Hindawi

Mathematical Problems in Engineering

Volume 2024, Article ID 6697213, 13 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/6697213

Research Article
Improving Quality, Productivity, and Cost Aspects of a Sewing
Line of Apparel Industry Using TQM Approach

Raihan Ahmed Joy , Md Solaiman Hawlader , Md Saifur Rahman ,

Md. Rafayat Hossain , Shariful Islam Shamim , and Hosen Mahmud
Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research (NITER),
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Correspondence should be addressed to Raihan Ahmed Joy; [email protected]

Received 26 June 2023; Revised 25 December 2023; Accepted 11 January 2024; Published 2 February 2024

Academic Editor: A. M. Bastos Pereira

Copyright © 2024 Raihan Ahmed Joy et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Total quality management (TQM) is a methodical strategy to minimize defects through six processes including choosing the
manufacturer, gathering information, identifying the issues, analyzing the current situation, and coming up with solutions, putting
the plan into action, data collection, and result analysis. The study investigates how quality, productivity, and cost aspects of a
sewing line can be improved by implementing (TQM) approach in an apparel manufacturing industry in Bangladesh. This
research concentrates on reducing four primary types of faults in the sewing department of DMC Apparels Ltd., such as uncut
thread, up-down, broken stitch, and joint stitch. Proper information on several stitching errors was provided by the operators and
helpers and those are used to assess the study in the next step. Performing the Pareto analysis and histograms to identify the
primary concerns are part of the analyzing process. Moreover, using the 10 TQM pillars, the implementation step entails establish-
ing the TQM mindset in the sewing line of the apparel industry. Several data-gathering methods are utilized to analyze primary
data throughout the study’s final phase. To analyze the acquired data, Microsoft Excel was employed. The percentage of defect per
hundred unit was decreased by 1.51% after optimization, as the recommended solutions’ impact on the defect level in the section
was found to be quite significant. Significant parameters such as efficiency, quality, and cost aspect were analyzed and showed
positive changes after implementing the TQM approach. The new technical layout also allows for the saving of five employees and
a 3,000-min labor expense reduction. Finally, the research was completed by analyzing the basic pitch time graph and calculating
the overall equipment effectiveness.

1. Introduction profitability, and minimal losses. The measurement of a

product’s or service’s level of acceptance is referred to as
The manufacturing sector of Bangladesh has been growing “quality.”
dramatically in recent decades because of the rising public The expense of producing a defective garment is completely
demand, government initiatives, and increased interest of squandered if a defect is found during the final inspection
investors in the business. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of because the item cannot be shipped. Sometimes the flawed pro-
anxiety about the quality of locally produced goods. Only a ducts can be modified to make them exportable, but doing so is
small number of businesses offer excellent products that are more expensive and uses more resources to create the same
well-liked by the clients. A small number of companies have goods. Defects at DMC Apparels Ltd. typically originate in the
advanced to the point where they can successfully implement sewing department. The stitching section is the most crucial and
the current quality concepts and practices, even though many challenging one to use. In this situation, sewing section flaws
of them have quality certificates. According to studies on such as stains, broken stitches, skip stitch slip-outs, wavy stitches,
product quality improvement, the use of modern quality phi- etc., affect the factory’s overall quality. Based on the company’s
losophies and principles, such as total quality management daily rework rate, these faults cause the rework rate to exceed 7%.
(TQM), can result in higher customer satisfaction, increased This rework rate is brought on by a variety of factors, including
2 Mathematical Problems in Engineering

