Optimizing Sewing Line Balancing in Apparel Manufacturing through Digitalization

Bülent Koç; Selin Hanife Eryürük

doi:10.2478/ftee-2025-0002

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Optimizing Sewing Line Balancing in Apparel Manufacturing through Digitalization

Fibres & Textiles in Eastern Europe

Volume 33 (2025): Issue 1 (May 2025)

By: Bülent Koç and Selin Hanife Eryürük

Open Access

|May 2025

Figures & Tables

Dynamic Workflow Optimization Framework for PMD

Overview of Digitalization in Garment Manufacturing

Details	Values
Start of Shift	08:00
Time at Measurement	12:00
Downtime	30 minutes
Production Quantity	250 pieces
Standard Minute Value (SMV)	0.5 min/pcs

Calculations	Formula	Details
Production Time	250pcs × 0.5min/pcs	125 min
Time Difference	12:00 − 08:00 = 4hours	240 min
Actual Working Time	240min − 30min	210 min
Performance Calculation	((125 min)/(210 min)) ×100	59.5%

Image of the D6250 Ladies’ Trouser Model

Table 1.

Sewing Work Elements, Machine Types, and Standard Minute Values for the D6250 Trousers

Task Number	Operation	Machine	SMV (min)
1	Belt Ironing	Ironing Board	0.296
2	Elastic Joining	Elastic Feeding	0.206
3	Belt Elastic Marking	Manual	0.264
4	Elastic Holding	Flatlock	0.560
5	Belt Joining	Lockstitch	0.294
6	Belt Closing	Flatlock	0.496
7	Cuff Ribbing Attachment	Lockstitch	0.698
8	Front Panel Attachment	Lockstitch	0.480
9	Front Seam Joining (x2)	Lockstitch	0.599
10	Back Panel Joining	Lockstitch	0.555
11	Inner Seam Joining	Lockstitch	0.867
12	Belt Attachment + Thread Cleaning	Overlock	0.618
13	Belt Cuff	Coverstitch	0.591
14	Hem Bartack (x2) + Thread Cleaning	Bartack	0.345
15	Label Attachment	Flatlock	0.315
16	Label Removal (x9) + Turning & Stacking	Manual	0.309
17	First Control	Manual	0.505
18	Ironing	Ironing Board	0.587
19	Quality Control	Manual	0.606

Sewing Process Workflow Chart for the D6250 Trousers

Software Algorithm Optimization Interface

Table 2.

Capacity Calculations Based on Task Durations of Work Elements for the D6250 Trousers Model

Task Number	Operation	Machine	SMV (min.)	Hourly Amount	Capacity (Employee/Machine)	Working Hours
1	Belt Ironing	Ironing Board	0.296	202.70	0.47	4.23
2	Elastic Joining	Elastic Feeding	0.206	291.26	0.33	2.97
3	Belt Elastic Marking	Manual	0.264	227.27	0.42	3.78
4	Elastic Holding	Flatlock	0.560	107.14	0.89	8.01
5	Belt Joining	Lockstitch	0.294	204.08	0.47	4.23
6	Belt Closing	Flatlock	0.496	120.97	0.79	7.11
7	Cuff Ribbing Attachment	Lockstitch	0.698	85.96	1.11	9.99
8	Front Panel Attachment	Lockstitch	0.480	125.00	0.77	6.93
9	Front Seam Joining (x2)	Lockstitch	0.599	100.17	0.96	8.64
10	Back Panel Joining	Lockstitch	0.555	108.11	0.89	8.01
11	Inner Seam Joining	Lockstitch	0.867	69.20	1.38	12.42
12	Belt Attachment + Thread Cleaning	Overlock	0.618	97.09	0.99	8.91
13	Belt Cuff	Coverstitch	0.591	101.52	0.94	8.46
14	Hem Bartack (x2) + Thread Cleaning	Bartack	0.345	173.91	0.55	4.95
15	Label Attachment	Flatlock	0.315	190.48	0.50	4.50
16	Label Removal (x9) + Turning & Stacking	Manual	0.309	194.17	0.49	4.41
17	First Control	Manual	0.505	118.81	0.81	7.29
18	Ironing	Ironing Board	0.587	102.21	0.94	8.46
19	Quality Control	Manual	0.606	99.01	0.97	8.73

Table 3.

Capacity Algorithm Application Based on the Cycle Takt Time for the D6250 Trousers Model

Task Number	Operation	Machine	SMV (min.)	Performance %	Actual SMV (min.)	Takt Time (min.)	Required Operator	Assigned Operator	Leap Operator	Unassigned Time (min.)
1	Belt Ironing	Ironing Board	0.296	63.00	0.470	0.626	0.751	0	0.751	405.43
2	Elastic Joining	Elastic Feeding	0.206	75.00	0.273	0.626	0.436	0	0.436	235.50
3	Belt Elastic Marking	Manual	0.264	80.00	0.330	0.626	0.527	0	0.527	284.66
4	Elastic Holding	Flatlock	0.560	54.00	1.037	0.626	1.657	1	0.657	354.54
5	Belt Joining	Lockstitch	0.294	77.00	0.382	0.626	0.610	0	0.610	329.52
6	Belt Closing	Flatlock	0.496	50.00	1.002	0.626	1.601	1	0.601	324.35
7	Cuff Ribbing Attachment	Lockstitch	0.698	75.00	0.929	0.626	1.484	1	0.484	261.37
8	Front Panel Attachment	Lockstitch	0.480	70.00	0.690	0.626	1.102	1	0.102	55.21
9	Front Seam Joining (x2)	Lockstitch	0.599	78.00	0.768	0.626	1.227	1	0.227	122.49
10	Back Panel Joining	Lockstitch	0.555	67.00	0.824	0.626	1.316	1	0.316	170.80
11	Inner Seam Joining	Lockstitch	0.867	101.00	0.862	0.626	1.377	1	0.377	203.58
12	Belt Attachment	Overlock	0.618	56.00	1.114	0.626	1.780	1	0.780	420.96
13	Belt Cuff	Coverstitch	0.591	76.00	0.782	0.626	1.249	1	0.249	134.57
14	Hem Bar Tack (x2)	Bar Tack	0.345	30.00	1.142	0.626	1.824	1	0.824	445.11
15	Label Attachment	Flatlock	0.315	63.00	0.500	0.626	0.799	0	0.799	431.31
16	Label Removal (x9)	Manual	0.309	75.00	0.415	0.626	0.663	0	0.663	357.99
17	First Control	Manual	0.505	78.00	0.650	0.626	1.038	1	0.038	20.70
18	Ironing	Ironing Board	0.587	76.00	0.776	0.626	1.240	1	0.240	129.39
19	Final Control	Manual	0.606	42.00	1.428	0.626	2.281	2	0.281	151.82

