Benefits of AI powered line balancing
Fashion labels across the globe are continuously putting pressure on their manufacturing partners to become more sustainable. The global fashion industry is reportedly the 3rd largest polluter on the planet. Many brands are using technological developments in the field of AI and AR to reduce wastage by forecasting demand, redefining customer experiences and much more.
Unfortunately, on this side of the world apparel manufacturers with their busy schedules haven’t really understood the benefits of harnessing the power of disruptive technology to grow their efficiency by leaps & bounds to make them more sustainable without much of an effort.
They still follow manual process using excel sheets to do some of their core processes like line balancing. Due to this, many manufacturers face low efficiences, skill gaps, delays in production with abentsee operators and the list goes on.
In this blog, we will explore the benefits of digitally transforming Line balancing, which can bring numerous benefits resulting in higher profitability and reduced wastage leading to better sustainability
Let me start off by telling you what Line balancing is, it can be defined as levelling the workload across all operations in a line to remove bottlenecks and excess capacity. The main objectives of balancing the line is to produce the same expected output at every process of an assembly line .There should neither be accumulation of work between two process nor absence of work between the processes.
Optimised production lines
Digital transformation brings automation and advanced analytics to the line-balancing process, resulting in significant efficiency gains. AI-powered solutions provide manufacturers with real-time data collection and analysis, manufacturers can identify bottlenecks, streamline workflows, and make informed decisions to optimize production lines.
Managing Absenteeism
In a recent publication, Kingslake estimates the average absenteeism rate runs at 5%. The number may seem small but when manufacturers are running against time, this rate makes a world of difference. IT organisations like Kingslake understand the necessity to invest in AI-driven solutions to solve key apparel production issues. Digitizing the line balancing process will enable Work Study Officers to manage their lines with maximum efficiency even when operators are absent. Suggestions are made to replace missing operators with similar skill level operators to avoid any delays.
Agile Production:
In today’s rapidly changing fashion landscape, agility is vital for success. Digital transformation enables manufacturers to quickly adapt their production lines to changing market demands. By leveraging real-time data and smart algorithms, companies can easily reassign workers, adjust production volumes, and introduce new product variants with minimal disruption.
Less rework, Reduced wastage
Using solutions to understand the skill matrices of your workforce not only helps you to increase productivity but also gives you enhanced quality control. Manufacturers can easily use operator skill matrices to identify the right sewing line to produce a particular style/garment resulting in less rework and reduced wastage.
By embracing digital technologies, apparel manufacturers can optimize their production lines, respond rapidly to market demands, and achieve a competitive advantage in the industry. As the industry continues to evolve, digital transformation will remain a key enabler for success.
Time saving
Usually Work Study Officers and planning departments take hours and hours to do line balancing and capacity balancing using manual methods and if there is a change then rebalancing is done which takes more time. AI solutions have enabled Work study officiers to cut the time spent by almost half so that they could utilise this productive time in different areas.
Data driven insights
IE teams and Work Study Officiers can now make data-driven decisions based on real-time insights rather than on experience or intuition.Advanced Reporting and Dashboards can aid teams get a holistic view of the factory performance, operator idle time, performance reports and much more.
In summary, Digital transformation in apparel manufacturing brings automation and advanced analytics to optimize production lines, manage absenteeism, achieve agility in responding to market demands, and reduce rework and wastage. AI-powered solutions like KingslakeBlue Line Balancing enable real-time data collection, smart algorithms for quick adjustments, and data-driven decision-making, resulting in significant efficiency gains and time-saving opportunities for Work Study Officers and planning departments.
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