A report on Quality Control in Garment Manufacturing

1. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY,
CHENNAI
DEPARTMENT OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY
Training and Development
of
Supervisor
Assingment-2
Quality Controls in Garment Manufacturing
SUBMITTED BY-
Abhishek raj
Sarthak sagar
Shriya arora
DFT-vI
SUBMITTED to-
Mr. amit kumar anjanee
Assistant professor
Nift, chennai

2. Training:
Training is an ongoing process and will help the employees to display their
talents and utilise their skills to the optimum. Training should be closely
monitored vis-à-vis the end results, with a proper feedback system in place, so
that irrelevant sections are either eradicated or reduced to the minimum
possible.
The profound truth is an extension of the Law of Nature, i.e., “Make the ground
more fertile to yield a bumper harvest. “ This leads to a five-step formula
towards accomplishing success in the sequential order:
1. Decision
2. Commitment
3. Planning
4. Preparation
5. Execution
This sequence has been found most essential for the top management to keep a
tab on progress and to know where and how resources are effectively utilised.
Moreover, they culminate in empowering the people for continuous
improvement.
The areas where we expect results are:
Production, Absenteeism, Methods, Planning, Quality, Standards, Supply and
Costs.
The skills requirement base to achieve excellence can be grouped as:
Technical Skills:These are, broadly speaking, technical specifications, methods,
systems and equipment.
Human Resource Skills:
This segment would include training, hiring, motivation, communication,
absenteeism and labour retention
Management Skills:
Here we require line balancing, planning and organising, co-coordinating and
controlling and quality control responsibilities.
Cost Control Skills:
These require a mix of work standards application, work standards
measurement, material utilisation, maintenance & utility supplies and finally,
labour utilisation.

3. We need to start with technical knowledge and build to the more natural
elements of management and the combination to achieve the real goal of cost
control.
Some of the benefits of achieving the goal of cost control are:
 Reduced numbers in the following tiers of management.
 Technicians can concentrate on real issues and better methods reducing
costs and improving quality rather than do ‘Fix jobs to support ailing
production teams.’
 Planners can be more accurate in planning the resources and reduce the
pressures on the factory through lack of performance. They can
concentrate more on supply issues of fabric, cuttings, trims and ticketing.
 Industrial Engineers can develop true cost reductions rather support a
weak production management team for performance failure.
 Quality improvements through clear understanding of technical issues.
 Reduction in the costs of quality.
 Improved costs through more understanding of the reasons for control.
 Improved attitude of all due to true involvement.
 Better customer relations.
 Fast and knowledge based decision making.
 Faster style change.
The major criteria which most would associate with someone doing a job we
would probably be knowledge, hard work and attitude. But in which order?
It is hard to choose which is the most important as all are required. A simple
survey brought forth the following results.
 Attitude = 100
 Hard Work = 98
 Knowledge = 96
It now becomes clear we are attempting to train attitude through hard work and
knowledge.
Technical skills:
This is the base where it all starts from. We need to give the basis of achieving
customer requirement. What information do we need to supply to the people
doing the job? From this information, systems will be put in place in order to
control the manufacturing process.

4. Technical Specification:
Normally this requires no real time in training but is an information base to
ensure the team is set correctly. It is important for the front line manager as each
time the technical specs are not followed, it usually costs time and lack of
production. It is required to ensure there are no mix ups which puts the finished
product at risk. But, there are a number of constraints:
Fabric Constraints:
Simply put, these are colour or shading, check matching, fabric damage issues,
shrinkage conditions, cut panel against pattern and finish component size to
final garment measurement.
Machine Constraints:
A small list would include feed dogs, timing, type of foot, speed, specific
operator machine layout, stitch size, needle size and fabric damage.
Methods of Operation:
Practically seen, these would be handling, order of operations, skill level
required and critical operations.
Methods:
This area requires a lot of training and involvement from technicians and
method study engineers. Using the correct methods has a profound effect on
performance in production and quality indices. It is the foundation for getting
costs, planning, quality, production rate and the organisation on a sound footing.
This would entail correct handling and processing, correct machine layout, skill
analysis and skills inventory, knowing how to do the operation, correct use of
the hands at the machine, correct number of sewing bursts, quality standards
and correct layout at the machine.
Systems:
Knowledge is the key to ensuring the business is successful and everyone
understands what is happening. Breakages of systems can lead to very major
and serious conflicts when guesswork takes over and everything is uncontrolled.
Each front line manager should know their area of responsibility so they can
understand the direct consequences of their actions if someone decides to break
the system. This implies that they know the standard operating procedures
(SOPs), reporting documentation, communication channels and linkage in the
reporting systems.
Equipment:
Basically, the supervisor would be expected to know the settings of equipment,
condition of machinery, proper operation of equipment, proper layout of
equipment and safety aspects.