poor thread quality, fabric flagging, needle deflection, and others. many businesses, including Samsung in South Korea and
As a result, the needed quality standards will not satisfy the Toyota in Japan, have prioritized quality and cost-cutting.
volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To reduce the rate of In addition, several quality experts have defined the term
rework, it is essential to prioritize the faults over other issues. “quality.” The various levels of craftsmanship needed for
Several effective tactics are suggested by various authors, and various jobs are referred to as “quality” in this context. As
PDCA (plan–do–check–act) is one of them. The reason a result, each business or activity has its unique definition of
PDCA was chosen is that it is a structured tool in the defining excellence. For example, “quality in sales” refers to the way
phase, making it simple to define the problem in the measure- customers are treated, “quality in manufacturing” to the way
ment phase. During the analysis phase, the causes of problems products are made, and “quality in garment manufacturing”
and the company’s current performance can be evaluated by to both the services and the products themselves [1].
using it. Then the root cause removal procedure is improved According to the research, TQM implementation can
during the improvement phase, and the benefits are maintained improve an organization’s capacity for competition and the
during the control phase, which comes after. development of strategic market advantages, and TQM policies
A company’s quality plan should include TQM which must can help an organization compete globally. Therefore, imple-
be applied to implement an organization’s quality concept. To menting a TQM system can result in a 90% improvement in
achieve customer satisfaction and organizational success, this laborers, operating procedures, employee happiness, and capital
concept refers to a management system that focuses on main- structure. Even though Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing sector has
taining the highest level of quality at all levels of the organization, grown significantly over the past 10 years, the bulk of goods’
continuous improvement, high-product quality, teamwork, and quality has not increased at the same rate. Poor user satisfaction
collaboration among all stakeholders. As a result of globalization, (less dependable service at an increased cost) and business loss
Bangladeshi enterprises are getting access to foreign markets are the results, mostly at the international and national levels [2].
nowadays and many companies are looking for a more stable Attar et al. [1] wanted to survey current quality control
operating environment as a result. They are measuring how well practices within the manufacturing industries in the Western
their own company is doing by comparing it to that of the other region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This research pre-
companies. It has been emphasized how important TQM is to sented an evaluation of current quality control activities
accomplish its goals. The TQM idea is currently being used by within the manufacturing industries in a specific region of
numerous companies across a wide range of industries to try and Saudi Arabia to show the advantages of implementing the
achieve their goals. On the other hand, many industrial enter- TQM technique. This study also tried to improve product
prises in Bangladesh lack the necessary knowledge and expertise quality and customer satisfaction [1].
in the TQM practices. Capon et al. [3] tried to find the role of measurements in
In this study, an industry was selected and data were a TQM program and the improvement of the rate of success
collected from the sewing operation of that industry at first. after using the measures. Measuring and displaying the exist-
The main objective of this study was to improve the quality, ing TQM results improves the rate of success in a TQM
productivity, and cost aspects of a sewing line by implement- program [3, 4].
ing the TQM approach. This study tried to find out the pro- Chapman and Al-Khawaldeh [5] investigated the rela-
blems first. Cause-and-effect diagram or fishbone diagram, a tionship between TQM and labor productivity. TQM was
quality tool was used to analyze each phase to find out the found as positively correlated with labor productivity [5].
problems related to defects. After analyzing different pro- Chan [6] tried to formulate both quantitative and quali-
blems, defects were identified in the sewing process. Correc- tative performance measurements for easy and better under-
tive and preventive actions were also discussed to reduce the standing. Performance measurement details were listed to
defects per hundred units (DHU) found in the processes for define five other performance measurements with the com-
12 days of investigation. By implementing the TQM approach mon aspects of cost and quality, and suggestions and guide-
and cellular manufacturing system (CMS) methodology, the lines were given. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was
total operations of the sewing line were broken down. After used to make decisions based on the priority of performance
that, the total number of operators, the manpower, standard measures. This paper outlined the application and made the
allowed minutes (SAM) was reduced and the efficiency was pairwise comparison to identify the importance of perfor-
improved. Then the defects were analyzed graphically to show mance measurements [6].
the rate of reduction after the implementation of TQM com- Hendricks and Singhal [7] showed the impact of TQM
pared to before. Moreover, the basic pitch time (BPT) was on financial aspects, where practicing TQM can improve the
shown graphically to show the real improvement in the pro- financial performance.
cess. The cost of a day was also minimized to $180 a day. Hlaing and Lwin [8] focused on how overall quality man-
Lastly, the productivity and overall equipment effectiveness agement affects financial issues. utilizing the tools of TQM to
(OEE) were calculated and improvements were shown there. increase the quality of the product (check sheet, Histogram,
Pareto chart, cause-and-effect diagram). When the authors’
2. Related Research Work suggested methodology was used, the percentages of defects
per hundred units (DHU) were compared between the origi-
The most basic definition of quality is that it meets the nal and final states. It was found that there had been a
requirements of the client. To increase consumer happiness, 66.762% drop in DHUs [8].
Mathematical Problems in Engineering 3

