Accurate Time Study: The Beginning of Basics

December 13-14, 2002

What apparel companies need?

Apparel companies need standard cost solution

China signed WTO agreement, more competitive environment is coming ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is building on foundation of BOM (Bill of Material) and BOL (Bill of Labor) BOM noted the standard costing for material, while BOL list the standard cost for manufacturing operation. Apparel companies looking for a better method of scheduling Apparel companies looking for a standard that is universal applicable Expecting the data could be use for production line balancing. Expecting the data could be used by sales/merchandising precise costing

Methods available

Traditional apparel companies heavily depends on experience staff in estimating product cost Time Base Standard Time base standard are widely used in western countries from the 30s until now. All operations and labor cost are based on time unit; the common one are
SAH (Standard Allow Hour), SAM (Standard Allow Minute) and SAS (Standard Allow Second)

All time base standard includes allowance for personal need, additional incentive and contingency.

Rating

Operation allowance for different machines

Allowance Standards for Various Garment Operations

Machine Machine Personal Incentive Type Delay & Fatigue Single Needle -Bobbin 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 -Looper 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 -Top Thread Only 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 Two Needles -Bobbin 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 -Looper 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 -Top Thread Only 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 Three Needles -Looper 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 -Top Thread Only 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 Four Needles -Looper 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 -Top Thread Only 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 Overlocking -Three Thread 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 -Five Thread 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 On the above operations allow a tolerance of +/- . % depending on type of work and length of machine cycle in relation to overa 11 (Discuss with supervisor, when in doubt.) Buttonhole -Bobbin (Single) 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 -Bobbin (Tandem) 1. % 11 11 . % 1. % 11 -Top Thread Only 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 -Chain Stitch (Single) 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 -Chain Stitch (Double) 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 On the following operations, allow % downward tolerance for machine delay on REECE S- tackers. 1 1 Button Sewing -Bobbin 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 -Top Thread Only 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 Semi-automatic Manual Operations Creasing (REECE; BRADDING) 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11 Bartack -Single 11 . % 11 . % 1. % 11

Operation Code
A BBREV IA TION ASS ATT B&F BAG BCK BDL BEL BLL BND BPK BRD BSM BTH BTS CLR CLS CTH CUF DRT DSG ELC F&B F&C FAC FAL FEL FIX FULL DESCRIPTION ASSEMBLE ATTACH BEARER & FACING POCKET BAG BACK BUNDLE BELT BELT LOOP BAND BACK POCKET BRAIDING BACK RISE SEAM BUTTONHOLE BUTTON SEWING COLLAR CLOSE CATCH CUFF DART DRAW STRING ELASTIC FRONT & BACK FLY & CATCH FACING FALL FELL FIX A BBREV IA TION LPL M/C MAN MRK NTH OLG OPS OSM PAD PBK PCH PFC PIP PKT PLQ PLT PRS QLT R&T RTT RUN SET SEW SHR SLM SLT SLV FULL DESCRIPTION LAPEL MACHINE MANUAL MARK NOTCH OVERLOCK OFF PRESS OUT SEAM PADDING PANEL BACK PATCH POCKET PANT FRONT PIPING POCKET PLACKET PLEAT PRESS QUILTING RUN STITCH & TURN RUN, TURN & TOPSTITCHING RUN STITCHING SET SEWING SHOULDER SLEEVE HEM SLIT SLEEVE

Time Base Standard

Apparel companies has two major method in establishing Time Base Standard Time Studies which base on industrial engineering technique by using stop-watch, element breakdown, rating, statistic analysis in establish SAM data. MTM (Motion Time Measurement) a technique allow engineer systematically breakdown operator motion in a sequence of motion. By well define the operation motion elements and convert motion code into time. Those time value put together become the standard value for analysis SAM.

Limitation on Time Studies

Standard procedures for time studies

a. Observe job and analyze to determine element. b. Grade the elements to give assessment of rate of working compared to accept. c. Use stopwatch to obtain times of each element - raw time. d. Select or average to give accepted time. e. Multiply raw time by grading factor to get 100% time. f. Multiply 100% time by the number of times it occurs per 100 garments to get 100% time / 100. g. Add allowances to 100% time to give standard allowed time. h. These comprise: (1) Machine Delay Allowance (Where applicable). (2) Personal And Fatigue Allowances. (3) Incentive Allowances (Where applicable).

Limitation on Time Studies

Observe job and analyze to determine elements is subject to the decision of industrial engineer. It may vary from engineer to engineer. The method adopted by operator are often different. Grading is an art. See the example It takes a long time to collect and build up sufficient samples before standardization could be achieved. SAM can never available before operations are performed, this is another chicken and egg story.

