Question:
I need to know the detail about the advantages and disadvantages of the inspection at end of the sewing line and inspection at the finishing area.
In the existing production system, garment quality checking is not done at end of the sewing line. We move all the output garments from the production line to the finishing inspection area. The factory normally creates a huge WIP for finishing and checking. Our company hires more than enough workers to do it with overtime. Still, not be able to clear it by daily.
I have discussed with the senior management to try one line with inspection quality at end of the sewing line as found that it is useful. I need to know the advantage and disadvantages of these two processes. Kindly instruct some articles to et answer of my problem.
In the existing production system, garment quality checking is not done at end of the sewing line. We move all the output garments from the production line to the finishing inspection area. The factory normally creates a huge WIP for finishing and checking. Our company hires more than enough workers to do it with overtime. Still, not be able to clear it by daily.
I have discussed with the senior management to try one line with inspection quality at end of the sewing line as found that it is useful. I need to know the advantage and disadvantages of these two processes. Kindly instruct some articles to et answer of my problem.
Answer:
This is a valid concern raised by the reader. You can perform the garment checking process at the end-of-production-line just after completing stitching the garment. Or pile up the completed garments in the stitching floor and send garments to the garment finishing section for checking. Which one should be followed by a garment manufacturing company?Standard Practice in term of garment checking in a garment factory
Earlier garment factories used to check stitched garments at the of finishing section only. Garment making subcontractors still concern on production activity. Checking is not done by them. Now, you know production systems are changing and garment factories bringing the finishing section at the end of sewing line.
In the present years, most of the garment factories first check garments at the end-of-line, and later the same garment lots are checked in the finishing section in multiple stages - initial finishing checking and final checking, then final inspection and audit.
As per my opinion end-of-line inspection is better way for managing and controlling product quality and increasing the productivity. I don’t have data for the comparative analysis on this. The following points explain the advantages and disadvantages of these two scenarios of garment checking stages.
Related Articles: Quality Check Points in Garment Production
In the present years, most of the garment factories first check garments at the end-of-line, and later the same garment lots are checked in the finishing section in multiple stages - initial finishing checking and final checking, then final inspection and audit.
As per my opinion end-of-line inspection is better way for managing and controlling product quality and increasing the productivity. I don’t have data for the comparative analysis on this. The following points explain the advantages and disadvantages of these two scenarios of garment checking stages.
Related Articles: Quality Check Points in Garment Production
End-of-line checking Vs Finishing section checking
Advantages of End-of-line Checking
- Detecting the defective garment quicker and taking corrective action as early as possible. If you delay in identifying the defects in process, chances are more of making defective garments.
- When the end-line checker identifies defects in a garment, he can reach to the operator to explain the defects they are producing. Secondly, line supervisors come to know about the quality issue related to stitching, cutting and trims.
- Garments can be repaired on the same day and from the same operator and producing more defective garment by the same operator can be controlled.
- Operators those made defects, will be trained stitching an operation correctly and avoid making repeated defects.
Disadvantage of End-of-line Checking
- Additional manpower required for checking garments in the sewing floor
- Production flow gets hampered when defective garments are sent back to the production line operator for correcting the defects when they are working a fresh bundle.
Advantages of checking garment at finishing area
- You can reduce checkpoints in the whole garment manufacturing processes by concentrating all checking in the finishing area.
- Though you check garment at the end of line, defect will be found in the finishing area. You cannot eliminate garment checking at the finishing stage completely. You need to check garments prior to the pressing process.
- Production line can concentrate on producing more garments if there is not checking done on the production floor.
Disadvantage of checking garments in the Finishing area
- Need more checker and repairing operators which will increase factory overhead cost
- Checking and rechecking the same garment increases due to many defects will be found in the garments.
- More checking time and repair work time needed. May delay in shipment
- Factories need to manage huge inventory in the finishing area
- It will be very late if some critical defects found in the finishing stage (due to no checking is done on stitching line) and the garment needed part changing.
Though the process selection depends on the product type, I have compared the inspection stages considering both inspection stages are important to make quality garments and controlling the quality of the finished garments.