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Image Processing Based Automated Label Matching and Placing System for
Sewing Machine

Conference Paper · May 2019

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.30476.33929

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 Proceedings of the 6th Annual Research Symposium, ARS 2019
9th May 2019, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Image Processing Based Automated Label Matching and Placing System for Sewing
Machine
Kumara K.J.C*(1), Jayathunga R.D.S (2), Geeleka H.N (3)
(1), (2), (3)
Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna, Galle.
E mail: kumara@mme.ruh.ac.lk

Abstract: Any textile industry producing finished garments are equipped with sewing machine and label
attachment process in which two major problems were identified as high lead time and high working load on the
operator on visual identification of badge, selection of right label and placing on the garment for sewing. Manual
process of one of the local textile industries was analyzed and low-cost mechatronics solution based on image
processing and electro-mechanical means were developed to automatically identify the badge, to select the right
label and place it on the sewing jig. Newly developed system consists of a Raspberry Pi minicomputer which
processes the images of batches by running a python program written to implement optical character recognition
algorithm and controls a rotary table and pick-and-place mechanism. It is estimated that this solution reduced
total cycle time by 50% and simplified the system that can even be operated by a less-skilled worker.

Key words: optical-character-recognition; sewing machine; textile industry

1. Introduction
The Sri Lankan apparel industry has become one of the key contributors for economy throughout past few
decades accounting to 40% of the total exports and 52% of industrial product exports sustaining over US $3
billion in export revenue and being reputed globally for producing top quality ethical fashion apparel
(Embuldeniya & Apeksha, (2015)). The industry has generated over 15% direct employments which include a
substantial number of women in the country (Anon., (2012)). The problems with the industry which revels
the importance to adapt automation, are the problems in developing and maintaining a stable work force
and huge effort required to maintain labor force working quality and productivity due to poor working
conditions in the industrial environment (Dheerasinghe & Rupa, n.d.). The productivity defined by the lead
time and is the one of principal factor effect for the growth of the industry. In order to respond to fashion
trends and meet competition it’s very important to maintain lead time in a minimum level. Therefore, to
stay competitive in the market and survive, Sri Lanka needs to improve apparel industry with advanced
technologies such automation in an era which labor force getting reduce in the industry due to factors such
competitive education style, cultural aspects increment of living standards and etc.

A garment manufactured flows through the process; fabric preparation, fabric cutting, garment sewing, label
attaching, ironing, packing and overall quality controlling. The lather label attached to the garments play an
important role in marketing by giving best and quality look and finish to garments, promoting the brand, etc. and
further the label is summery about the cloth. That’s how the label and labeling process is very important.
Therefore it’s important to handle this process also effectively and efficiently. This study was conducted for the
advancement of apparel industry in Sri Lanka where automation technology has been proved to be the best
solution for skilled labor shortage, high quality product output, cycle time and ultimately the total production
cost. The significance of this study is initiation of automation for the garment industry in Sri Lanka to
achieve highest quality with low prices in reduced lead time. The solutions implemented by designing new
system for the existing sewing machine in one of local textile industry to avoid messy working
environment, low productivity and quality, high working load on the operator and lack of ergonomics
considerations are extended for the all other apparel factories as well non-apparel industries.

2. Materials and Methods

At present the manual whole process of label attaching takes 20 seconds. Under this project we have focused to
reduce the T2, T3and T4. The manual total time of focused area is 8. 5s and by implementation of automated
system we have reduced this time up to only 4s. The following chart describes the label attaching process steps
with the time spent for each step. As well the present setups of labelling station make operator to get tired soon
due to lack of ergonomics consideration. The number of movement to work on one garment is 7 times and this is
a considerably large amount for the task.
Then the study is completed with designing automated setup uses the image processing and stepper motor
controlling as the techniques and pick and place arm as a mechanism which feasible for space available. All the
programming was done in Python environment which to Raspberry Pi module for controlling the whole system

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 Proceedings of the 6th Annual Research Symposium, ARS 2019
9th May 2019, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna

accordingly. Image processing is aided optical character recognition in Open CV (Aaron , et al., (2016))
(Dheeraj, et al., (2015)) (Panicker, et al., (2016)).
T6 = 20s Where;
Labels T1 = Manual time to take a garment
Sewing L T2 = Manual time to read the garment size
Machine T3 = Manual time to select the label
T5 = 12s T4 = Manual time to take the label
T3 = 2.5s
Finished T4 = 4.0s T5 = Sewing time
Garment T6 = Manual total time to finish the garment
Garment
Operator

T1 = 1s
T2 = 2s

Figure 1. The label attaching process steps.

