GARMENT MANUFACTURING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
For Masters of Fashion Management.
OVERVIEW OF GARMENT MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Process Flow-Chart of Garments Manufacturing
The garment production processing steps and techniques involved in the manufacturing garments for the large scale of production in industrial basis for business purposes is called garments manufacturing technology. Garments factories are classified according to their product types are as follows: Garments Factory1. Woven Garment Factory. 2. Knit Garments factory 3. sweater Garments Factory Garments Manufacturing Process: Stepwise garments manufacturing sequence on industrial basis is given below: Design / Sketch Pattern Design Sample Making Production Pattern Grading Marker Making Spreading Cutting Sorting/Bundling Sewing/Assembling Inspection Pressing/ Finishing Final Inspection Packing Despatch
This is the Basic Production Flowchart of a Garment. In advance some of the process can be added or removed.
Garments Manufacturing Sequence
Garments manufacturing follows a flowchart where in each steps definite works are completed to carried out a complete garments. Here I will show you all of the garments manufacturing steps that you must follow to make a garment.
1. Design/ Sketch:
For the production of knit garments, or woven garments a sketch of a particular garment including its design features is essential to produce on paper so that after manufacturing of that garment could be verified or checked whether could be done manually or with the help of computer.
2. Pattern Design:
Hard paper copy of each component of the garment of exact dimension of each component is called pattern. The patterns also include seam allowance, trimming allowance, darts, and pleats, ease allowance, any special design etc affairs. Pattern design could also be done manually or with the help of computer.
3. Sample Making:
The patterns are used to cut the fabric. Then the garment components in fabric form are used to sew/assemble the garment. Sample garment manufacturing is to be done by a very efficient and technically sound person.
4. Production Pattern:
The patterns of the approved sample garment are used for making production pattern. During production pattern making, sometimes it may be necessary to modify patterns design if buyer or appropriate authority suggests any minor modification.
5. Grading:
Normally for large scale garments production of any style needs different sizes to produce from a set of particular size of patterns, the patterns of different sizes are produced by using grade rule which is called grading.
6. Marker Making:
All the pattern pieces for all the required sizes are arranged n the paper in such a way so that maximum number of garments could be produced with minimum fabric wastag4e. Markers are made for 6, 12, 18, 24 etc. pieces. Marker is also useful to estimate fabric consumption calculations.
7. Spreading:
It is the process of arranging fabrics on the spreading table as per length and width of the marker in stack form. Normally height of the lay/fabric is limited upto maximum six inches high. But 4 inch to 5 inch height of the lay is safe.
8. Fabric Cutting:
On the fabric lay/spread the marker paper is placed carefully and accurately, and pinned with the fabric to avoid unwanted movement or displacement of the marker paper. Normally straight knife cutting machine is used to cut out the garment component as per exact dimension of each patterns in stack form, care must be taken to avoid cutting defects.
9. Sorting/ Bundling:
After cutting the entire fabric lay, all the garments components in stack form is shorted out as per size and color. To avoid mistake in sorting, it is better to use code number on each pattern.
10. Sewing or Assembling:
It is the most important department/ section of a garment manufacturing industry. Sewing machines of different types are arranged as a vertical line to assemble the garments. Sequence of types of sewing machine arrangement depends on sequence of assembling operations. Number of sewing machine per line varies from 20 nos to 60 nos depending on the style of the ga4rmnet to be produce. Production pr line pr hour also varies from 100 to 150 pieces depending on specific circumstances. Number of sewing machine arrangement per line may be upto 60 depending on design and out put quantity of garment.
11. Inspection:
Each and every garment after sewing passes through the inspection table/ point, where the garments are thoroughly and carefully checked to detect/find any defect if present in the garment. The defects may be for example variation of measurement, sewing defect, fabric defects, spots etc. if the defect is possible to overcome, then the garment is sent to the respective person for correction. If the defect is not correctionable, then the garment is separated as wastage.
12. Pressing/ Finishing:
After passing through the inspection table, each garment is normally ironed/ pressed to remove unwanted crease and to improve the smoothness, so that the garments looks nice to the customer. Folding of the garment is also done here for poly packing of the garments as per required dimension.
13. Final Inspection:
It is the last stage of inspection f the manufactured garments on behalf of the garment manufacturing organization, to detect any defective garments before packing.