Lagrosen and Lagrosen [9] examined how different quality many advanced management techniques including TQM.
management approaches and technologies affect a company. It Building a framework for TQM implementation in SMEs is
was discovered that good quality management and the adoption necessary to improve continuously [19].
of TQM principles were statistically correlated [9]. Jadhav et al. [20] wanted to determine the average time
Mann and Kehoe [2] elaborated the work on the main needed to finish each step in the garment manufacturing
effects of TQM and other quality actions on the performance process, compare the actual and basic times for each step,
of a business. Implementing TQM has a beneficial impact on and provide suggestions for increasing the production rate
the performance of a business [2]. based on the study. The article examined the production
Quazi and Padibjo [10] conducted a pilot study that was process of shirts and leggings over time. It details how long
carried out among a sample of local SMEs were evaluated, and each stage of the clothing production process takes. One of
the findings were compared to a similar study that was also the study’s key conclusions is that increasing the industry’s
conducted in Singapore. This paper also examined the results efficiency [20].
of follow-up interviews with some local SMEs and talked Shao et al. [21] tried the use of smart technology in the
about the advantages and disadvantages of ISO 9,000 [10]. management of the sewing process, standard time in the pro-
Rahman and Attar [11] attempted to look at the effects of cess was predicted and computed, a machine learning predic-
TQM implementation in the industrial sector. TQM increases tion model was created, and model parameters were adjusted.
market share overall, customer satisfaction, and product qual- Six factors such as sewing length, stitch density, bending stiff-
ity [11]. ness, fabric weight, production amount, drape coefficient, and
El Shenawy et al. [12] synthesized the results of empirical length of service were identified by correlation analysis. Next,
research on the impact of TQM on competitive advantage. a novel forecasting approach is put up to estimate the sewing
The components employed therefore provide a significant process’s standard time. By analyzing the performance using
advantage [12]. the mean-square error (MSE) and squared correlation coeffi-
Sjarifudin et al. [13] wanted to apply the six sigma meth- cient, the suggested forecasting model is validated [21].
odology to men’s formal jacket items in the apparel sector. Peralta et al. [22] wanted to set time limits to reduce wasted
Determining 5W + 1H by a focus group discussion (FGD) time and unnecessary actions, such as talking on the phone
with five expert opinions was a novel method. The garment excessively, taking tools and components from far away, and
industry’s production of formal men’s coats grew and defects so on, thus reducing operating costs. Inefficient worker produc-
decreased when the six sigma method was applied to the tion and a lack of time standards caused delays for the workers
DMAIC methodology [13]. which were found in this study when making square pant cloth-
Hlaing and Lwin [14] tried to improve product quality by ing. Recommended improvements include tightening up corpo-
reducing the defect rate using the DMAIC methodology of rate policies, reorganizing the manufacturing floor, offering
six sigma. The cause-and-effect diagrams were drawn to ana- incentives and prizes, training employees, and establishing new
lyze the cause of the defects. The defect percentage has time standardizations [22].
decreased from 21.484 to 4.952 and the sigma level has Hasan [23] wanted to gain a better understanding of the
increased from 2.28 to 3.16 [14]. entire process flow of the clothing manufacturer, with a focus
Syduzzaman et al. [15] studied the impact of implement- on cutting, finishing, and a single sewing production line, to
ing TQM principles in the manufacturing industry. Imple- picture value stream mapping, and to evaluate production
menting TQM reduces alters in the production line [15]. lead time, processing time, retention time, process technique
Syduzzaman et al. [16] wanted to improve productivity, study, and production line architecture as a component of
the quality of products, and quality of the garment industries value stream mapping. Using VSM as a lean tool to boost
of Bangladesh by implementing the TQM approach. Perform- productivity at a particular clothing company is the subject
ing the study taking the help of the tools of TQM to analyze of a single case observation. Value stream concepts are used
data which were collected through observation method. To to explain cutting section and sewing line state mapping for
see the significant number of changes or minimization of both the present and the future. This was examined alongside
defects by applying this method [16]. the standard minute value (SMV) computation of the pro-
Sun [17] clarified the elements of TQM and how they cess lead time, which represented productive and nonpro-
affect performance. Many TQM practices can contribute to ductive time [23].
the increase in customer satisfaction and the performance of Fahad Halim and Hawlader [24] demonstrated how to
a business [17]. properly use work aids to reduce operation cycle durations
Tannock et al. [18] evaluated the progress of four Thai in comparison to the present, which can improve SMV, pro-
SMEs that were implementing TQM over 2 years. They were duction, and product quality while also lowering manufactur-
assisted by a facilitator and a “model company”. The efforts, ing costs. The phases involved in making pants and jackets,
causes of problems, difficulties, and lastly progress of the the kinds of machinery used in each step, the number of
selected companies were described. It was found that the workers on a sewing line, SMV, and the daily output of those
relative success of the companies was related closely to man- associated clothes were recorded. Data were gathered both
agement and information issues [18]. when the clothing was made on the sewing line with sewing
Yusof and Aspinwall [19] wanted to fill the gap between work aids and when it was produced without them. This
large businesses and small businesses in terms of adopting experiment showed that, with the right use of work aids,
4 Mathematical Problems in Engineering

