Figure: 1. (Moderator) Anisul Hoque Ansari, Head of EHS, Avery Dennison; 2. Dr. Engr. Azim Mohammad, Lead Consultant, Panacea Private Consulting; 3. Habibur Rahman, Smart Factory 4.0 Consultant, Country Head, Quantity Improvement Solutions; 4. Engr. Tarun Kumar Mistry, General Manager (Operations), Alim Knit (BD) Ltd., Cotton Field (BD) Ltd. & Mondol Knitwear Ltd. {Mondol Group}; 5. Shafiur Rahman, Regional Operations Manager, G-Star RAW 6. Md. Matiur Rahman (Robin), Director, Essential Clothing Limited; 7. Bhaskar Ranjan Saha, Founder & Lead Mentor, Bhaskar Accounting Lab; 8. Mohammad Ali Hasan, AGM, BPA, Tropical Knitex 9. Parimal Sarker (Biplob), Sr. Manager (IE & Planning), Tropical Knitex; 10. Bidhan Chandra, Sr. Manager, IE, HAMS Group; 11. Md Kamal Uddin Tanvir, Manager, Industrial Engineering, Fortis Group
The Efficiency Cell of the Textile Today Innovation Hub recently held a meeting on May 17, 2024, moderated by Anisul Hoque Ansari, Head of EHS at Avery Dennison. Fellow members & Innovation Circle members of Textile Today Innovation Hub gathered to discuss the integration of Quick Change Over (QCO) in garment manufacturing with Industry 4.0 technologies.
Mr.Ansari opened the meeting by emphasizing the importance of transitioning to Industry 4.0 to remain competitive in global market. He noted, “When the textile and apparel industry began to grow, the topic of QCO emerged. It has become a hot topic due to current business patterns and customer demands. We aim to explore the connections between QCO and Industry 4.0, learning from both successes and challenges to enhance our industry.“
“We want to explore connections between QCO and Industry 4.0 to enhance our industry.”
– Anisul Hoque Ansari, Head of EHS at Avery Dennison
Importance of QCO and Required Technologies and Skills
Dr. Engr. Azim Mohammad, Lead Consultant at Panacea Private Consulting, highlighted the necessity of QCO in the context of decreasing order lot sizes. He shared insights from his experience: “Order lot sizes are becoming shorter, necessitating frequent changeovers in manufacturing. Shingho first tackled this at Toyota, developing SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) to minimize die change time. In 2017, I worked to implement SMED in garment manufacturing in Bangladesh and Myanmar, but initial results were disappointing.
We realized we were missing the local context by strictly following the Japanese method. To adapt, we combined SMED with the RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) project management methodology, which improved our outcomes. We tracked and segregated changeover tasks into internal and external, converting as many internal tasks to external as possible. Quick Change Over involves three steps: previous style cleanup, setup, and startup. Achieving the desired production rate requires GEMBA walks to all related areas.“
“Integrating SMED with the RACI methodology proved effective in our local context.”
– Dr. Engr. Azim Mohammad, Lead Consultant at Panacea Private Consulting
Good Practices and Challenges
Mr. Ali Hasan from Tropical Knitex shared their approach: “We are collaborating with the Textile Today Innovation Hub in an ‘Innovation Project’ to reduce changeover time on our production floor. We identified and analyzed every operation in the garment production line, determined the critical path, and optimized the layout to minimize production time. We segregated all changeover tasks into external and internal, working to minimize internal tasks, which ultimately reduced changeover time. Additionally, we educated supervisors, mechanics, technicians, and workers to foster a QCO-friendly culture.“
“We optimized our layout and fostered a QCO-friendly culture.”
– Ali Hasan, AGM, Tropical Knitex
Bidhan Chandra of HAMS Group focused on achieving zero-minute difference between the last output of the previous style and the first output of the new style while implementing a QCO project with Textile Today. “During changeovers, I aimed to achieve zero minutes between the last output of the previous style and the first output of the new style. We recently completed an Innovation Project with Textile Today and successfully achieved this target with the desired quality. In Industrial Engineering, this is called First Right Time (FRT), meaning all procedures on the shop floor are performed correctly the first time and every time, ensuring the desired quality of the product.” he said.
“We achieved our First Right Time target with desired quality in an Innovation Project with Textile Today Innovation Hub.”