5. Human resource skills
Since the business is very labour intensive, it is a very important area and
requires some training, but it can be on a lighter note. No point in training the
wrong people, or to the wrong skill levels.
No point in hiring people with the wrong attitude. People need to feel they are
part of the business family for longevity of service, which, over the period,
reduces training costs.
Training:
New starts and progress. It is important to make the new people feel part of the
team; assess training requirement within the team. Where are we going
tomorrow? What happens if…?
Then, assess skill levels of individuals. Get to know the people and they will
respond; ensure discipline so that taught methods are followed; Induction, a
requirement so people understand the rules and regulations, followed by
determining training requirements and arranging the training accordingly.
Hiring:
This is simple, if stipulations are met. We are looking for qualifications,
suitability, personal relationship and standard testing.
Motivation:
A multi-faceted combination of authority, attitude, target setting and driving
force. Under authority itself, there are different types and it is important to
know when to use which form, e.g., formal authority is by position, specialist
authority comes with specialist knowledge, like machine technicians and
personal authority is the acceptance of the supervisor’s decisions, orders or
instructions followed by the work team because of the respect the team has for
the supervisor.
Communications:
The basics of transmitting requirements vertically or laterally, its components
could be language, clarity of thought, clarity of the task required, attitude,
authority and body language.
Labour Retention:
A vexing problem area for the supervisor to try and first resolve. Should start
with an interview, normally informal for front line managers; the reason for any
absence.
Knowledge in advance is helpful in balancing; the general attitude of employee
who should be aware of the rules that govern absence from duty.

6. Management skills:
These are normally very intuitive. Instruction must be given in the criteria used
and how to use.
Training should be given from both Administration and Industrial Engineering
on systems and methods of determining results. Line balancing probably one of
the most important elements in this section and is the equalisation of the work
content of a series of operations to generate equal operation time at each work
station.
 Skills inventory
 Target setting
 WIP knowledge
 Methods knowledge
 Work measurement principles and application
 Real time information
 Mechanics of balancing
 The rate of production
 The operations necessary to complete the task
 The sequence of operations
 The time for each element of work
 Improve operator performance
 Steps in line balancing
Planning and Organisation
 Work study analysis
 Supply of materials
 Machine effectiveness
 Realistic target setting
 Absence and pre-planning
 Discipline of communication
 Tasks done
 Follow up on targets
 Follow up on problems
 Follow up on promise
Co-coordinating and Controlling
 Monitoring and evaluating the plan
 Appraising individuals efforts
 Group performance

7.  Correction of problems
 Logical order of operations
 No overlaps of responsibilities
 No jobs left undone Quality Control Responsibilities
 To ensure section output is of the required quality
 To ensure correct standards are used
 Give training to standards required
 Training of section
 Cost of poor quality
 Material waste
 Time loss
 Production loss
 Management input
Cost control skills:
Front line managers need to understand the standard costing as a means of
looking at costs and using analysis of the variations from the expected standard
as a means of control and improvement. They must understand how to get
standards; information on which they will be based must be gathered, collated
and analysed.
Data about material, labour and overhead costs, rates of output and material
utilisation. This data enables a standard cost to be calculated for three areas:
material, labour and overhead for each product. These three areas then provide
the standards for a product and are used for materials issue, labour requirements
and overhead budget. The labour standards may well be set using work
measurement techniques.
Work Standards Application:
 Applying correct methods
 SOPs are followed religiously
 Efficiencies
Material Utilisation:
 Thread consumption
 Recuts
 Quality standards
 SOPs for raw materials correct

8. Maintenance and Utility Supplies:
 Machine support
 Machine spare parts
 Needle usage
 Proper use of machine
 Proper setting of machine
 Electricity
 Air supply
Labour Utilisation:
 Performance ratios
 Efficiency
 Working performance
 True performance
 Individual performance
 Group performance
 Section performance
 Department performance
Factors Affecting Performance:
Performance is the index representing relative effort and/or achievement.
Elements of Performance
 Output - Items produced
 Ancillary work Obtaining materials
 Other jobs - Clerical duties
Performance Calculation
Performance = Hours produced
Hours worked
How Do Supervisors Learn Best?
By learning on the job. The next task is learnt only when the last task is applied
in production and a result has been achieved (Competency based learning), As
the supervisor learns, her line output should increase. Sewing operators around
her notice a change in behaviour and also her expectations from them. The
supervisor learns which operation is the "governing" operation and focuses
there. Finally, the environment is made less stressful although an attitude of
assertiveness is maintained.