operation cycle times can be shortened compared to current Selection of the industry
times, which can have a positive impact on SMV, production,
and product quality as well as lower manufacturing costs [24].
Collection of data and information
Several types of research are conducted based on the
implementation of TQM. Productivity improvement and
reduction in defects are shown in those works. Our research Find out the problems
is also focused on these two things, additionally, we tried to
show the causes and effects of those defects, BPT or basic
pitch time analysis for comparison, machine utilization Analysis the problems and find out probable solutions
alongside production summary, and OEE calculation consid-
ering six different factors. So, we tried to show the details of Implementation of TQM
activities related to a sewing line in the apparel industry to
measure the output more precisely.
Data collection and result analysis
3. Experimental Procedure/Methodology
Analysis of previous research papers and works linked to Continuous improvement and monitoring
TQM paved the way for more development. Over the last
several years, quality management research has become FIGURE 1: Steps involved in research work.
increasingly popular. Furthermore, researchers are interested
in exploring the topic due to ever-changing client demand
and a tough worldwide market. They investigate the correla- 1 Environment for quality management (QM) reaction
tion of TQM with the productivity aspects of manufacturing
industries. This thesis work was initiated to maintain a long- 2 Workers are introduced to total quality management (TQM)
term TQM framework to produce high-quality results. In this 3 Use of quality control methods and instruments
case, it was important to generate concepts and identify the
objectives of this important study. At the time of application, 4 Autonomous maintenance
the concept and framework are needed to be designed and 5 Distributing data so that everyone may make decisions
implemented. The study demonstrates how systemic frame-
work development and data collection can be accomplished. 6 Promoting collaboration and teamwork

7 Customer focus as a design component

3.1. Flowchart of Methodology. Sequential research diagrams
can be utilized in a variety of ways to ensure the effectiveness 8 Visualization of work
of the study. To perform and finish the entire process, this
9 Benchmarking
study will adhere to a clearly defined sequence of steps shown
in Figure 1. 10 The objective is to build constant improvement

3.2. TQM Pillars and Their Application. Although, the defi- FIGURE 2: Pillars of TQM.
nition of TQM appears straightforward, its practical applica-
tion necessitates the establishment of a corporate culture and
climate. According to some experts, it can take up to 10 years the quality of the product. Based on the defects category the
to fully appreciate the benefits of quality management imple- four defects are considered for applying the corrective and
mentation as an organization must go through several proce- preventive action to reduce the DHU. Table 1 shows the
dures before switching to quality management. TQM places a actions needed to improve the quality by using various con-
strong emphasis on customer-defined quality, strategic planning tinuous improvement techniques.
as the main focus, top-level management leadership, employee
responsibility at all organizational levels, continuous quality 3.4. Data Collection. A complete garment production has
improvement as a means of achieving strategic goals, manage- some specific process to make the final output from raw
ment and employee collaboration, the application of statistical materials. Sewing is one of the most important processes
process control (SPC), and ongoing improvement via workforce among all sections where maximum value-addition pro-
education and training. We have acquired in-depth knowledge cesses are required for achieving the organizational goals.
about the basis of TQM from the literature. For a successful To complete this work, a garment style was taken for analysis
adoption of TQM, some authors suggest four pillars, while of the process for achieving our research goals of this paper.
others suggest nine pillars. However, we have chosen 10 pillars,
which are shown in Figure 2. 3.4.1. Operation Breakdown Summary. A proper breakdown
is analyzed here to show the effect after implementing TQM
3.3. Defects Identification and Measure Action. Various sew- in the sewing line. By implementing the TQM approach and
ing defects are found in the industry which is related to DHU cellular manufacturing system (CMS) methodology, the total
in decreasing the quality of the product. The three categories operations of the sewing line were broken down accordingly.
of defects are considered based on frequency and effects of The total working minutes were fixed in this investigation.
Mathematical Problems in Engineering 5

TABLE 1: Corrective and preventive action for reducing defects.

