Introduction

Garment styles are changing rapidly. Also, the fast-changing economic conditions such as global competition, declining profit margins, customer demand for high-quality products, product variety, and reduced lead time have had a major impact on manufacturing industries. The demand for higher value at a lower price is increasing, and to survive, apparel manufacturers need to improve their operations by producing right-first-time quality and reducing waste. Meeting buyer's expectations and requirements is essential for survival and growth. Therefore, quality is becoming a vital key to the successful growth of a company. Rework in the garment industry is a common issue that hampers smooth production rates. Rework is a significant problem for poor-quality products and low production rates. Stitching operations, especially concerning cutting and finishing, require high skill and quality work due to the difficulties associated with repairing products sewn with incorrect specifications. Thus, more attention must be given to stitching than to cutting and finishing. This article describes how a traffic light system on the sewing floor can be used to detect defects at the source level.

What Is Traffic Light System

The traffic light system is the most effective inspection tool to reduce defect generation at the source. This is a random inspection system. The traffic light system is more effective in controlling shop floor quality than other quality tools because of its visual communication. At the same time, it measures operators' performance levels in terms of quality. No operators want to be seen as lower-quality workers, so they focus on quality aspects during the garment stitching process. The inline checking system will alert operators to concentrate on their jobs. When fewer defective seams are produced, less time is lost in repairing them. It also helps in other ways. For example, if an operator doesn't understand the specifications at the start of a new style, an interaction with a quality inspector can clarify the quality requirements. The Traffic Light System is designed to flag problems at the source and allows immediate corrective action rather than continuing to manufacture potentially defective products.

How It Works

The Traffic Light System is a visual control for highlighting quality issues in the sewing line. It works similarly to how transportation traffic light systems operate. Three different-colored cards are placed at each operator's station. Green indicates that the quality meets the customer's standard. Yellow indicates that a minor fault has been found, and caution is required. Red indicates that the quality standard does not meet the customer's requirements.


One Inline Quality Checker is to be allocated for every line of particular style or cover 15 or 20 Workstations. She/he has to check the semi finished garment pieces from current bundle once in an hour or two. Pieces will be taken randomly and check all the quality parameters required for that operation. Stitches per inch, seam width, sewing allowance, correct trims and their placement and measurement etc are to be verified by the Inline Quality checker. While inspecting, depending upon the quality level, colour cards are placed on their machine.


The red card is given for those, who are identified by the line supervisor have produced 5 or more defective item out of ten pieces inspected. The yellow card is given to those who are identified by the line supervisor have produced 2 or more defective items out of ten inspected. The green card is given if no reworks are found. This can motivate the worker to produce good quality products. It is also an indication of how and which operator is going wrong to the production in charge and quality supervisor. They can monitor from any corner of the floor easily.

 

Number of pieces to be checked and limit of number of defect pieces for colour code change slightly differs in different factories depending upon the quality level they target. But when any worker who does multiple faults, a red card is hanged above his or her head that indicates that this worker is producing several faults that should be corrected and an extra care should be taken to this worker. The extra care may be in a way that he or she should be trained for that operation or if there have any problem, could be solved.


The format shown below is used for a single operator or workstation. A single sheet will keep record for the whole month for an operator. Inline Quality checker, on the first day of the month have to fill details such as Operator name, Line number and name of the Month. The format is displayed in two sections (front & back) to cover 31 days (whole month). Each row contains space to cover hourly inspections in a shift. The space is filled with respective colour pen. At the end of the day quality auditor /supervisor has to sign in the report. At the end of month, performance of operator can be easily noted form colour filled columns.


Employee Motivation


The system offers that, the best worker and the best line that scored highest should be honored by the management and some incentive should be given to them for their outstanding performance. The system also offers that, they should also be honored by being put a best quality badge for the whole month so that they could feel proud and all other workers could inspire to achieve the highest quality level. It is practiced by lot of factories nowadays and they find improvement in employee performance.


Success Stories


Md. Mazharul Isla et al reported that about 5% production capacity has been increased through quality improvement system when they implemented traffic light system in a company at Bangladesh. The monthly capacity before implementing the traffic light system was equivalent to 925 days production of one line for a month whereas after the system being implemented it reduced to 878 days with an improvement of 47 days production capacity.


In a study conducted by group of students after implementing traffic light system at Gokilaa Garments Tirupur, it is reported that the rework percentage has reduced from 2.14 % to 1.01 % in the sewing Line.


Conclusion


Traffic light system is a system that can be implemented easily in any garment manufacturing company and it will help to improve the quality status, reduced the cost, improve the lead time and thus strengthen the supply chain performance without increasing the resource. Poorly managed factory loses productivity up to 10% due to repair and reject. Hence implementation of traffic light system will help to get more quality products from Operators of this age.


References


  1. onlineclothingstudy.com
  2. Enhancing lean supply chain through traffic light quality management system, Md. Mazharul Islama and Md. Sadequr Rahmanb, Management Science Letters 3 (2013) 867878
  3. Productivity in Indian Apparel Industry: Paradigms and Paragons, Prof, Rajesh Bheda, Journal of Apparel Technology and Management, Vol 2 Issue 2, 2002.