9. What Makes a Good Supervisor?
Our research has indicated that Supervisors come from a low educational level
generally. Supervisors also tend to have the following qualities:
 Good sewing skills, above average 75% performer
 Consistent quality
 Numerate and literate
 High dominance level and high influence with operators
Implications of supervisor training:
The process of training supervisors cannot be undertaken without line
management and factory management going through the same process of skills
learning. Management buy-in is fundamental to any training programme and if
performance improvement is to be sustained. Performance improvement in
output of 10-15% can be achieved for a very low investment cost.
Clearly we have to change the way our supervisors do their job. The activities
they perform must be focused on getting output and quality results and the
information they collect must be focused to that end.
Ninety percent of the supervisor's activity must be spent on "Effective Tasks";
the major focus must be on collecting information and acting upon it decisively,
patrolling, short-term interval control. Currently 20% of each hour is spent on
addressing a low performer. Ten percent of each hour is spent "fine tuning" the
line balance on 15% quality checking and most importantly, no time spent
doing operators job on passive observation.
On selection, Personality Behavior Analysis is a very helpful tool to decide the
right supervisor. A balanced mix of dominance, influence, stability and
compliance results in good supervision. Given below is a table of personality
description that may be useful.
The 7 Measures useful to the production manager or supervisor are:
1. Efficiency:
Calculated daily. Meant for sections, departments and factories.
Efficiency is calculated as:
Standard minutes earned x 100, expressed as percentage. / attended time
It is primarily a measure of the effectiveness of the manager and supervisor and
as such is best applied to sections / departments and not the individual operator.

10. Efficiency is directly related to both operator performance and the utilisation of
the operator, i.e., that percentage of attended time working earning Standard
Minute Values [SMV].
2. Individual Operator performance:
Calculated daily. It is a measure of both the skills and motivation of the
operator.
Performance is calculated as:
standard minutes produced x 100, expressed as percentage / time on standard
Example 1:
operator produces 800 pieces @ SMV of 0.50 in 480 minutes working on
standard.
= [800 x 0.50 x 100] / 480 = 83% performance
Example 2:
the same operator produces 600 pieces in a 480 minute day but waits for work
for 100 minutes. Her ‘on standard time’ is therefore (480 –100) =380 minutes
Performance = {(600 x 0.50) x 100 } / (480 – 100) = 300 / 380 = 79%
Both efficiency and performance are based on SMVs. It follows that the
accuracy of the SMVs will significantly affect both measures. However, this
should not be seen as a problem when measuring as a means of monitoring
internal capabilities or improvement as they will show trends as long as the
SMVs remain constant.
When benchmarking against external organisations,
it is necessary to ensure that SMVs are calculated to international standards.
Individual companies should set their own minimum performance standards
both for operator performance and efficiency.
However, the author has for many years worked in the Apparel Industries
throughout the gamut of the work involved and proposes that, as a guide, 85%
efficiency should be strived for in an effort to be internationally competitive. It
is assumed that SMVs are set to international standards.
3. Off-standard time:
Calculated as a percentage of operator attended time (utilisation) and reported in
categories, e.g.wait for work, machine breakdown, sampling, undergoing re-
training.