Defect name Corrective action Preventive action
1. This process is strictly maintained by the maintenance 1. All machines must be configured according to
team with appropriate inspections specifications and require accurate machine maintenance
2. The machine wiper has previously been configured 2. The maintenance crew needs to thread-trim the working
appropriately by this process maintenance crew wipers
3. The line leader and operator have already received 3. The leader should educate and teach the operator, and
Uncut thread advice regarding the thread trimming issue follow-up on accurate thread trimming should be ensured
4. The thread trimming technique training system has 4. The assistance operator should practice thread trimming
already been started by the line leader in a clockwise direction
5. Because all of the trimmers have received training and are
5. Everyone who is trimming has already been counseled
aware of the negative effects of bad trimming, they will all
and cautioned about inappropriate trimming
recover
1. The complete machine has already been modified to
1. According to the fabric’s characteristics, all thread tension
account for the fabric’s characteristics and customer
should be adjusted before manufacturing starts
requests
2. The marketing team has already had a conversation
2. The marketing team should guarantee proper thread
about the issue, and steps have been taken to secure a
quality before reserving the thread
high-quality thread
Broken stitch
3. We already maintain this web structure, and this work 3. Line QC should be done before production starts to make
is ongoing sure that all thread supply routes are working properly
4. Operator training has already been used to put this into 4. It is necessary to train the operator’s method before
practice manufacturing can start
5. After receiving training, the operator and section 5. The section leader must offer proper follow-up and the
leader are now in charge of maintaining all procedures operator or assistant must get training
1. Operator and machine upkeep before beginning the 1. The machine guides need to receive the proper
stitching, check the machine guide maintenance
2. During the line layout time, all damaged components
2. The repair crew has already acted by carrying out the
should be replaced if necessary, and the problem will then be
buyer’s requests
fixed completely
Down stitch
3. Instruct the maintenance crew to fix it by the need 3. The machine maintenance staff does the necessary repairs
4. The operator has already been instructed on how to do
4. The operator needs to be in a dense area
the process correctly
5. The system for training operators about critical 5. All operators must receive thorough training and
processes and how they recover has begun instructions on how to perform their work obligations
1. This is the continual process to which we are obligated 1. Make use of good thread, a suitable needle, and a fid dock
2. Recommend and start using this procedure; tightly 2. After determining how many pieces may be sewn with one
control it loaded bobbin case, the operator should replace it
3. Machine upkeep has taken proper action to set up the 3. The needle should be correctly adjusted during machine
machine properly with the appropriate follow-up maintenance
Joint stitch
4. Awareness of the significance of meticulously cutting
4. We instructed the operator on the trimming issue and
people’s threads and, if required, completely opening the
gave them advice
process and restitching
5. As this procedure is already underway, we encourage
5. Explain the alter-rectify process to the operator
the operator to keep a constant eye on it

However, the actual average output, line balance efficiency, rework. For this study, the defects were collected consecu-
and output per machine per day were increased. Machine tively for 12 days (2 weeks) based on sewing operation.
utilization is also described below to show the improvement. Tables 3 and 4 show the breakdown in the process accord-
The operation breakdown enlists only processes with SAM ingly with quality standards of the garments before and after
except for all other criteria that are essential for complete applying TQM philosophy with 10 pillars as well as applying
garments. The complete operation breakdown is listed below corrective and preventive action.
in Table 2.

3.4.2. Defects Summary. Defects are a very common phe-

4. Result and Discussion
nomenon in any process for production procedures. Defects Results and discussion will be presented in some steps
affect the production processes as well as incurred costs for accordingly.
6 Mathematical Problems in Engineering

TABLE 2: Operation breakdown for sewing section of a garment.

SL Processes SAM SL Process SAM SL Process SAM
1 Coin pkt rolling 0.20 18 Two-part join 0.18 35 Check & trimming 0.21
2 Coin pkt marking 0.20 19 Two-part top stc 0.19 36 S/Seam join 0.51
3 Coin pkt attach 0.21 20 Front part edge overlock 0.40 37 Side seam safety stc 0.35
4 Facing overlock 0.18 21 Back pkt Rolling 0.06 38 Over-hip top stitch 0.35
5 Facing attached to pocketing 0.26 22 Back pkt edge overlock 0.20 39 Waist run stc 0.20
6 Pkt bag overlock 0.20 23 Loop make (CPU) 0.08 40 W/B tack remove 0.15
7 Pkt bag turn and top stitch 0.28 24 Bk. pkt attach 0.34 41 W/B attach to body 0.35
W/B excess cut and tr. open
8 Pocket bag bartack-2x 0.11 25 Bk. Yoke join 0.20 42 0.60
with turn
Care label poly and attach with
9 0.36 26 Check & trimming 0.18 43 Mouth closed with mark 0.70
poly with pkt bag wash
Coin pkt-2x, Fly-3x & Cord
10 S/F & D/F overlock 0.20 27 Size label attach 0.18 44 0.35
stc-2x bartack-7x
11 Front rise overlock with S/F 0.20 28 Bk part edge overlock 0.37 45 Back pkt bartack-3x 0.18
S/F top stc & trimming for W/B match & tack & loop
12 0.20 29 0.20 46 Bottom hem overlock 0.32
overlock bundle match
Front and back assorting with Loop attaches with
13 Zipper join with S/F 0.17 30 0.28 47 0.30
opening mark Bartack-10x
14 “J” round stc 0.19 31 Inseam join ( for left) 0.25 48 W/B mouth hole 0.08
Front pkt attach with mouth
15 0.42 32 Inseam join ( for right) 0.25 49 W/B mouth tack 0.08
top stc
16 Side & waist tack 0.42 33 Check & trimming 0.21 50 Btm cut 0.55
17 D/F join 0.17 34 Front @ back rise join 0.42 51 Btm bartack-4x 0.20

TABLE 3: Defects data before TQM for 12 days.

