacturing Line

“…The 1 st floor -current workflow OPERATION NO PROCESSES (15) Pieces come from basement are placed to the sorting table (15)(16) From sorting table to the Operator-A for attaching the ornament tag (16)(17) Then pieces come to the Operator-B for attaching the washing instructions and send to sorting table back (15)(16)(17)(18) Front pieces come from the sorting table to Operator-C for preparation of fly tips (18)(19) The pieces are brought to the Operator-D for fly overcast (19)(20) The Operator-C gets pieces for the fly and zipper seam (20)(21) The pieces are brought to the Operator-F for fly place marking (handwork) (21)(22) After the marking processes, pieces are sent to the Operator-G for attaching fly to the body pieces (22-23) (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23) Front pieces are brought to the Operator-H for shoulders combining process. At the same time, the back pieces that are waiting on the sorting table are brought to the Operator-H as well for the same process (23)(24) The pieces are sent to the Operator-I for shoulder flatlock stitches (24-25) (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25) Pieces then comes to the Operator-J and at the same time the collar pieces are brought for collar preparation process (25-26) After the preparation process, pieces are brought to the Operator-K for collar attaching (26-27)…”

“…The pieces are brought to the Operator-T and Operator-V for front foot stitches (32-33) (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33) The pieces are brought to the Operator-Y for sorting process. At the same time, sleeves also are brought to this sorting table…”

“…Amira and Nejib in 2021 were analysed the parameters that influence the decline in production. After the line balancing implementations, the results showed that, the parameter "Machine failures" had a 34.6% effect on production, and "lack of versatility" 19.7%, while the parameter "heavy launch" had an effect of 17.1%, "lack of supplies" 9%, touch-ups 3%, and "lack of cut parts" 2% [23].…”

“…Pieces come from basement are placed to the sorting table (15-16-17) The pieces are sent to the Operator-A for the processes of attaching ornament tag and attaching washing instructions (Operator-A does these both processes) (15)(16)(17)(18) Front pieces come from the sorting table to Operator-B for preparation of fly tips (18)(19) The pieces are brought to the Operator-C for fly overcast (19)(20) The pieces are sent to Operator-D and Operator-E for the fly and zipper seam (The fly and zipper seam processes are done by 2 different operators to provide a more optimum flow) (20)(21) Operator-E does the fly place marking process his/her own remaining time (Operator-E moves to the table for the process number-21 in the remaining time.) (21)(22) After the marking processes, pieces are sent to the Operator-F for attaching fly to the body pieces (22)(23) The pieces after the fly processes from Operator-F and washing instruction processes from Operator-A are brought to the Operator-G and Operator-I for the shoulders combining (front and back) processes (Operator-I also does the shoulders combining process with the collar preparation process due to available time remaining) (23)(24) The pieces are sent to the Operator-H for shoulder flatlock stitches (24-25)…”