11. Off standard time is that time utilised on performing tasks to which SMVs are
not allocated.
Alternatively an operator earning SMVs is working ‘on-standard’.
Utilisation is a measure at how well the manager and supervisor control the
section and keep operators working i.e. “on standard”
Calculation:
Utilisation = time spent on standard x 100 / time attended , expressed as
percentage
Example:
an operator attends for 480 minutes but waits for work for 120 minutes. Her
utilisation is
= (480-120) x 100 / 480 = 75%
4. Make up pay:
The difference between ‘piece work or similar’ earnings and that paid, i.e.,
payment to any agreed minimum level or ‘average’.
5. Output:
Daily and Weekly. Measured in units by operator and operation on a regular
basis during the working day and in Standard Hours produced on a daily and
weekly basis.
As part of the production balancing process, the output of each operator and
operation should be monitored on a regular basis during the day. At the end of
the day individual operator output totals and time spent ‘off-standard’ should be
submitted for calculation and analysis.
From this information on standard hours produced, time on and off standard and
salary earned can be calculated.
6. Labour:
Cost per standard hour produced. Reported weekly. Departmental and factory
basis. As both total labour costs and standard hours produced can be
summarised weekly, it is a simple calculation to determine cost per standard
hour.
All the above measures are dependent upon accurate collection of data. It
should be remembered that much of the information will be supplied by
operators whose salary is directly related to both their output and time spent
‘on’ and ‘off standard’.

12.  It may be in the operators interests to influence the reporting of output or
off standard time or to pressure supervisors into giving additional ‘off-
standard’ time, particularly when this is paid at premium rate.
 Operators may, when SMVs are loose, decide to conceal this fact by
‘holding back’ on reporting actual output and using this production at a
later date.
Any labour cost control system must ensure that all factors are accurately
reported. This can be achieved by rigourously monitoring actual achievement
against established standards of performance and holding managers and
supervisors accountable for their performance.
The need to closely monitor achievements also works for the principal
requirement of any reporting system.
7. Quality data:
Daily. Reworks by operation, operator as required, during the day and together
with rejects or ‘seconds’. This can be further reported by cost.
Reworks by operation and operator information should be used for practical
problem solving and for measuring improvement. Quality costing is a more
complex management procedure that should be addressed as a separate issue.
All of the above measures can, of course, be modified for individual
circumstances, e.g., a cutting room may also be monitored for performance of
actual fabric usage against costed. They do, however, give a platform on which
the production units can be measured and actions taken.
Absence and labour turnover must of course be measured, but will not be used
by managers at the sections on a daily basis.
Elements And Performance Criteria
Element 1
Identify and describe quality control procedures for each production stage.
Performance criteria
 Procedures for examining quality of incoming fabrics are identified and
described in terms of workplace procedures.

13.  Procedures for controlling quality during fabric spreading are identified
and described in terms of workplace procedures.
Range: fabric checking, alignment, shading, and number of plies,
wastage, and shrinkage.
 Procedures for controlling quality of markers are identified and described
in terms of workplace procedures.
Range: accuracy of marker, alignment, identification, size labels.
 Procedures for controlling quality during the cutting room procedures are
identified and described in terms of workplace procedures.
Range: accuracy, faults and rectifications, bundling, ticketing, work
instructions.
 Procedures for controlling quality in the sewing room are identified and
described in terms of workplace procedures.
Range: handling methods, work instructions, tension, foot pressure,
organisation of sewing room operations.
 Procedures for controlling quality during finishing and pressing
operations are identified and described in terms of workplace procedures.
Range: accessories, product specifications, packing, visual inspection.
Element 2
Identify common problems and faults in clothing production and describe
corrective action to be taken.
Performance criteria
 Cutting room problems and faults are explained in terms of cause and
corrective action required.
Range: fabric faults, cutting knife temperature, knife condition, faulty
bundling, number of plys, identification marks movement in the lay,
fabric characteristics.
 Sewing room problems and faults are explained in terms of cause and
corrective action required.
Range: stitch length, thread compatibility, curling, shading, uneven
panels, pulling or puckering, stretching, needle type, needle damage.

14.  Pressing room problems and faults are explained in terms of cause and
corrective action required.
Range: application conditions – fabric, equipment, shrinkage, and shine.
Element 3
Monitor workplace quality control methods.
Performance criteria
 Sampling plans and methods, and testing and inspection methods, are
described in terms of suitability for monitoring quality at identified
production stages.
 Control charts are prepared and implemented to monitor quality during
production according to workplace procedures.
 Data and results of quality control monitoring are analysed and
interpreted in relation to product specifications, and recorded according to
workplace procedures.
 Procedures for ensuring compliance with statutory requirements are
explained in terms of company products and workplace procedures.
Range: country of origin, care labelling, composition of product, product
purpose.
Element 4
Source internal and external testing facilities and agents.
Range: tests can include but are not limited to – pilling, shrinkage, dye fastness,
fabric composition, and delamination.
Performance criteria
 All workplace tests are identified and described in terms of purpose of
test and specification requirements.
Range: company products.
 Internal and external testing agents are selected according to requirements
of production specifications.

