A Comparative Method Study For Printing Time Reduction in Knitwear Manufacturing Company in Bangladesh: A Case Study
A Comparative Method Study For Printing Time Reduction in Knitwear Manufacturing Company in Bangladesh: A Case Study
A Comparative Method Study For Printing Time Reduction in Knitwear Manufacturing Company in Bangladesh: A Case Study
1. Introduction
The Knitwear manufacturing industry is a large and most export oriented field of
Bangladesh in terms of output, export and employment. At present these manufacturing
industries are earning foreign currency about three quarters of total exports and the
industry is a symbol of the countrys dynamism in the world economy. Printing section is
one of the major areas in knitwear manufacturing industries. Manufacturing cost of
knitwear products partially depends on printing cost. The survival competition in term of
manufacturing cost versus selling price of these fields is increasing day by day in
competitive global market. As knitwear industry is labor incentive field so there is little
chance to improve these field by technological change rather there are vast scopes of
improvement of these areas by method study. Jeffrey and David (2005) have mentioned
that according to Lean manufacturing system overproduction, inventory, waiting,
transportation, motion, over processing and defects are the manufacturing wastage.
These wastes make the manufacturing processes inefficient that directly hampered the
productivity. So it is high time to make the manufacturing processes waste free and
dynamic.
It may be possible to reduce any kind of non value added activities from the
manufacturing processes. As the Knitwear Industry is a symbol of the countrys
economy and there are ample opportunities to improve this field so the author feels
great interest to work in this area. Comfit Composite Knit Limited is one of the most
typical knitwear composite factories in Bangladesh where Knitting, Dyeing, Cutting,
Printing, Sewing and Finishing departments are available. Printing is one of the most
important departments of this factory. In printing process printer man, layer man, screen
cleaner, fabric spreader and pick up man are available who working together to
a
2. Literature Review
Bangladesh has emerged as an important supplier of quality readymade garments in
the global market. The spectacular growth of garment sector in Bangladesh in recent
years has dramatically changed the landscape of export composition of the country.
Uddin and Jahed (2007) said that Bangladesh is now experiencing almost 76% export
contribution from readymade garments (RMG).The sector has now occupied an
important place in Bangladesh national economy. Nevertheless, all are not well in this
sector. It faces numerous challenges. Rajesh (2002) have mentioned some factors that
are affecting productivity like as Level of technology, Product style, price point and
Production volume, Training of work force and management, Motivation level of work
force & management, Awareness of optimal productivity level, Labor turnover and
absenteeism, Production scale, Lead time, Industrial Engineering, Labor relations.
Though this paper focuses various factors for productivity improvement but method
study is not directly emphasis on regarding this issue. Lynn et al. (2005) have
mentioned that in Cambodias most of the garments factories are required both
technical and managerial training especially in mid level management for improving
labor productivity. They highly emphasis that training programs for skill enhancement of
these factories are very poor hence the machines are typically operated inefficiently and
equipment maintenance is often Inadequate also lack of investment in maintenance
plus ineffective spare parts stock control that occurs lost time and hampered the labor
productivity directly. This paper mentioned that Improvements in productivity of 1520
percent can be achieved with the right attitude and climate. They are not strictly focused
on method study for improving labor productivity. Panneerselvam (2006) have
mentioned that Lean manufacturing is a systematic approach to identify and eliminate
wastes of all non-value added activities through continuous improvement that is being
adopted by world class, high performance firms to produce remarkable results. It is also
called as a manufacturing system in which friction is absent. Global competition is
forcing companies to improve quality, reduce delivery time and lower cost. The
traditional manufacturing way of thinking has been Cost + Profit = Selling price but in
the competing global environment, customers, more or less influence the selling price of
a product. Hence the lean way of thinking is Selling price Cost = Profit Under this
redefined scenario, the only way to survive in the market is to decrease cost by
eliminating all forms of wastes. Lean focuses seven wastes such as overproduction,
inventory, waiting, transportation, motion, over processing and defect. Farhana (2009)
have mentioned that for competitive global market now owners of Garments Company
are trying to implement modern lean manufacturing philosophy for reducing
manufacturing cost of the product. This paper focuses that cost can be reduced by
implementing lean tools such as JIT, Kanban, 5s, Pull production, Kaizen and TPM.
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3. Methodology
Minimization of printing time and printing operators cycle time are the main targets of
this study. To achieve these objectives of this study existing printing process is critically
observed then segregate the work elements and setting the printing parameters. To
measure the work elements, time study is performed there. After critically examined the
work elements and analysis their cycle time, new printing method is proposed and
accordingly new layout is also proposed.
3.1 Mathematical Statement
In the printing process spreading, laying and pick up times are directly dependant on the
size of fabric that is to be printed. If the fabric size is large then the spreading, laying
and pick up times are relatively large than the medium and small size. But the color
impression time and drying time are directly proportional with the size of design to be
printed rather than fabric size. If the size of design is large color impression time and
drying time will be also large compare to medium and small design. Parameters which
are considered for mathematical calculation of printing time are-
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/n)/100}* A%]
/n)/100}* A %]
/n)/100}* A%]*Fc
/n)/100}* A%]*Fd
/n)/100}* A%]
Where,
A= Allowance
Xi = Cycle time in second of ith cycle,
n = Number of cycles
Ri = Estimated rating of ith cycle time
Fc = Frequency of Color impression
Fd = Frequency of Drying
3.2 Current Layout
Color Impression Point
Table: 1
Table: 2
Table: 3
Table: 4
Ending point
Printing table, Side No.: 1
4. Results Analysis
For addressing the results of this study data are collected from Comfit Composite Knit
Limited of its printing section which is mentioned below in tabular form in Table 4.1.
Data specifications are Buyer-H & M, Product Style-I am awesome, Print Color-White,
Screen Size & Print size-medium, Color impression frequency-1, Print type-Rubber.
From Table 4.1:
Spreading time, St = 2.63 Sec.
Laying time, Lt = 33.14 Sec.
Color impression time, Ct = 6.00 Sec.
Drying time by Auto Run Dryer Dt = 384.56 Sec.
Picked up time, Pt = 3.47 Sec.
Therefore, if color impression frequency is one then total printing time of existing
system, Pc = (St + Lt + Ct + Dt +Pt) = (2.63*35+33.14*35+6*35+384.56+3.47*35) =
1967.96 Sec. Where, 35 is the total number of fabrics that are printed as a single batch
in a printing table.
Hence, a Printing operators color impression cycle time in existing system = Color
impression time per piece fabric * Total number of fabrics + Drying time by Auto Run
Dryer = 6*35+384.56 = 594.56 Sec.
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Sl.
No.
Spreading
T
R
1
2.2 100
2
2.23 100
3
2.32 100
4
2.61 90
5
2.29 100
6
2.25 100
7
2.23 100
8
2.16 100
9
2.87 90
10
2.6
90
Total 23.76 970
TR.
10
10
Avg. 2.38 97
NT.
2.3
A
14%
ST.
2.63
Drying time by
Auto Run Dryer
T
385.55
384.43
384.46
383.96
385.55
384.43
384.46
383.96
385.35
383.45
3845.6
10
384.56
For Table 4.1, T = Time in second, R = Performance rating, TR = Total No. of readings,
Avg. = Average, NT = Normal time, A = Allowance, ST = Standard time.
Finally, the results are summarized in Table 4.2 into the tabular form.
Descriptions
Total Printing time
Printing operators color
impression cycle time
594.56
210.00
384.56
Time
Reduction %
10.04%
64.68%
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References
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