– Sr. Manager, IE, HAMS Group
Parimal Sarker (Biplob) mentioned their dedicated QCO team and collaboration with Textile Today: “For the first time, our factory has developed a dedicated Quick Change Over team. An innovation circle, including a project coordinator from Textile Today and our senior, mid, and executive-level members, worked on this. We accomplished this during an Innovation Project with Textile Today.“
“Our dedicated QCO team showed significant improvements that were formed in a TTIH Innovation Projects.” – Parimal Sarker (Biplob), Sr. Manager (IE & Planning), Tropical Knitex
Enhancing People Skills and Overcoming Challenges
Shafiur Rahman, Regional Operations Manager at G-Star RAW, introduced the concept of neurodiversity: “I want to bring up the term ‘neurodiversity,’ which means everyone is different. The apparel industry is human-oriented, so we must consider neurodiversity. Everyone works positively, but perspectives vary. We should align these perspectives with our common business goals, requiring good management skills. Over the past 20 years, there have been significant advancements in skill development. Now, we need to focus on neurodiversity challenges. By analyzing these challenges, we can use this diversity to increase efficiency. The Japanese term ‘IKIGAI’ encourages people to find purpose and meaning in life. Bringing happiness into our industry can make everyone more efficient.“
“Considering neurodiversity and aligning diverse perspectives can enhance efficiency.”
– Shafiur Rahman, Regional Operations Manager at G-Star RAW
Engr. Tarun Kumar Mistry of Mondol Group discussed their “Line Design & Simulation” technique: “We have implemented various tools and techniques in our factory. In 2017, at Alim Knit, we launched a Quick Change Over training program involving all levels, from top executives to supervisors, merchants, cutting, and inventory staff. Initially, the main issue was mindset; multiple training sessions did not change this. However, after three months, we began to see remarkable results from QCO implementation.
We applied techniques like ‘Line Design & Simulation,’ similar to how an architect models a building. This allowed us to identify critical operations before production. We also created a line design bank and a kaizen bank. Introducing an ‘innovation cell’ in every factory, as Textile Today has done in many, can foster a culture of innovation. I assure industry business owners that the ROI will exceed expectations if they cultivate this culture.“
“Simulation techniques and a culture of innovation yield high returns.”
– Engr. Tarun Kumar Mistry, General Manager (Operations), Mondol Group
Importance of Standardization and Digitalization
Habibur Rahman, Smart Factory 4.0 Consultant, shared his experience with AI tools: “I recently introduced the AI tool ‘Microsoft 365 Copilot’ in a factory. Many are familiar with this tool, but I explored its application in garment production. We shared a spreadsheet with the upcoming month’s full plan and TNA (Time & Action Plan) for every department. This AI tool alerts them in advance, which we call the readiness plan.
We implemented 26 days of non-disruptive production by offering advance incentives, which motivated them to achieve production targets. Even during Quick Change Over or Sudden Change Over, the production rate remained consistent. I adopted a friendly rather than bossy approach to encourage comfortable communication. We also started using AI-driven cameras to segregate different fabric shades, making fabric tests easier.Using more digital tools in each segment can bring us closer to Industry 4.0 and significantly benefit our industry.“
“AI tools like ‘Microsoft 365 Copilot’ and AI-driven cameras streamline processes.”
Bhaskar Ranjan Saha, Founder of Bhaskar Accounting Lab, emphasized the transformation of human capital: “In the workplace, I’ve noticed we lag behind in transforming human capital. People are the main factor in any transformation, and our core competency is human capital. The first step in this transformation is changing mindsets. People are the actual users of digital tools, but the main problem is the comfort zone. Mid-level employees are often reluctant to break out of it.“
“Transforming the mindset of human capital is crucial for digital tool implementation.”
Mr. Ansari shared the culture of his factory: “In our factory, we have a ‘thanksgiving week’ every month. During this week, if an employee makes a simple mistake, supervisors can only reply with ‘thanks’. We typically observe this from the 1st to the 7th day of the month. We do this because workers often face financial pressure as they receive their salary on the 7th day. We want to uplift their spirits during this time.”
Practical Implementations and Experiences
Md. Matiur Rahman (Robin), Director of Essential Clothing Limited, shared insights from his experience: “We’ve observed many good practices in our industry, and I believe consistency is crucial. During a visit to a Toyota factory in Japan in 2006, I became interested in their practice of machine cleaning, which is part of quick changeover. When I returned to Bangladesh, I tried to implement this in our factories. Initially, we saw an increase in oil spots from 10% to 25%. After investigating, we standardized the machine cleaning procedure. We found that using compressed air was causing dust to affect nearby fabrics. We established a fixed cleaning schedule and motivated workers verbally, emphasizing that clean machines are vital to their livelihoods, which proved successful.
“Consistency and visual management are key to efficiency.”
– Md. Matiur Rahman (Robin), Director of Essential Clothing Limited
Another important topic is visual management, which displays real-time production line data on a board. This allows line supervisors to easily identify what needs to be done and encourages them to share their opinions. Before digitalization, implementing visual management can be the first step to make every process more visible and efficient.“
The meeting concluded with a focus on the importance of integrating QCO and Industry 4.0 to create a connected and optimized manufacturing environment, fostering continuous improvement and intelligent decision-making. And underscored the importance of integrating advanced technologies and human skills to achieve a seamless transition to Industry 4.0, ultimately aiming for a more efficient and competitive garment manufacturing industry.
“Integrating SMED with the RACI methodology proved effective in our local context.”
“Our dedicated QCO team showed significant improvements that were formed in a TTIH Innovation Projects.”
