Finishing Machine
Finishing machine for garments is very essential to improve the quality. Factory must have complete department structure with finishing machine comprising of all relevant categories to have smooth operational function. Daily attendance details certified by P.M./Section in charge have been available in each section for management information. Garment finishing machines must be provided with a complete sample for Packing along with all packing trims and approval from Technical department, which is certified by Q.A. Manager.
Finishing:
It is the process of value addition / Improvisation on the garment and making it presentable visually to satisfy the customer’s perspective of Good Quality and Appearance.The following processes constitute the Finishing department:
- Thread Trimming
- Inside Checking & Quality Checking
- Ironing
- Top Side Checking, Measurement and Quality Checking
- Attaching Finishing and Packing Trims
- Packing
Each finishing line consists of 1 Supervisor, 4 Inside Q/C’s, 4 Topside Q/C’s and 1 Hourly Auditor to maintain production as well as quality of the output.
Garment Finishing Machines:
Finishing Process:
Production Receiving: Details to be maintained by finishing department for non wash garments receiving from Production and Washed garments receiving from Washing.
Stores requisition: For trims and others to be prepared by finishing in charge and have to get approval from P.M or F.M to submit to Stores.
Finishing Process – Layout: To be prepared by Work study department and set targets with the approval from P.M.
Hourly production records: To be maintained to monitor hourly targets. Production recorder has to forward it hourly to Finishing in charge through supervisors.
Garment return records / Style reconciliation: To be maintained and style reconciliation reports to be submit to F.M. on completion of each style
Approved Trim Card: This has to be approved by the Merchandiser and certified by Q.A. Manager prior to handing over to Factory.All sections have to follow this for fabric and all trims to be used for particular style.
Finishing Process – Approved Packing Sample: Technical department have to provide a complete packing sample with all trims attached to the garment and with approved folding method. Q.A Manager has to certify this sample before sending to finishing machine department. Also a sample tag should be attached to the garment which includes complete details such as buyer, P.O. number, style number along with the signature of person’s approved and certified.
Q.C And Q.I. Instruction: Finishing machine of Q/A In charge has to provide complete instructions about the style/garments checking in finishing, Clock wise/sequence checking of garment, about ZONES of the garment to consider defects to be analyzed and clear instructions to be given to Q.C’s and Q.I.’s
Finishing Process – Target Setting: Section Q.C. In charge has to set target for Q.I’s with consultation of I.E. department and has to monitor hourly individual production.
After Wash Checking: Q.I to be instructed by the Q.C about sequence of checking and zones of the garment. This can be illustrated with sketch or photo attached to the Q.C instruction sheet. Then Hourly quality inspection report to be maintained by Q.I’s, entering the observations/ findings and it’s quantities. Finishing Q.C and Finishing supervisor have to note defect and rework quantities hourly basis and assure acceptable quality levels are maintained in this points. Each Q.I.’s identification mark to be attached in an invisible place in each passed garment.
Pressing Quality: Finishing Q.C along with Finishing supervisor has to give instructions for pressing the garment. Q.C is responsible to assure the standard of garment pressing is acceptable.
Finishing Process – Measurements: Waist and inseam of each garment to be measured on table. In addition to these, three pieces of each size covering full size set to be measured by finishing Q.C for all measurement points’ specified. This exercise to be in practice twice a day and report to be submitted to Q.A.M daily. Q/C and Q/I should be instructed clearly about measuring points as per the particular buyer’s measurement guide
Finishing Process – Appearance Check: Finishing Q.C has to instruct Q.I’s to perform this activity in Q.C instruction sheet. General appearance, presentation of the garment and trim placement to be taken care at this point. Each Q.I’s identification label to be attached to the garment at an invisible place.
Finishing Process – A.Q.L. Audit: Independent auditor has to conduct this audit for the quantity accumulated in each two hour intervals per day. Sample quantity for A.Q.L 1.5 to be selected randomly for each lot to do the audit. Result of this audit report is to be submitted to Q.A.M at completion. In the event of any lot is failed, it has to be kept in a separate location for rechecking, avoiding mix up with passed lots.
Pre Final Inspection (Internal): Finishing Q.C in charge has to conduct pre final inspection at A.Q.L 1.5.It is advisable to conduct first pre final when complete 10% of packing or any style to minimize recheck quantity, incase of inspection failed. Also the advantage of this percentage will be to do correction at a small quantity. Pre final inspection report to be submitted to Q.A.M upon completion. .
