Development of a modular garment assembly line simulator

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a modular garment assembly line simulator that can be used for various production methods such as traditional mass production or modern small quantity batch production.

Design/methodology/approach

For realistic simulation, the actual shape and sewing information of the garment patterns were used. The assembly line consists of process units including the cutter, preprocessor, module assembly, final assembly, finish, and stack units. Any number of units can be arranged and connected to form various layouts. The simulation can be run at an arbitrary speed.

Findings

This system can be used to estimate the time required to process the given order for a specific layout. Therefore, it can be utilized as the basis for optimum production line design.

Originality/value

This system is expected to be utilized by garment manufacturers for obtaining the productivity improvement, production cost reduction, and increased competitiveness.

Citation

Kim, E.T. and Kim, S. (2020), "Development of a modular garment assembly line simulator", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 645-659. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCST-10-2019-0151