14. Packing:
After final inspection, the garments are poly-packed, dozen-wise, color wise, size ratio wise, bundled and packed in the cartoon. The cartoon is marked with important information in printed form which is seen from outside the cartoon easily. 15. Despatch: The cartoons of the manufactured garments are delivered or placed in the despatch department or finished product godown, from where the garments lot is delivered for shipment.
Cutting Sequence of Garment Fabric during Garment Manufacturing
There is a process or sequence which is strictly followed in the cutting section of a garment manufacturing industry. Sequence in Cutting Room: Marker Making Fabric Spreading Placing Marker Paper on to the Lay Fabric Cutting Numbering 100% checking & Parts Replacing if needed. Shorting & Bundling Input to Sewing Room. Only Expert Cutting Masters are allowed in Cutting Section of Garment to operate the whole cutting process of Garment Cloth. If any faults happens during cutting; the rest of the Garment manufacturing process would be badly hampered.
Cutting Tools that mostly used on cutting department in garment industry
Here is a list of cutting tools and accessories often used on cutting department in garment industry: 1. Scissor 2. Straight Knife. 3. Band Knife 4. Round Knife 5. Die Cutter 6. Computerized Knife Cutter. 7. Computerized Laser Cutter. 8. Drill Machine. Here Scissor is used in 100% cases in cutting section. Straight Knife is used in 100% cases for bulk cutting directly from lay cutting. The drill machine is specially used for position marking on the fabric that would be cut for making garment.
Drill Cutter & Die Cutter | Cutting Machine of Garment
Drill Cutter:
1. This is a secondary cutting machine. 2. Drill holes are helpful guide to positioning of various items. 3. Used for positioning of pockets, buttons & button holes, etc.
Die Cutter:
1. Mainly used for mass production of slow change items. 2. Dies having the exact shape of the garment pieces. 3. Some dies are sued over a long period.
Advantages of Die Cutter:
Very accurate and excellent for small components.
Methods of Cutting Fabric & Uses of Scissor
There are three major methods that used in our garment industry. 1. Fully Manual: By using scissor. In this method it is not possible to cut fabric directly from the lay.
2. Manually Operated Powered Knife Method. 3. Computerized Method. Uses of Scissor in Garment Industry: In Sample Section: 1. To cut fabric for sample garment. 2. Used for pattern cutting & making. In Cutting Section: 1. Not possible to cut fabric directly from the lay. 2. To cut roll end during fabric processing.
3. Used for faulty parts replacement. In Sewing Section: 1. For thread cutting. 2. Used for label cutting if needed. Finishing Section: In finishing section scissor is used for packaging and cartooning purpose.
Working principle of Straight Knife as Cutting Accessories
The Working Principle of Straight Knife of Garment Manufacturing which is used on Cutting Section are as belows1. Firstly, switch on this cutting machine. 2. Then, place the cutting machine at any corner of the table. 3. Then switch on the blade. 4. Then the operator moves the machine by hand through the stationary fabric layers and cut along marker lines until finish the marker. Disadvantages of Straight Knife as Cutting Machine: 1. Blade deflection occurs so quality may be hampered. 2. Skill hand required.
The Knife Band | Features of Band Knife Machines
The features of the Band knife which is used in cutting section of Garment manufacturing are described below: Features of Band Knife Machine: 1. This machine worked as saw mill technique. 2. Not possible to cut fabric directly from lay. 3. Block pieces of fabric required in bundle form to cut by this machine. 4. Blade moving vertically through a flat working table. 5. Machine remains stationary and fabric is moveable. 6. Specially used to cut small parts more accurately.
Disadvantages of Band Knife Machine: 1. Fabric wastage is high. 2. Work load high. 3. Push cutting needles in better vision but is more dangerous.
What Tools are needed for Pattern Making?
The following tools are needed for pattern making on Garment:1. Working surface: A flat or polished or laminated working top required. 2. Paper: White pattern paper (42*32) or strong brown paper required. 3. Pencil: Use hard pencils for drafting patterns (2H). Color pencils are useful for outlining areas. 4. Marker Pens: Required for writing clear instructions on patterns. 5. Set-Square: Useful in pattern making. 6. Scissors: For cutting the papers used in pattern making. 7. Metric Measuring Tape: For taking measurements & scale. 8. Compass, Rubber, Gum Tape etc are required.
The following marking points should have to be indicated on pattern:1. Style Number, 2. Size 3. Grain Line 4. Front Part/ Back Part 5. Straight Bottom/ Tailed Bottom.
