Apparel Production Control

Control Parameters in Line Balancing

Reference Manual

Garment Manufacturing Technology Department

National Institute of Fashion Technology

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New Delhi Calcutta Hyderabad Chennai Mumbai Gandhinagar
Apparel Production Control

Control Parameters in Line Balancing

There are different parameters, which control balancing of assembly line in
garment manufacturing. Some of the important parameters are defined and
explained here.

Opeartors Skill Inventory:

This database maintains the record of each operator, who can do what operation
and at what rating. It is very important to keep this database updated as over the
time operator acquires skills for new operations as well as improve performance in
existing operations.

Allocation:
Appropriate allocation of operators to operations is the key to any balancing.
Allocation also depends on type of balance required. One approach of allocation is
to find the closest match between operator performance required and operator
performance available. This type of allocation results intrinsic balance of line.
Another approach of allocation is to utilise the operators in operations they can
do best. This approach results dynamic balance of line. Let's understand this from
an example:

Operation SA Machin Targe Operator performance

M e t Required
A. Collar attaching 1.5 SNLS 40 pcs 100%
B. Cuff attaching 1.2 SNLS 40 pcs 80%
C. Band Hemming 1.0 SNLS 40 pcs 66%

From operators' skill inventory the operator performances available are

Sita Urmila Rita Savita
For Op A 70% 105% 140%
For Op B 80% 100%
For Op C 120% 70% 100% 70%

Allocation
Operation Intrinsic balance Dynamic Balance
A. Collar attaching Urmila Savita
B. Cuff attaching Sita Rita
C. Band Hemming Savita Savita + Rita

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Apparel Production Control

For intrinsic balance we have allocated total three operators with closest
performance available. For operation A we need 100% operator, and closest
available is Urmila (105%) and so on. Also interesting to note that Savita is not
utilized for operations, what she can do best. For dynamic balance we have
allocated only two operators, total performance needed is 246% (100+80+66).
Savita and Rita together (140+100)% can match the requirement. Here operators
are allocated to operations, what they can do best. This dynamic balance results
better operator utilisation but comparatively difficult to maintain. Some of the
characteristics of these systems are mentioned below.

Parameters Intrinsic balance Dynamic Balance

No. of people required More Less
Movement of operators Less More
Heavy absenteeism Not preferred Preferred
Supervisor skill Less headache More headache
WIP management Easier Difficult
Operator utilisation Not so good Better
Material movement Less More
Warming up loss Less More

Balance:
The aim of balancing is to maximise operator and machine utilisation, while
ensuring least operator shuffling. (Movement between operations)

Attendance:
Record of attendance is very important prerequisite for balancing a line. Only the
present operators are allocated to different operations. While planning for
balancing a line, average absenteeism figure is used to calculate the no. of expected
present operators, whom operation can be allocated.

Movement of operators:
Output is lost every time an operator is moved to a new job. Anticipation of
problems is the best way to keep this lost output to a minimum and line operators
should never be moved for less than an hour except in an emergency. Even floaters
should be given a sufficiently long run to work up their speed. On occasions it is
more efficient to arrange the manning.

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Apparel Production Control

Floater:
Floater generally can perform all operations but at much lower efficiency. Floaters
should not be allocated to any specific operation in any line plan. Floaters are there
to handle unforeseeable circumstances, once operators are absent, performing
below standard, sick, or any such emergencies, then floaters are allocated to the
problematic operation.

Rating:
Rating is the assessment of a workers rate of working. What the observer is
concerned with is therefore the speed with which the operator carries out the work,
in relation to observers' concept of normal speed. Thus rating is very subjective
exercise. It is necessary to have a numerical scale of rating to make the assessment
effective. In a 0-100 scale, 0 represents zero activity and 100 the normal rate of
working of a motivated qualified worker - i.e. the standard rate. Rating is used as
factor by which the observed time can be multiplied to give the basic time. In
Opeartors Skill Inventory database the rating should be updated regularly for near
accurate balancing.

Pitch Time:
Pitch time is the theoretical operation time, each operator should take for a planned
balanced line. It is calculated as:

= (SAM value of a style) / (No. of operator required to meet the target)

Clubbing and Splitting of operations are done to match every operation timings
with pitch time. Lesser the deviation of operation timings from pitch time, better
the balancing efficiency can be achieved.

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