Final Inspection (Internal): This inspection to be conducted by Q.A.M at completion of at least 80% of each style before submitting merchandise to buyer’s inspection.
Finishing A.Q.L. Audits – Daily And Monthly Summary: Finishing in charge has to maintain these summaries daily and monthly and submit to Q.A.M. to submit for management review. This is very important as it is a KEY PRODUCTIVITY INDICATOR (K.P.I) in finishing quality
Finishing Process – Finishing Defects/Rejects – Daily And Monthly Summary: Finishing in charge has to maintain these summaries daily and monthly and submit to Q.A.M. to submit for management review. This is very important as it is a KEY PRODUCTIVITY INDICATOR (K.P.I) in finishing machine quality.
Finishing Process – Buyer’s Final Inspection Result Summary – Monthly: Finishing in charge has to maintain summary report for each month and submit to Q.A.M. to submit for management
SOP for Finishing :
- First of all, pcs are received from wash lot wise. The Hourly auditor picks up pcs randomly, checks for hand feel and shade; does rough ironing and checks the measurements. If any issues are encountered, it is immediately informed to the Finishing In-charge and the pcs are sent for rewash.
- 100% process thread trimming is done.
- 100% process inspection is done by In Side Q/C. Defective garments are sent for alteration / rejection based on the type, size and location of defect.
- Ironing is done for In Side pass pcs.
- 100% process inspection is done by Top Side Q/C for Quality as well as measurement. Defective garments are sent for alteration / rejection based on the type, size and location of defect.
- All the pass pcs are attached with Packing trims and packed after shade and size assortment to ensure that each carton should contain same shade garments only.
- The hourly auditor does 12 Pcs audit per hour per lot and does 3 pcs measurement checking per hour.
- The Internal audit is carried out after this. The auditor checks 32 Pcs twice a day (before lunch and after lunch). The auditor also inspects quality and measurements for each size covering all colors.
- 100% External inspection is done to confirm the Packing Accuracy.
- After This CT PAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) audit is done. After this process, Pre Final inspection is carried out.
- Pre Final is done to check the quality and measurement of the packed goods based on AQL 2.5 system per lot.
- If any of the above mentioned quality checks fail, the pcs are again sent to the 1st process i.e. Thread Trimming and entire cycle is reworked.
- After passing Pre Final, Buyer Inspection is done for quality and measurement of the packed goods based on AQL 2.5 system.
- Once, the packed goods pass the Buyer Inspection, the Goods can be shipped.
Reports in Finishing Section: Eight reports are being made in the Finishing Section:
- Finishing Quality Inspection Report
- Style/ Line OQL Summary
- Hourly Final Audit Report
- Measurement Chart Fit Audit Report (By Q/C)
- Measurement Chart Fit Audit Report (By Auditor)
- Inline/ Final Inspection report
- Weekly Root Cause Analysis chart
- Finishing Q/C, Iron Man and Folding man Counseling report
Finishing Process – Shipment Documents
Autogarment has got a separate commercial department to arrange and prepare the shipping documents foe smooth shipment of goods to our buyer. The commercial department checks all the relevant shipping documents through a checklist before shipment of goods.
Autogarment follows below mentioned procedure to prepare the shipping documents in different stage:
- When goods are ready for shipments, immediately PROJECT STITCH contacts the buyer nominated forwarder to get the booking confirmation and stuffing details. On the basis of above PROJECT STITCH starts preparing the shipping the shipping documents.
- Goods send to forwarder along with invoice and packing list signed by Commercial Manager.
- Prepare and arrange commercial invoice, final packing list, multiple country declaration, and manufacturer certificate, certificate of origin, wearing apparels details and bill of lading send to forwarder. Above documents are checked and signed by Commercial Manager.
- Before sending the above documents to forwarder commercial staff in charge of export check and verifies the documents through a set checklist (if any specific buyer has any checklist that is also adhered to) and that checklist includes concerned persons signature for accuracy of the documents. If they find any discrepancy in the documents, they bring it into the notice of the concerned staff for correction or rectification. Only then the documents are put to Commercial Manager for final checking for his signature. The commercial Manager only signs when he finds there is no discrepancy in the documents as finishing process
Engr. Kh. Mashiur Rahman, Garments Auto Machine Technologist, Web: www.autogarment.com, Email: sales@autogarment.com, Cell: +88 017 92 52 53 54