DHU before implementing TQM
Week 1 Week 2
Defects Grand total
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12
Uncut thread 48 44 47 46 46 43 45 42 46 46 43 44 540
Updown 19 19 20 18 20 19 17 19 18 18 19 17 223
Broken stitch 26 26 28 26 28 26 25 23 27 24 26 26 311
Joint stitch 16 16 17 17 18 15 16 16 17 15 16 16 195
Raw edge 8 8 9 7 8 6 7 5 6 7 6 7 84
Open seam 5 5 6 6 5 6 6 5 6 6 6 4 66
Pleat 4 4 4 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 48
Skip stitch 7 7 7 7 8 5 7 6 7 7 8 5 81
Twisting 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 32
Uneven 7 7 5 7 6 5 5 7 5 7 6 5 72
Others 30 27 21 21 21 20 18 20 16 18 23 18 253
Total 172 131 141 134 141 127 130 122 134 130 131 124 1,580
Production 2,151 2,165 2,064 2,090 2,156 2,070 2,065 2,054 2,161 2,144 2,070 2,151 25,341
DHU 8.00% 6.05% 6.83% 6.41% 6.54% 6.14% 6.30% 5.94% 6.20% 6.06% 6.33% 5.76% 7.52%

4.1. Analysis of Defects with QC Tools. The Pareto chart, on by a small number of crucial factors (20%). The 20% flaws
sometimes referred to as Pareto analysis, is a statistical tech- that caused 80% of the problems were discovered after all the
nique for choosing a small number of tasks that have a data from the check sheet was shown in a Pareto chart.
substantial overall impact. It applies the Pareto principle, Uncut thread, up-down, broken stitches, and joint stitches
which holds that 80% of the benefits of accomplishing the make up 20% of faults based on the 80–20 rule according to
complete job can be obtained by doing just 20% of it, or in Figure 3. Also, the defects were categorized according to their
terms of quality improvement, most issues (80%) are brought importance and severity, which are shown in Table 5.
Mathematical Problems in Engineering 7

TABLE 4: Defects data after TQM for 12 days.

DHU after implementing TQM
Week 1 Week 2
Defects Grand total
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12
Uncut thread 41 38 36 37 34 35 33 33 31 30 31 31 410
Updown 15 15 14 15 13 14 13 13 12 12 12 12 160
Broken stitch 23 22 21 22 20 21 19 20 18 17 18 18 239
Joint stitch 13 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 133
Raw edge 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 7 86
Open seam 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 4 4 4 55
Pleat 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 40
Skip stitch 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 70
Twisting 2 2 3 2 2 3 2 2 4 2 2 3 29
Uneven 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 70
Others 20 22 19 21 19 21 19 19 19 18 20 19 236
Total 145 142 134 138 126 132 123 125 118 112 116 117 1,528
Production 2,156 2,152 2,152 2,128 2,139 2,110 2,076 2,066 2,088 2,076 2,161 2,103 25,407
DHU 6.73% 6.60% 6.23% 6.48% 5.89% 6.26% 5.92% 6.05% 5.65% 5.39% 5.37% 5.56% 6.01%

Pareto chart for defects

800 120

Cumulative percentage (%)

700
100
Defects quantity

600
80
500
400 60
300
40
200
20
100
0 0
Open seam

Uneven

Raw edge
Up-down stitch

Broken stitch

Joint stitch

Skip stitch
Uncut thread

Pleat
Twisting

Defects

FIGURE 3: Top 10 defects without TQM.

TABLE 5: Defect categorization.

Defect name Minor defect Major defect Critical
Broken stitch — ✔ —
Drop/skip stitch — ✔ —
Needle hole ✔ — —
Joint stitch — ✔ —
Up-down — ✔ —
Uncut thread ✔ — ✔
Twisting — — —
Pleat ✔ — —
Open seam ✔ — —
Uneven ✔ — —

The causes of the development of a flaw were determined different defects by using the cause-and-effect diagram.
using a cause-and-effect diagram. Four serious faults were The four major defects have some obstacles which are related
detected and evaluated to reduce the number of serious to man, machine, method, and material. Finally, Figure 8
defects. Figures 4–7 represent many reasons behind the shows the defects graphs.
8 Mathematical Problems in Engineering

Man Method

Sewing allowance is not

maintained properly by the Lack of accuracy in folder guide allowances
operators
Adjustment problem to the folder
Unconsciousness of operators as per requirement in the process
during operation measurement

Down stitch

Improper seaming

Lack of quality maintenance

Cut marks of cutting are not well
maintained according to
requirement

Machine Material

FIGURE 4: Cause-and-effect diagram of down stitch.

