How to Balance a Traditional

Sewing line?
 Line balancing

Sewing line?
A sequence of operations is involved in making a
garment. In bulk garment production, generally a team
works in an assembly line (Progressive Bundle system)
and each operator do one operation and give it other
operator to do next operation.

In this way garment reached to end of the line as a

completed garment.
 Line balancing

Imbalance Sewing line?

In the assembly line after some time of the line
setting, it is found that at some places in the line,
work is started to pile up i. e. WIP and few operators
sit idle due to unavailability of work.

When this situation happens in the line it is called an

imbalanced line.
 Line balancing

Reasons for Imbalance Sewing line?

Normally it happens due to two main reasons –

a) Variation in work content (time needed to do

an operation) in different operations and

b) Operator’s performance level.

 Line balancing

Rules for Balance Sewing line?

The main rules for line balancing is to eliminate or

reduce WIP (work in process) at bottleneck
operations.
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Steps for line balancing

The followings are the steps for line balancing:

Step 1: Capacity study

Step 2: Target setting

Step 3: Identification of bottleneck areas

Step 4: Eliminate bottlenecks from the line

 Line balancing
Tools required:

Tools required:

i) Stop watch

ii) Spread sheet or Calculator

 Line balancing

Step 1: Capacity study

List down all operations (with operator name) as per
operation sequence in a paper. Using stop watch cycle
time (time study) for each operation for five
consecutive cycles. With average cycle time calculate
hourly capacity of the operators. (i.e. operation cycle
time 30 seconds and total allowances is 20% then
capacity is 100 pieces per hour). Draw a line graph with
per hour capacity data.
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Step 2: Target setting

With the above capacity data set one can target output per
hour from one line.

Generally it is calculated using following formula (Target

per hour= Total no of operators X 60 /garment SAM).

Check current hourly operator production report.

Draw a straight line with target output data on the line

graph.
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Step 3: Identification of bottleneck areas

Now go to the capacity study table and compare each
operator’s capacity with the target capacity. Each
individual operator whose capacity is less than the target
output is bottleneck operation for the line. It is impossible
to improve imbalanced line’s output without improving
output of the bottleneck operations. A bottleneck
operation is like a weak link chain.
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Step 4: Eliminate bottlenecks from the line

Now to eliminate bottleneck areas use following methods which suites

best to one’s situation but one shouldn’t jump without trying initial steps.

The followings are the ways for eliminate bottlenecks:

1. Club operations.

2. Shuffle operators.

3. Reduce cycle time using work aids and attachments.

4. Improve workstation layout and improve methods.

5. Add more operators at bottleneck operations

6. Do extra work at bottleneck operations

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Club operations

Club operations where possible. Where there

is higher capacity than the target output, give
that operator another operation with less work
content. Considering machine type and sewing
thread colors.
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Shuffle operators

Operations that have low work content use low

performer there. And where work content is higher use
high performers.
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Reduce cycle time using work aids and attachments

To assist the operator in handling parts during sewing,

positioning cutting and disposing finished task, work
aids, guides or attachment can be used. Think of that if
possible provide operator with aids. It will reduce
operation cycle time.
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Improve workstation layout and improve methods

Most important area for improving output from a

particular operation is using best workstation
layout and best method of work. There is always a
chance that though improving method of
bottleneck operations one can do line balancing.
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Add more operators at bottleneck

operations.

Adding one additional machine is easy task than

others. Before adding one more machine compare
the cost-benefits of putting additional machine into
the line. It can be simple compared by estimating
machine productivity in both cases.
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Do extra work at bottleneck operations

At lunch break and Tea break when each operator of the

line goes for break, bottleneck operator can continue work
to feed next to his operator. Later he can take break. At the
end of the day tell this operator to work for one hour extra
to reduce the WIP.
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Important things to keep in mind

Conduct Time Study hourly basis and check

output of each operator.
Once he/she has eliminated one bottleneck,
he/she will find a new bottleneck operation.
Following the same methodology one can improve
line balancing.

Chowdhury Jony Moin, Asst. Prof, DTE,

18
AUST
Line balancing

example
 Line capacity & imbalance line
Before Balance

Obs. Standard Production

Cycle Time Idle
Operation Machine Time PR Allowance time per hour per
(sec) Time(min)
(sec) (sec) task

Task 1 DNLS 21.6 1 20% 21.6 25.92 138.89 1.62

Task 2 OL 21 1 20% 21 25.2 142.86 3.24
Task 3 OL 22.2 1 20% 22.2 26.64 135.14 0.00
Task 4 DNLS 6 1 20% 6 7.2 500.00 43.78
Task 5 SNLS 13.8 1 20% 13.8 16.56 217.39 22.70
Standard minute value SMV 1.692
Product Production per hour 135.14
Total Idle Time (min) 71.35
Efficiency 76.22

Chowdhury Jony Moin, Asst. Prof, DTE,

20
AUST
 Line balancing by adding workstation
at bottleneck
After Balance Target 200pcs/hr
Standard Production Production Idle
Obs. Time Cycle Time
Operation Machine PR Allowance time per hour per per hour per Time
(sec) (sec)
(sec) station task (sec)
Task 1 DNLS 21.6 1 20% 21.6 25.92 138.88
277.76 1575.36
Task 1 DNLS 21.6 1 20% 21.6 25.92 138.88
Task 2 OL 21 1 20% 21 25.2 142.85
285.7 1731.6
Task 2 OL 21 1 20% 21 25.2 142.85
Task 3 OL 22.2 1 20% 22.2 26.64 135.13
270.26 1419.12
Task 3 OL 22.2 1 20% 22.2 26.64 135.13
Task 4 DNLS 6 1 20% 6 7.2 500 500 2037.6
Task 5 SNLS 13.8 1 20% 13.8 16.56 217.39 217.39 6.48
Product Production per hour 217.39
Total Idle Time (min) 112.84
Efficiency 76.49

Chowdhury Jony Moin, Asst. Prof, DTE,

21
AUST
Line balancing by adding workstation
at bottleneck & Club operation
Club Operation Target 200pcs/hr
Production
Machine Production per Idle time
Machine Operation Standard time per hour per
type hour per station (sec)
No. task
1 Task 1 DNLS 25.92 138.89 =139+61 0.0
2 Task 2 OL 25.2 142.86 =143+58 0.0
3 Task 2 25.2 58.00 --
OL 406.8
Task 3 26.64 65.00
4 Task 3 OL 26.64 135.14 =65+135 0.0
5 Task 1 25.92 61.11
DNLS 576.0
Task 4 7.2 200.00 200
6 Task 5 SNLS 16.56 200.00 200 288.0
Total idle time (sec) 1270.8
Product Production per hour 200
Efficiency 94.12
Chowdhury Jony Moin, Asst. Prof, DTE,
22
AUST