Production and Manufacturing
Production and Manufacturing
This domain tests how garments are made at scale with consistent quality. Expect questions on production systems, quality control, CAD/CAM, line balancing and costing. Calculations and process choice are both assessed.
Core rules
- Production systems: make-through, batch, mass/assembly line, cell, just-in-time and lean. Choice depends on volume, variety, skill and lead time.
- Quality control checks finished items; quality assurance builds quality into the process (specifications, training, in-process checks).
- CAD/CAM includes pattern grading, marker making, cutting, automatic sewing and embroidery. Marker efficiency reduces waste.
- Line balancing allocates operations to workstations so no bottleneck; calculate capacity and efficiency.
- Efficiency = standard minutes produced ÷ minutes worked × 100; capacity = available minutes ÷ operation time.
Worked example
A line has 600 minutes available and must make 200 units. Takt time = 600/200 = 3 minutes per unit. If an operation takes 5 minutes, it is a bottleneck; split or add a station. If demand rises to 300 units, takt time falls to 2 minutes and the bottleneck worsens.
Traps
Using QC and QA interchangeably; ignoring seam allowance in marker planning; calculating efficiency with the wrong output; assuming automation removes all skill.