Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine Magazine March 2018 | Page 48
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Automation in Sewing Room – VII
Bottom Rib Attach Operation
in Sweatshirt Manufacturing
Automats have paved way for improving machine productivity and manpower utilization, especially for
bulk manufactured standard garments like polo T-shirts and sweatshirts. This has become even more
important in the era of rising manpower cost, which has compelled manufacturers to explore opportunities
for improving manpower and machine utilization. In such circumstances, use of automats has brought
significant improvement in productivity and quality by reducing operator dependency through job deskilling.
In this article, Team StitchWorld analyses the impact of use of automats in bottom rib attach operation for
a knitted sweatshirt and how it works for the industry’s benefit.
Conventional method
for bottom rib attach
operation
The conventional bottom rib attach
operation is completely manual
where the operator performs all
the tasks like band and body panel
handling, positioning, sewing
and disposing. This necessitates
use of skilled manpower, thereby
increasing human dependency and
chances of human induced errors.
The observed average cycle time
for bottom rib attach operation on
conventional machines is indicated
in Exhibit 1.1.
Technology behind
automatic bottom band
attaching operation
Pegasus and Atlanta Attachment
Company are prominent brands
in the market, offering automatic
bottom rib attach workstations.
Pegasus model EXT5104/433-4/
KS/FR151 is a semi-automatic
workstation which assists
an operator in guiding and
manipulating the tubular panel
during the sewing cycle. Operations
of band/body panel loading,
withdrawal and stacking are
manually performed by the
operator. Model 1278-6 from
Atlanta Attachment Company is an
automatic integrated workstation,
where operator’s task is limited
from loading of panel to the
holding of clamps. The machine
performs material positioning,
sewing and stacking operation on
its own.
Pegasus – Variable
Top Feed Cylinder Bed
Overedger: Model
EXT5104/433-4/FR151
Even though the
automats are
more suitable
for the bulk
manufactured
products that
offer longer
runs for smaller
orders, these
machines can
be utilized as
external tasks
by designing
the line plans
accordingly.
Model EXT5104/433-4/FR151
from Pegasus is a semi-automatic
cylinder bed 3-thread overedger
equipped with variable top feed
mechanism. The machine can
handle light-to-medium-to heavy-
weight fabrics. The differential
feed ratio can be adjusted via lever
that can be adjusted intermittently
during sewing. The machine
has a fully automatic lubrication
system. The FR in the model
number indicates that the machine
is equipped with fabric tensioner
device which holds the fabric and
elastic during sewing cycle of
tubular garments. The operator’s
task is restricted to folding the
48 Apparel Online Bangladesh | MARCH 2018 | www.apparelresources.com
bottom band and loading the band
and tubular garment panel to
the tensioner device. The device
expands and assists the operator
in manipulating the fabric tube
during the sewing cycle, thereby
deskilling the job and reducing
skilled operator’s dependency.
Withdrawal of stitched garment
from the tensioning device and
stacking is performed manually by
the operator. Productivity of the
machine is 267 pieces per hour or
2,133 pieces per shift of 8 hours
(refer Exhibit 1.1).
Atlanta Attachment
Company –
Automatic Rib Knit
Band Setting Station:
Model 1278-6
Model 1278-6 from Atlanta
Attachment Company is an
automatic workstation for sewing
circular bottom rib on sweatshirts.
This unit incorporates a cylinder
arm overlock sewing head with
vacuum thread trimmer giving a
precise cut. The machine utilizes
sewing heads from Pegasus, Juki
or Union Special. The workstation
has electronic controls with a dual
electronic active edge guiding