A Real Time Data Collection System on the sewing floor empowers the organization to track operator performance, maintain an operator skill matrix, monitor the increase/decrease in efficiency and productivity, calculate the wages with precision and do effective line balancing which helps in creating a transparent operational model. The system operates on the basis of putting the emphasis of all information collection systems where it matters most – at needle point. ‘Real time’, ‘Online’, ‘Live-Feed’ and ‘Continuous-Feed’, these are some of the terminologies that are used in collecting data from production floor. However, innovations and improvements are always in the pipeline, one such development has been real time data collection by monitoring the motor of the sewing machine, for further accuracy, while being operator-proof. Another interesting development is the inclusion of knitting machines for real time data collection. In a recent development Memminger IRO has introduced the knitting machines Navigator System which enables collection of real time data from circular knitting machines and that too from a remote location.
In a usual scenario production and that too among very few organized companies, data is collected at a predetermined time everyday from each department individually and recorded in a register, later this data is converted in excel format for analysis. With time, an excel format was replaced by an ERP system, but the data per se was still collected manually. Then came the barcode tags which were attached to every garment enabling data to be collected in real time to a certain extent. Although barcodes were quite efficient, counterfeit or replication was easily possible and the barcode-scanners had limited usability. This led to development of RFID tags – that were faster, smarter and smaller, all the loop holes in data collection via barcode tags was removed. Further advancements which surfaced were development of real time data collection terminals in-built with barcode and RFID readers along with a lot of other features. These terminals are connected to a central software, displaying machine, operator, style and operation-wise production status to the supervisor, while displaying the SAM of the operation, today’s target v/s the number of pieces completed, standard efficiency v/s the actual efficiency, piece-rate, etc. to the sewing operator. This technology has been widely accepted by many apparel manufacturers across the globe.
In conventional/manual systems there is always latency between what’s collected and what’s happening, whereas effective production planning requires zero-latency data collection from production floor. In sewing, all UPS (Unit Production Systems) systems enabled by automated overhead material handling systems have integrated real time data collection process capable of not only collecting but also analysing data in real time, whereas in progressive bundle unit (PBU) system, real time data collection is done by operator feeding/scanning bundle record on individual keypad or data capture directly from sewing machine.
Real Time Data Collection Systems have been available for almost a decade around the world, but it is only recently that real time shop floor data collection in PBU system has found acceptance among apparel manufacturers in India both working for the domestic and export market. The popularity of the system has penetrated to even the smaller manufacturers/exporters because of its benefit realisations. The Real Time Data Collection Systems that have had significant influence in the garment industry are Leadtec System in India, Raptor System from Sabre Tech in Sri Lanka and G-Pro System in Bangladesh.
The NCR is leading the pack with Leadtec installation in Akriti Apparels, Radnik Exports, Pee Empro Exports and Orient Fashions to name a few. MRS fashions in Bahrain and Lenny Fashions in Bangladesh are early adopters of G-Pro system. Inspire real time data collection system from Xcellent Automation Technologies, Chennai, has successfully installed their systems in companies like SRG Apparels, NSP Textile, RV Garments, all based in Tirupur.
Among the latest innovations in the area has been the development of real time data collection by networking the sewing machine via their motors. Sewing machine motors with RS 232 converter/interface are connected to the Ethernet by means of gateways, which further connects each machine to the host computer for collation and analysis of the data. Each sewing machine has a unique number, which is used by the operator for logging-in on the terminal to be operational. However, during service and repair work the machine must be disconnected from the EthernetLink to operate without logging in. Benefits of this technology were foreseen by the German sewing machine motor manufacturer Efka, which first unveiled the concept at the IMB fair in 2000, subsequently Juki Production Support System (JPSS) and Brother BES 300N also developed their prototypes, but neither got the desired response from the market, as these technologies were quite advanced at that time, but are surely something to watch out for in the coming times.
With people realizing value of time (zero latency), increasing cost of labour (engaged in data collection), foolproof data (without manual error) as well as cost of technology coming down substantially (over the years), many more companies are implementing real time data collection systems.