Man Method

Operator handling issue

Precision problem of methods

Lack of accuracy from operator

Joint stitch

Adjustment problem of machine

according to the fabric nature

Lack of proper checking

Machine tension is not according
to the requirement

Machine Material

FIGURE 5: Cause-and-effect diagram of joint stitch.

Figure 9 shows the defects graphs for four serious defects implementation of TQM. We can see the processes which
(uncut thread, joint stitch, up-down stitch, and broken ones are in control or which ones are out of control in
stitch) accordingly for 2 weeks. between the control limit.
Here, Figure 10 describes the BPT analysis to compare After analyzing all the defects applying several methods,
precisely between the quality conditions before and after the now it is high time to show the summary of production.
Mathematical Problems in Engineering 9

Man Method

Lack of awareness in
self-trimming of operator after Improper method of trimming
the ending of process
Lack of maintenance in controlling
Unconsciousness of helper during
thread cutting and removal

Uncut thread

Improper finishing
Lack of proper checking
The functional problem of machine
wiper
Lack of detection of poor quality

Machine Material

FIGURE 6: Cause-and-effect diagram of uncut thread.

Man Method

Sewing thread tension not Improper feeding of fabric

maintained properly in machine

Lack of risk mitigation methods

Unconsciousness of helper during
uncut thread cutting

Broken stitch

Over speed of machine run

Wrong thread size

Improper pressure foot

Poor quality of thread Poor quality of thread

Machine Material

FIGURE 7: Cause-and-effect diagram of broken stitch.

Significant improvements were noticed in several important 4.2. Quality and Productivity Improvement with Cost
factors which are demonstrated in Table 6. Machine utiliza- Reduction. Analyzing defects (both before and after TQM
tion summary are also analyzed in Table 7, which shows deployment) is followed by a discussion of quality and produc-
significant savings, actually improvement. tivity analysis. Following accurate calculations of performance,
10 Mathematical Problems in Engineering

Comparison of defect analysis/12 days

Number of defects
540
410

311

253
239

236
223

195
160

133

84
86

81

72
70

70
66
55

48
40

32
29
Uncut thread

Broken stitch

Joint stitch

Skip stitch

Others
Open seam
Up-down

Pleat
Raw edge

Twisting

Uneven
Name of the defects
Without TQM
With TQM

FIGURE 8: Comparison of defects with and without TQM.

Joint stitch
20
Uncut thread 18
60 16
Defect quantity

14
50
Defect quantity

12
40 10
30 8
6
20
4
10 2
0 0
Day 1

Day 11
Day 3

Day 1

Day 11
Day 5

Day 8
Day 2

Day 9

Day 12
Day 10
Day 6
Day 4

Day 7

Day 3

Day 5

Day 8
Day 2

Day 9

Day 12
Day 10
Day 6
Day 4

Working days Working days Day 7

Before TQM Before TQM
After TQM After TQM
ðaÞ ðbÞ

Broken stitch
30
Up-down stitch
25 25
Defect quantity

20 20
Defect quantity

15 15

10 10

5 5

0 0
Day 1

Day 11
Day 3

Day 5

Day 8
Day 2

Day 9

Day 12
Day 10
Day 6
Day 4

Day 7
Day 1

Day 11
Day 3

Day 5

Day 8
Day 2

Day 9

Day 12
Day 10
Day 6
Day 4

Day 7

Working days Working days

Before TQM Before TQM

After TQM After TQM
ðcÞ ðdÞ
FIGURE 9: Defects graph for 12 days: (a) uncut thread, (b) joint stitch, (c) up-down stitch, and (d) broken stitch.
Mathematical Problems in Engineering 11

BPT graph before TQM BPT graph after TQM

0.210 0.240
0.190 0.220
0.170 0.200

Time (min)
Time (min)

0.150 0.180
0.130
0.160
0.110
0.140
0.090
0.070 0.120
0.050 0.100
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49
Operations Operations

UCL LCL UCL LCL

BPT SMV BPT SMV

FIGURE 10: Basic pitch time (BPT) graph before and after TQM.

TABLE 6: Production summary and improvement analysis.

Production summary
Criteria Before TQM After TQM Savings/improvement
Actual average output (for 12 days) 2,111 2,117 6
Working minutes per day 600 600 0
Operator required 68 65 3
Helper required 13 11 2
Total manpower required 81 76 5
Total SAM 12.53 12.33 0.20
Line balance efficiency 88% 93% 5%
Output per hour (Pcs) 320 320 0
Total expected output (Pcs) 3,200 3,200 0
Output per M/C per day (Pcs) 47 49 2

TABLE 7: Machine utilization analysis.

