Home > Daily Necessities > Intelligent Automation in Shirt Making

Shirt is one of the few garments that have less automated machines for its sewing operations in comparison to the trouser. For the sewing of a men’s shirt, automation is available only for parts preparation, whereas trouser has automated machines available for its assembly too. This is one of the reasons why a shirt is manufactured using a Modular Production System, which is a combination of Bundle System (parts preparation) and Unit Production System (assembly by manual or automatic conveyor). In the present article, Roberto Inglesi, consultant and industry expert, talks about the benefit of automation and workstation reengineering for making shirt using different arrangements in modular system.

The main objective of Automation is to broadly focus upon reducing manpower and cost, while maintaining consistent quality and increasing productivity. Besides these broad advantages, there are many more benefits of using automated machines that can be broken down to more detailed aspects such as:

Reduced handling

Better WIP control

Reduce skill requirement

Facilitate production management

liminate helpers

Reduce power consumption

Reduce operator stress and fatigue

Create a better work environment

Easy production accountability

Eliminate extra preparation work

Reduce alterations.

When upgrading the technology of the production floor, one should be aware of the constraints that would subsequently be faced in the entire production system. In fact, to achieve the benefits of automation, it is essential to integrate the automatic machine with the production layout as many times it is observed that the target is not achieved simply because of inconsistency in work flow and improper utilization of the machine.

Cutting fabric using CAD/CAM is most probably one area where automation has taken place more than any other area in production: in fact right from automising fabric loaders to spreader and cutter, the entire process if properly planned, can give high gains and reduce manpower. An automatic cutter has become a priority for the industry today which can utilize this technology not only to improve output of the cutting room but also help achieve higher efficiency in optimizing the sewing capacity to achieve higher efficiencies.

Even an automatic machine cannot give the desired quality unless the components have been cut with high precision. However, there are some machines such as the basic automised run stitch machine which do not require precision cutting as they are fitted with an edge cutter which automatically trims excess fabric.

The operations in Table 1 are the most common that can be automated in the shirt making process. Many of them can be performed with the help of pre-folding machines that facilitate not only the operation itself but also the next operator who can perform better as the parts are perfectly pre-formed. One cannot think of automation in sewing parts without automating the cutting room with CAD/CAM: Only after implementing CAD/CAM can one think of automation in the parts section. Some of these operations have been discussed in detail.

[1] Front & Half Sleeve Creasing Machine

The 1005 model from MAICA for folding fronts & half sleeves employs a folding system that facilitates folding over the edge of the fabric with complete precision along the entire length of the crease. It offers a creasing range of up to 900 mm in length and gives a choice of inserting both adhesive and non adhesive interlines both manually and automatically. The 1005 also incorporates an automatic stacker, which takes off the folded part after creasing. For the creasing of striped fabric, the machine is equipped with a laser for aligning fabric produces over 400 folded pieces per hour. Alternatively, if this operation is done manually using a simple iron box, then there are issues such as uncontrolled shrinkage or elongation in addition to the requirement of up to 4 helpers.

Basic Advantages

Eliminates 3 operators

Eliminates elongation or shrinkage problems

No Skill requirement

Improved quality

Eliminates fusing operation.

[2] MAICA Front Sewing and Automated Device for Button Holing

Floating Workstation:

1 Operator 2 Machines.

This is a typical example where one operator capably performs two different operations (Floating Workstation). The combination of two such machines requires loading of components in such a way that the operator has enough time to handle both the machine operations and deliver 1500/1800 front placket stitching and completed buttons holes.

With its automatic MCD unit, it distinguishes itself for easy handling and the quality of the final product. During stitching, a suction system aligns the fabric for perfect stitching. The fabric then passes under a heated puller to eliminate wrinkles in the front strip. The machine is equipped with automatic thread cutting and stacking and the sewing and conveyor speed are adjusted electronically.

The stitch length can vary from a minimum of 0.8 to a maximum of 30 mm, which combined with the new MA 04 button hole indexer from MAICA, makes the operation faster. In addition to this, the machine is equipped with a self-levelling guide that allows perfect alignment of the fabric during stitching.