Operation Priority and Dependency Input Screen for Ranked Positional Weight (RPW) Calculation

Calculation of the Ranked Positional Weight (RPW) Method for Optimizing Operation Assignments

Screen Displaying Optimization Result Values

Access Interface for Line Optimization Results and Yamazumi Chart in the Digital Line Balancing Program

Table 4.

Task Times for Assigned Operators and Workstations

Task	Station Number	Operation	Machine	Operator	Station Time (min)
1	15	Belt Ironing Ironing Board	Ironing Board	M.C.	405.43
2	16	Elastic Joining	Elastic Feeding	S.A.	235.5
3	17	Belt Elastic Marking	Manual	N.K	284.66
4	1	Elastic Holding	Flatlock	M.E	540
4	18	Elastic Holding	Flatlock	B.I	354.54
5	19	Belt Joining	Lochstitch	G.K	329.52
6	2	Belt Closing	Flatlock	S.Y	540
6	20	Belt Closing	Flatlock	H.S	324.35
7	3	Cuff Ribbing Attachment	Lockstitch	Z.K	540
7	16	Cuff Ribbing Attachment	Lockstitch	S.A.	261.37
8	4	Front Panel Attach+ Label Removal	Lockstitch	AY.P.	540
8	18	Front Panel Attach+ Label Removal	Lockstitch	B.I	55.21
9	5	Front Seam Joiningx2	Lockstitch	SE.A.	540
9	18	Front Seam Joiningx2	Lockstitch	B.I	122.49
10	6	Back Panel Joining	Lockstitch	M.G	540
10	19	Back Panel Joining	Lockstitch	G.K	170.8
11	7	Inner Seam Joining	Lockstitch	H.T	540
11	20	Inner Seam Joining	Lockstitch	H.S	203.58
12	8	Belt Attachment + Thread Cleaning	Overlock	S.H	540
12	21	Belt Attachment + Thread Cleaning	Overlock	MH.E.	420.96
13	9	Belt Cuff Coverstitch	Coverstitch	Y.T	540
13	22	Belt Cuff Coverstitch	Coverstitch	AY.E.	134.57
14	10	Hem Bartack x2 + Thread Cleaning	Bartack	ER.T	540
14	23	Hem Bartack x2 + Thread Cleaning	Bartack	AY.K	445.11
15	24	Decorative Label Attachment	Flatlock	EL.O.	431.31
16	25	Label Removal X9 + Turning and Stacking	Manual	SE.K.	357.99
17	11	First Control	Manual	SV.M.	540
17	25	First Control	Manual	SE.K.	20.7
18	12	Ironing	Ironing Board	UG.D.	540
18	25	Ironing	Ironing Board	SE.K.	129.39
19	13	Fınal Control	Manual	HU.Y.	540
19	14	Fınal Control	Manual	KA.A.	540
19	26	Fınal Control	Manual	ME.M	151.82

Total Durations of Operations Assigned to Workstations

Current Sewing Line Layout for the D6250 Trouser Model

Table 5.

Comparative Analysis of Key Production Metrics Before and After Optimization

Operational Metric	Before Optimization	After Optimization	Difference	Percentage Change
Daily Production Quantity	718 pieces	862 pieces	+144 pieces	+20.06%
Daily Working Time	540 minutes	540 minutes
Total Actual Standard Time	14.37 minutes	14.37 minutes
Line Efficiency	79.68%	88.31%	+8.63%	+10.83%
Number of Current Operators	24 employees	26 employees	+2 people	+8.33%
Labour Productivity	30 pieces	33 pieces	+3 pieces	+10%

References

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ftee-2025-0002 | Journal eISSN: 2300-7354 | Journal ISSN: 1230-3666

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Language: English

Page range: 10 - 26

Published on: May 28, 2025

Published by: Łukasiewicz Research Network-Łódź Institute of Technology

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: Volume open

Keywords:

Apparel Manufacturing,

Digitalization,

Process Monitoring Devices (PMDs),

Digital Lean,

Digital Line-Balancing

Related subjects:

Business and economics,

Business management,

Business informatics,

Process management,

Industrial chemistry,

Cellulose, paper and textiles,

Polymer science and technology,

Materials sciences,

Biomaterials and natural materials

© 2025 Bülent Koç, Selin Hanife Eryürük, published by Łukasiewicz Research Network-Łódź Institute of Technology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Volume 33 (2025): Issue 1 (May 2025)

Optimizing Sewing Line Balancing in Apparel Manufacturing through Digitalization

Figures & Tables

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Table 1.

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Table 2.

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Table 4.

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Table 5.

Paradigm

My account