MTM method

International adopted standard from MTM organization. MTM data is well established and proven MTM method based on motion analysis, each motion is well analysis, excessive and unnecessary motions are removed. No human judgment on rating. MTM result could be reused, the motion sequence allow very detail describe the motion required for the job. Labor union agree on MTM standards.

Why apparel companies need time base standard?

Example on production capacity calculation

A manufacturing facility has

820 sewing worker 22 working day in a month 8 Hours in a day 60 minute in an hour 820 X 22 X 8 X 60 = 8,659,200 minute Or 144,320 hour

Capacity input:

If basic garment with 18.8 SAM is defined, the factory theoretical should be able produced 460,595 garment in a months time 8,659,200 minute / 18.8 SAM = 460,595 piece

If above example is extended to a more complicated style, the feasible output from the same manufacturing would vary as following (assume the skill and machine is constant)
8,659,200 minute / 18.8 SAM = 460,595 piece 8,659,200 minute / 20.8 SAM = 416,308 piece 8,659,200 minute / 22.8 SAM = 379,789 piece 8,659,200 minute / 24.8 SAM = 349,161 piece 8,659,200 minute / 26.8 SAM = 323,104 piece

This example show if the style is changing and vary with features and operation intensive, it could greatly affect the product capacity and cost!

What about costing?

Let see the costing from other prospective

Administrative cost: 250,000 per months Machine depreciation: 228,300 per months Rent and Utilities: 120,000 per month Total overhead could be :

250,000 + 228,300 + 120,000 = 598,300

Cost per input minutes would be $598,300/ 8,659,200 minutes = $ 0.069 per minutes The overhead absorb would be: Garment with 18.8 SAM = $0.069 X 18.8SAM = 1.2972 Garment with 20.8 SAM = $0.069 X 20.8SAM = 1.4352 Garment with 22.8 SAM = $0.069 X 22.8SAM = 1.5732 Garment with 24.8 SAM = $0.069 X 24.8SAM = 1.7112 Garment with 26.8 SAM = $0.069 X 26.8SAM = 1.8492

Labor Cost
Direct wage or labor could be calculated as following Minute wage: Target wage per month = 800 Working days in a month = 22 Minute in a day (8 X 60) = 480 Minute wage = 800 / (22 X 480) = 0.076 per minute

Garment with 18.8 SAM = $0.076 X 18.8SAM = 1.4288 Garment with 20.8 SAM = $0.076 X 20.8SAM = 1.5808 Garment with 22.8 SAM = $0.076 X 22.8SAM = 1.7328 Garment with 24.8 SAM = $0.076 X 24.8SAM = 1.8848 Garment with 26.8 SAM = $0.076 X 26.8SAM = 2.0368

What happened to total cost?

Lets put overhead absorption and labor cost together.

SAM 18.8 20.8 22.8 24.8 26.8

Labor 0.069 0.069 0.069 0.069 0.069

Overhead GMT Cost 0.076 2.726 0.076 0.076 0.076 0.076 3.016 3.306 3.596 3.886

Line balancing

Line Bal OPERATION DESC RIPTION -------------------------------1 SN SEW LABEL & SIZE ON W/B 1 DN ATTAC H WAISTBAND (1 ) 1 OVLK FLY FAC ING (1 T) 1 1OVLK BAC K POC KET BAG (1 T) 1 1WELT POC KET (1 ) 1 1OVLK BEND SIDE OF F.PKT (1 T) (1) 1 1ATT FAC ING W/TOPSTITC H END 1 1TRIM POC KET BAGS (L & S) 1 1TURN EDGESTITC H & SEW MIDDLE-SIDE 1 1OVLK FRONT JET PKT (1 ) 1 1MAKE DARTS 1 1TOPSTITC H BAC K WELT PKT (1) 1 1C LOSE BAC K PKT BAG (1 ) 1 1TOPSTITC H F.JET PKT (1 ) 1 1ATTAC H FRONT PKT BAG & MAKE NOTC H 1 1TOPSTITC H FRONT PKT MONTH (1/1) 1 1SN EDGESTITC H F.PKT (L PKT BAGS) 1 1OVLK FRONT C ROTC H (1 T) 1 1SET ZIP WITH FLY & C LOSE C ROTC H 1 1ATTAC H BELT LOOP (1 & SZ LBL ) ------4. 4 44 4 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1 11 1 1. 1 1. 1 11 1 1 11 1 1. 1 1. 1 11 1 1. 1 11 1 1 11 1 1. 1 1. 1 11 1 1 11 1 1. 1 1. 1 11 1 PC S --------44. 4 44 1 11 1. 11. 1 11 11. 1 11 11. 1 11 11. 1 11 1 11 1. 1 11 1. 1 11 1. 11. 1 11 1 11 1. 1 11 1. 1 11 1. 1 11 1. 1 11 1. 1 11 1. 1 11 1. 11. 1 11 1 11 1. 1 11 1. Existing ------11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 11 . 1 EFFEC TIVE BASE RATE --------4 44 4. 4 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1. 1 11 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 1 11 1. 1 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . 11 . Target 1 1PC S 1 SAM/111 Per 111 Piece Rate

MTM Solution

To enable apparel companies benefit from Time Base Standard without the lengthen process in collect operation samples and following procedures on statistical analysis in establishing SAM. Computer package on MTM creation could be a quick win for apparel companies Such as IMPACT software package from Gerber Technology.