Machine utilization summary
Quantity
Sewing machines
Before TQM After TQM Saving
SNLS w/UBT 27 26 1
DNLS F/B 4 4 0
3THOL 3 3 0
Bartack 5 4.5 0.5
4THOL 8 8 0
Auto “J” stitch 1 1 0
Auto rolling Mc 1 0.5 0.5
Flat lock flat bed w/UBT 1 0.5 0.5
Auto pocket setter mc 2 2 0
FOA 8 7.5 0.5
5THOL 3 3 0
Kansai 2 2 0
Auto loop setter 2 2 0
Eyelet B/hole 0.5 0.5 0
Button attach 0.5 0.5 0
Total 68 65 3
12 Mathematical Problems in Engineering

TABLE 8: OEE calculation.

Factor Category Before TQM After TQM Factor Category Before TQM After TQM
Manpower 81 76 Manpower 81 76
Working hour 10 10 Working hour 10 10
Working minutes 600 600 Working minutes 600 600
Machine quantity 68 65 Available minutes 48,600 45,600
Availability Efficiency
Loss time 680 600 Production quantity 2,111 2,117
Operating time 40,170 38,370 SAM 12.53 12.33
Available time 40,800 39,000 Earned minutes 26,450 26,102
Availability % 98.46 98.38 Efficiency % 54.43 57.24
Production quantity 2,111 2,117 Total production 25,431 25,407
SAM 12.53 12.33 Defect quantity 1,905 1,528
Performance Earned minutes 26,450 26,102 Quality Good output 23,526 23,879
Operating minutes 40,170 38,370 DHU % 7.49 6.01
Performance % 65.85 68.03 Quality % 92.51 93.99
Total production 25,431 25,407 Manpower 81 76
Defect quantity 1,905 1,528 Working hour 10 10
Quality
Good output 23,526 23,879 Cost Working minutes 48,600 45,600
Quality % 92.51 93.99 CPM∗ x y
Overall OEE % 59.97 62.90 Production cost 48,600x 45,600y
∗
CPM values depend on the total cost of the organization (x ≥ y).

availability, and quality, the OEE is determined in Table 8. The reviews. This strategy has had a great deal of success in
significant development of OEE is seen here. Moreover, the reducing errors. Continuous application of this methodology
efficiency and quality aspects are also analyzed and found will allow the company to further reduce its failure rate and
the development after applying TQM. Lastly, another important increase productivity because defect minimization is a contin-
parameter that is called cost aspects, is also analyzed. The total uous activity. The current study, which is primarily focused
production cost is seen to be decreased depending on the total on the sewing component, can be more beneficial in minimiz-
cost per minute (CPM) values. ing errors than an integrated analysis of the other factory
sections, such as knitting, dying, cutting, and finishing.
5. Conclusion
6. Future Recommendation
No industry could thrive in the competitive atmosphere of
today’s market if it did not make an ongoing effort to The TQM philosophy has only been implemented in a small
improve the effectiveness of its operations. In our study, number of the clothing manufacturing industries because it
we examine how an industry may employ the TQM idea to is a very broad concept that requires changing the organiza-
raise quality, and productivity and to reduce cost. It has been tional behavior of the factory. The factory’s sewing line con-
found that the garment industry can implement TQM by figuration must be altered by the suggested line structure.
creating and putting into practice its pillars. It can improve The cost aspect is an important concern for any industry.
quality and worker satisfaction by taking an appropriate In our research, we analyzed the cost aspect by calculating
approach to the creation of a quality full environment, manpower and the working hour, respectively. CPM was not
encouraging collaboration and teamwork, developing pro- possible to know accordingly. So, anyone can investigate the
ducts with a focus on the customer, and designing processes. CPM and may analyze further to complete the proper analy-
Lowering mistakes and reworking can produce considerable sis of the cost aspect. Altogether, this research conveys the
advantages when TQM technologies are used to analyze the industries a great message regarding the improvements in
process and product quality. This research discusses many of implementing TQM.
the sewing mistakes or defects that could occur as well as
possible remedies or solutions. To guarantee product quality, Data Availability
faults must be kept to a minimum. The Pareto chart showed
that more than 80% of the errors detected in the stitching of The data of this manuscript are taken practically and prop-
the denim item made by DMC Apparels Ltd. could be attrib- erly analyzed in the manuscript.
uted to a total of four flaws. After identifying the key defects,
the cause-and-effect diagram was used to identify the most Conflicts of Interest
likely reasons, and any potential root causes were then iden-
tified using root cause analysis, physical inspections, and The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Mathematical Problems in Engineering 13

Acknowledgments Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 24, no. 5,

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