Sliding Pneumatic
plate cylinder 1
Pneumatic
suction Pneumatic lines
grippers
Pneumatic
cylinder 2
Machine
bed Rotary
table
Emergency Label
switch boxes

Panel
board

Figure 2. The 3D Solid Works model of automated system implemented label sewing machine.

Automated new system consists of a rotary table to hold 12 different leather labels, stepper motor with driver,
Raspberry Pi module with external memory card, Pi camera, thrust bearing and sensors as main components. The
rotary table is to fabricate from Perspex material with Steel bottom to reduce weight while increasing the
strength of assembly. The system operates as; the operator has to take the trouser and hold the label already
attached to the trouser under the Pi camera. With the recognition of the presence of the label the camera capture
the image of label. This image is importing for image processing to recognize characters hence the size of the
trouser according to the program and generates a signal. Thereby the system calculates the rotation angle
accordingly the algorithm to give the signal of rotating angle to stepper motor as the correct label set is
positioned to picking place which defined as reference point After successful picking of the leather label the
rotary table moves to its home position. This operation described by the flow chart shown in the figure below.

Analyzing and
Give Input Details Image of the trouser Identify the
Importing the manipulating the
Operator keeps the trouser size is taken trouser size by
image via image image
under the camera OCR
(Waist and the length of trouser) acquisition tools

Place the label on Rotary table rotates Give command of

Correct Position and Pick the placing the correct label in rotating angle to
sew label to the picking position the stepper motor

Figure 3. The flow chart of the automated system implemented sewing machine.

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 Proceedings of the 6th Annual Research Symposium, ARS 2019
9th May 2019, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna

3. Results and Discussion

Considering 10 number of testing rounds we observed lead time to complete the label selecting process with
automated system. According to the observation the developed system recognizes the correct label in half of
the time of its manual operation reducing the production time around in 50%.

Table 1. Data observed in testing. The time saving per day = = 4 Hr

Lead time Lead time
Test No Test No Assuming 360 working days per annum;
(s) (s)
Time saving per annum =
1 4.10 6 3.87
= 1,440 Hr
2 4.08 7 3.89
3 3.97 8 3.79 Monthly salary for the operator = Rs. 25,000
4 3.86 9 3.87 Assuming 25 working days per month;
5 3.87 10 3.87 Payment for operator per hour =
Average lead time (s) = 3.92 Rs. 125

Therefore, the saving in hourly rate and in Money saving per annum =
monitory terms; = Rs. 180,000.00
The working man hours per day = 8 Hr

4. Conclusion

Label attaching is a one of major finishing steps of the garments which makes the whole garment rejected or
circulate again through the process. After observing the background details we had come up with a design of
automated label matching, picking and placing system which developed later with a rotary table mech anism
using standard components with involvement of Python programing. By this project it gives the outputs
reduction of workload on the operator and improving efficiency, productivity and speed, easy operation of the
machine and hence lead non-skilled workers to work with, quality and accuracy improvement and other benefits
such as to give solutions for the shortage of labor force in the garment industry. It has an advantage of
application for the all apparel sector due to noticeably high lead time of Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing is a
distraction to meet the western demand in order to stay in the global market space.

References

Aaron , S., Sanjana, S. & Monisha, M., (2016). OCR based automatic book reader for the visually impaired
using Raspberry PI. International Journal of Innovative Research in Computer, January, 4(7), p. 8.

Anon., (2012). Industry Capability Report of Export Development Board, s.l.: s.n.

Dheeraj, K., Ilani, S. & Hussain , S., (2015). Real-time Automated Guidance System to detect and Label Color
for Color Blind People using Raspberry Pi. SSRG International Journal of Electronics and Communication
Engineering (SSRG-IJECE), November, 2(11), p. 5.

Dheerasinghe & Rupa, n.d. Challenges, Prospects and Strategies. In: Garment Industry in Sri Lanka. s.l.:s.n.

Embuldeniya & Apeksha, (2015). Impact of Apparel Industry on the Economy of Sri Lanka. Social Statistics, p.
14.

Panicker, A., Pandey, A. & Patil, V., (2016). Smart shopping assistant label reading system with voice output for
blind using raspberry pi. International journal of advanced research in computer engineering and technology
(IJARCET), Volume 3.

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