The guide is controlled by a motor that allows the operator to perfectly centre the stitching of the button holes on the shirt. There is also the option of performing the buttonholes at a specific distance, even with different sizes for each buttonhole. The progress of the fabric between one buttonhole and the other is performed by a motorized conveyor. At the end of the stitching, a stacker raises the piece. This allows one person to control two or three stitching units.

Basic Advantages

Reduces operator requirement to just 1, from 4 to 5. Eliminates button hole marking

No Skill requirement

Improved consistency in quality

Regular Button Hole spacing.

[3] Automatic Pocket Setter from MAICA

When talking of automation, pocket attachment is the most popular operation. When manufacturing denim trousers, this technology is ardently used and also gives good results. For shirt too there are many solutions available in the market but very few can give good results on solids or when matching stripe and checks on a fabric. The UAM01 model of MAICA is an innovative system that gives a perfect pocket matching. Functioning at a very high speed, the operation takes less than 12 seconds: The same operation done by a traditional method to achieve a daily output of 1800 pockets per day may require 2 pocket ironing tables and minimum highly skilled operators. If the cutting is done by block, then one will require 2 more trimmers, adding to a total of 8 operators against 1 unskilled operator.

Basic Advantages

Reduces 6 to 8 operators for the same output

Eliminates pocket pressing and trimming

No Skill requirement

Consistent high quality.

[4] Automatic Run Stitch Machine

This is a very innovative and unique machine which has been completely automated for doing running stitch on collars, cuffs, epaulette, flap and other parts which require the operation. Many semi-automatic run stitch machines are available in the market but the processing time for loading is very high when compared to MAICA model UAM03; in fact one operator can do stitching and trimming of up to 1800 collars or pair of cuffs per day.

Basic Advantages

Reduces 3 high skilled operations for the same output

Eliminates marking lines

No Skill requirement

Consistent high quality

Fullness device

Laser light for matching checks and stripes.

[5] Fusing Machine

The MP 2S Fusing machine of MAICA has been created to satisfy the requirements of the most demanding clients for the adhesion of collar, cuffs and other details. A tacking system makes it possible to fix the fabric before it enters the adhesive phase. The temperature is controlled from a touch screen that allows quick and easy adjustment of resistance. To conclude an unloading device allows methodical stacking of the pieces when the operation has terminated without the presence of many people around the fusing machine. Usually, one person is sufficient to fuse more than 4000 parts per day.

Basic Advantages

Reduces 5/6 operators for the same output

Consistent high quality

Low power consumption.

[6] Cuff Form

This MAICA machine manually sets the cuff on a template, which spreads out and is interchangeable according to cuff shape: It automatically positions the cuff into the machine where, going through two heated tapes, it is pressed and fused accordingly to a preset cycle. Once completed, the cuff is lifted by an automatic discharger that cools and stacks it. The unit is equipped with a PLC which regulates the working cycle (times and temperature) according to material type. Using the same kind of cuff, produces 300 pieces per hour. The advantage on the MSP is the precision that cuff is pressing at the level of attaching that can be made in only one operation and avoid the piping that is often present under cuff.

Basic Advantages

Consistent high quality

Low power consumption

Cuff can be attached in one operation.

[7] Shirt Front Trimming Machine

This machine from MAICA is the only one in the world that offers precision in centering of striped fabrics with edge trimming and equalizing. The machine centres the front panel, buttonhole or button side, by means of a laser light that lines up striped fabrics with the utmost precision. Cutting of the fabric is done by a cutter with cobalt counter blade. The machine is fitted with a rear stacker which piles up the other half of the shirt front if it is to be cut only in half. The machine can trim a piece of cloth measuring 950 mm in length, 480 mm in width, and equalize up to a height of 100 mm. In fact, this machine can be the solution to reduce workers in the cutting room.

Basic Advantages

Consistent high quality

High cutting precision

No skill requirement

Reduces between 8 to 10 operators on cutting.

What Next?

Some international Fairs have recently been used as a platform to display machines that attach the sleeved placket through an automatic process without pre-folding. The idea is interesting but the results are yet to be satisfactory. “Intelligent Automation” is the inevitable path that the industry should take in order to avoid the excess usage of manpower; but it should also get consistent in terms of quality and productivity.

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