Gerber IMPACT is a high level MTM-2 base system with easy to use and understanding elements.

IMPACT has four major MTM-2 high level elements DI elements for Dispose HA elements for Handling PO elements of Position PU elements of Pick Up

IMPACT elements Pick Up

Dispose
***************************************** PU11
PICK UP PIECE WITH TURN

Le (or rig hand (or both hands) is idleon thetableor coming ft ht) back from dis posing thepre vious pie . Thehand(s m s to re ce ) ove ach thepie and g ps w s ve fing r m m n (difficult g ce ras ith e ral e ove e ts rasp). Lifts thepart up in orde to m r akea turn, bring thepie down to s ce m achineand turns it s ultane ly. Theright (or thele hand im ous ft) us ually als g o rasps thepie to hold it. Thee m nt doe not include ce le e s any s traig ning nor any po itioning of thepie but doe include hte s ce s re as of thepie w le ing ce hich m takeplacelate on afte s ve ay r r e ral e m nts le e . Le hand ft 11 cm - 1 g t pie e ce lift to turn turn & bring to table 1-1 cm 11 # Code GC11 PA11 (PA11 ) Tm Code u 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 # Rig hand ht .4444 m in

GB1

g p if ne de ras e d .1111 m in

GC11 PA11 PA11 1-1 cm 11 GC11 PA11 PA11 1-1 cm 11 GC11 PA11 PA11

(GB11 ) .4444 m in (GB11 ) .1111 m in (GB11 )

IMPACT element - Position

***************************************** PO11
POSITION UNDER FOOT ACCURATELY

Thepie (or pie s is in hand. Thehand bring thepie unde ce ce ) s ce r thefoot and pos itions it accurate ly. Thepre s r foot has be n lifte se e d be forethee m nt and w bele dow during thene e m nt. le e ill t n xt le e Le hand ft 11 cm - 1 put & pos ition accurate ly 1-1 cm 11 # Code PC11 Tm Code u 1 1 1 1 = 1 1 1 1 = 1 1 1 1 = # Rig hand ht .1111 m in = .4444 m in

PC11 1-1 cm 11 PC11

.1111 m in

IMPACT element - Handling

***************************************** HA11
ALIGN NOTCHES
Hands m s ultane ly to e e of pie s and alig notche . ove im ous dg s ce n s Control of thepie s s ce hifts to therig hand w fing r m m nts ht ith e ove e . Thele hand s ft upports thealig e nm nt. Le hand ft 11 cm - 1 Ge and alig t n Support 1-1 cm 11 GB 11 PA11 1-1 cm 11 GC11 PA11 # Code GB11 PA11 Tm Code u 1 1 1 1 = 1 R 1 1 1 1 1 = 1 R 1 1 4 4 1 1 = 1 R 1 1 # Rig hand ht .1111 m in Chang control e .1111 m in

.1111 m in

IMPACT element - Dispose

***************************************** DI11
DISPOSE WITHOUT GRASP
Thepie is alre ce ady unde control of thehands Movethepie r . ce as w onecontinuous m m nt. ide ith ove e Le hand ft 11 cm - 1 m ove 1-1 cm 11 PB11 1-1 cm 11 PB11 1-1 cm 11 PB11 # Code PB11 Tm Code u 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 # Rig hand ht .1111 m in

.1111 m in

.1111 m in

.1111 m in

Category 1

Category 2

Class Code

Components

IMPACT Element Data Table

Federal Stitch Type Data Table

Machine Data Table

Method Auto Numbers

Pay Code

Season Data table

Skill Code Data Table

Method Analysis - Header

Method Analysis Core

Method Analysis - Result

Method Analysis Details

Sub Assembly A component of a garment

Sub Assembly Analysis

Sub-Assembly Analysis Additional Information

IMPACT Style

Style - Analysis

Style Additional Information

Warp Up

Apparel Companies need Time Base Standard to enhance existing operation in scheduling, precise costing, cost absorption calculation, line balancing. Heading with WTO; a more demanding situation; productivity is the key word. Need a quick solution, MTM-2 high level data could be a candidate for you!

Question?