15.  All test requisitions and results are actioned according to workplace
procedures.
Empowering the people for continuous improvement:
Empowering the people for continuous improvement should be bereft of any
fear psychosis, which will kill all creative and innovative thought processes,
leaving them as a ‘DOER’, rather than a ‘THINKER AND DOER’. As Peter
Drucker says, “Let us not purchase their mind but also purchase their brain,” to
change the perspective of treating them as things to human beings.
Otherwise, they become mere spectators/ passengers without holding any
responsibility for events and without any genuine interest towards cause and
effect. If each person has been equipped, trained and nourished to think
independently of the process, his/ her capabilities will increase amazingly to
greater heights to unlock their skills and unleash their talents. It is estimated that
around 30% improvement can be accomplished straightaway, if these issues are
focussed on.
There must be a ‘Return On Investment’ factor in every training programme, as
a business proposition. If each training program is organised with a definite
objective, it will yield results only if it is nourished and nurtured at the shop
floor with full faith in and dedication to the new learning. All training must
have connectivity to the end results of augmenting ‘Organisation Effectiveness’.
Having understood these aspects, the following training programmes should be
carried out regularly to move from the extant level to the next higher level:
1. Skill Matrix training (regular till all operators reach MSO level with skills
of productivity/quality (self-inspection) with other skills on machine
maintenance, goalsetting, attachments/guides knowledge, team
effectiveness, etc.
2. Team Building: To understand the effectiveness of cohesive team
building, individual and team effectiveness.
3. Style Management: To gain knowledge on the overall style management
and its complexities and also its implications re overall performance.
4. Failure Mode And Effects Analysis [FMEA]: This is an effective tool to
pre-plan the style and to understand the criticalities on the shop floor on
live production flow.

16. 5. Quality Circle: To get trained on self-inspection, innovation and creating
new ideas for the product improvement. Here, people are empowered to
bring out their experiences and knowledge with an open mind to improve
collective performance.
6. Comunication Skills and Personality Development: To get cultural and
behavioural training to improve ‘Individual Effectiveness’ in the
organisation as well to carry suitable best practices amended to meet his
home environment for healthy living.
7. Industrial Engineering: To get to know the fundamentals and to obtain the
optimum productivity through improved methods and cost effectiveness.
This will help the shop floor management to focus on higher productivity
/wastage/cost control, etc.
8. Managerial / Leadership Skills: To avoid creating stress at work and to
lead the people with more people-friendly behavior.
9. Waste Management: To get exposed to the waste of 9 important resources
to accomplish cost effectiveness.
10.Total Productive Maintenance [TPM]: 5S and 3M.
11.Health, Safety and First aid: To get to learn the basics.
12.Supervisory Skill Management/ Shop Floor Management: Self-
explanatory.
13.Lean Management, Finance Management Service [FMS], Capacity
Planning, Computerised Performance System [CPS], Time and Action
Calendar [TAC], Value Stream Mapping [VSM], Multimedia
Management Service [MMS]. (All these can be provided, based on the
fundamental capability of the Organisation].
One would expect (at least) the following seven (7) major goals, here provided
the formulae for each target to help you understand how these benchmarks were
calculated:
1. Efficiency of direct labour work force to exceed 100%:
Average direct labour worker earns more than 60 Standard Allowed
Minutes [‘SAMs’] per hour.

17. 2. Meet or beat scheduled workloads:
Total Produced SAMS = < Total Scheduled SAMS
3. Quality rejects not to exceed 1/4 of 1% of total production:
Total Defective Units ÷ Total Production Units x 100; Limited to sewing
rejects discovered at final Quality Audit.
4. Total Direct Labour Variances
Time work, make-up, overtime premium not to exceed 15% of Total
Incentive Payroll:
5. Annual direct labour turnover, not to exceed 30%:
Labour Turnover % = Number of Separations x 100%
___________________________
Average Direct Labour Work Force
6. Absenteeism not to exceed 3%:
Total number of available work days [all direct labour employees] ÷
Total number of annual absence days [all direct labour employees]
Tardiness not to exceed 2%: Total number of available annual minutes [all
direct labour employees] ÷ Total number of annual tardiness minutes [all direct
labour employees]