Knitting charge of single jersey fabric is only approximate 1.5-2% of FOB price of garments, 4.5 – 5 % for elastant jersey. Profit margin is not mentionable. Knitting factories those have only knitting facilities, they are passing tough times, meet up the overhead expenses becomes tougher even, and mostly they have to depend on subcontracting works.
Factories who can able to produce elastant jersey, fleece, rib, and other diversified product, and they can manage somehow.
So, if knit factories can able to implement lean tools, by which factories can able to reduce wastage, reduce downtime which leads to increase production with the same machines and manpower.
Today, I want to share a case study, how much factories can enhance production by implementing only one proven tool like Quick change over (QCO).
Quick change over is a proven tool which helps to reduce set up time, increases machine availability for production. Knitting machine servicing is inevitable matters, generally, we have to do servicing once per month of each machine. Periodic machine servicing ensures good quality grey fabrics as well as keep knitting elements in good conditions. Servicing duration depends on several factors, general practice is once in a month.
Generally, around 6 hours required to do the servicing of single jersey, it takes up to 13 hours for rib/interlock machines. On average, 9.5 hours is required to do the servicing.
If one factory of 100 machines, monthly total servicing time is 950 hours. If we consider average production per day per machine is 16.5 kg, total production loss for servicing is 15,675 kg per month.
I have implemented QCO methodology in one renowned knitting factory, where we have been able to bring down average servicing times to 4.5 hours, means 8250 kg additional production per month, yearly 99 tons production will be increased with existing machines and manpower, also noted, no investment is required.
This will be achieved only just setting the procedure as per lean philosophy and trained the concern peoples. If we consider, average knitting charge 15 tk/kg, additional revenue per annum will be 14.85 lacs.
