Standards for finishing production
ith today’s tight profits and difficult
labor market, it becomes more challenging and complex to fix a
production standard for each step in the overall production
process. It is true that we want to determine the total number
of pieces that the finishing units can produce realistically in
a given hour. This is known as pieces per operator per hour.
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To accomplish this we must begin with the
most important step in the production process. Although
finishing is not the first step, it is certainly the most
productive step since it is the finishing people who determine
whether the work will get out on time or not.
As I have often remarked: “One
person can come in 3 a.m. and do cleaning for several pressers,
but that person cannot press for several pressers no matter
what time he or she comes in.”
Once we get the finishing department
squared away on a suitable production standard, we can then
turn our attention to the other supporting departments:
cleaning and spotting, inspection, assembly and bagging.
There are many factors involved in
determining a production standard for finishing:
1. Efficient layout of the equipment in
the unit.
The unit must be ergonomically correct.
All pieces of equipment must be placed within easy reach of the
operator and at the right height. The pieces must be placed in
the most efficient order for rapid and easy “in” of
unfinished garments and “out” of finished garments.
The rails must be at the proper height to avoid standing on tip
toes to either remove or hang the garments.
2. Amount and quality of utilities (steam,
air, vacuum).
Steam pressure too high produces steam
that is too dry, and steam pressure too low produces steam that
is too moist.
For drycleaning finishing, the ideal steam
pressure is 70 psig at the unit. If the steam is too dry, it
will not remove wrinkles with ease. If the steam is too moist,
it will require excessive vacuum time. All steam traps must be
in good working order.
If the air pressure is too low the press
heads will work slowly. Ideal air pressure at the unit is 75
psig. The air must be dry and cool to be efficient.
An air pressure regulator should be
installed at the compressor outlet line and set at a constant
80 psig to 85 psig (depending on the distance travelled).
The air line should be increased two sizes
(minimum) larger than the outlet size on the compressor (after
the air passes through the air dryer/filter, pressure regulator
and after cooler). Three sizes larger is ideal.
Each machine should be equipped with its
own air filter/trap with automatic drain.
The vacuum header should not be reduced in
size from its outlet. The vacuum unit should be sized double
the number of machines it is servicing.
Each take off from the header should have
a drain valve installed just before it enters the pressing
machine.
A vertical check valve at the bottom
nipple, below the tee pointing toward the machine’s
vacuum valve, will be closed when vacuum is on and will open
when vacuum is turned off. Do not use a horizontal swing check
in the vertical position. Otherwise, a gate valve or ball
valve will suffice if opened and closed manually.
The amount of vacuum at the completion of
steam pressing determines the quality and stability of the
press job. Too little vacuum will not preserve the press job,
and too much vacuum will waste good production time. Three to
four seconds of vacuum (if all the factors above are present)
will be sufficient. However, over vacuuming is not as harmful
as under vacuuming.
3. Condition of the equipment, padding and
components.
Proper maintenance and cleanliness of the
equipment is essential. Management must inspect the equipment
every day and actually operate each piece to make sure it is at
its most productive capability.
Do not depend on the operator to report
all deficiencies of the machines; see them for yourself since
most times the operator will ignore a deficiency and not
complain about it. Press padding must be supple and clean. Grid
plates must not be damaged or dirty.
4. Environmental comfort of the operator
considered.
The area of the unit must be well
ventilated and well lighted. There must be no shadows over the
equipment. Padding, or carpeting, over the entire unit’s
floor will reduce operator fatigue in addition to comfortable
shoes. Cleanliness must be a prime concern since dirty press
tables and heads are detrimental to good production and
quality.
5. Personal needs of the operators
considered.
Going to the bathroom, taking breaks to
relieve tension and fatigue, lunch, etc., are necessary
functions. In reality, a person cannot continuously work
for the entire day without a break as we did “in the old
days.”
Also, cold water must always be available
and convenient to get. A break room, today, is as essential as
a boiler room; a refrigerator, sink and stove are standard
equipment.
6. Preparation of garments for maximum
time saving.
All garments must be inspected closely for
spots after cleaning to ensure that the presser will not be
held up by returning a garment for spotting after it has been
75 percent pressed.
The spotter should hang all similar
garments together on the unfinished rail and in the order of
the units’ location to the cleaning/spotting department.
The cleaner should ensure good cleaning
with excellent solvent maintenance, and the drying cycles
should be proper to ensure a wrinkle-free load after a
cool-down cycle (as appropriate for perc or
petroleum/hydrocarbon).
If the volume is large, a distribution
conveyor should be utilized for both feeding the press units
and taking away of the finished garment to the
inspection/assembly areas.
It has been proven many times that a
presser will move more work when the unfinished garments are
there in the finishing unit as opposed to an empty entrance to
the unit.
The cleaning-spotting de-partment must do
all in its power to support the finishing units and keep the
work moving.
7. An incentive, or requirement, to
produce at, or above, the standard.
It has been proven many times that an
hourly worker is penalized if he or she works fast and rewarded
if he or she works slowly. The penalty is less hours, and the
reward is more hours.
An incentive can be in several forms:
piece work, hourly bonus, go home sooner when work is finished
with full day’s pay, time off with pay for exceeding
standard, etc.
Strange as it may seem, another incentive
can be management’s requirement that the operators attain
the prescribed standard in order to retain their job and agreed
salary. In this regard a piece count is maintained and compared
to the required standard.
Since the drycleaning-spotting and
wetcleaning-spotting departments will process various types of
garments in support of all the drycleaning-wetcleaning
finishing units, it is almost impossible to effectively
determine the total pieces per operator hour involving all
facets of this area of production as is the case with laundered
shirts. The coat/utility units and silk units, including the
hot head units,make that determination ineffective and
inaccurate.
Note: My spotting video, “The
Caplan Method of Stain Removal,” which includes my
comprehensive text and handy spotting board reference available
in English, Spanish and Korean (video only in Korean) from the
Golomb Group, c/o Dennis McCrory, 7664 Plaza Court,
Willowbrook, IL 60521, phone (800) 679-5856. A lecture and
demonstration are presented similar to my classes over the
years at IFI and SDA. This video and text are ideal for
training inexperienced spotters as well as a good review for
experienced spotters. Digesting with enzymes, bleaching,
oxidized oil stains and caramelized sugar stains are discussed
and demonstrated. An article on “Removing Spots in the
Cleaning Machine” and an article on “How to
Increase Production in the Spotting Department” are
included in the comprehensive text book.
Also available from the Golomb Group, in
English and Spanish, is my video on step-by-step shirt
finishing which includes my comprehensive text in loose-leaf
form outlining each procedure for single-operator and
two-operator cabinet shirt unit using a cabinet sleeve press.
Proper forming of the collar using heated collar formers is
demonstrated. Each lay is demonstrated for top quality with
very little effort by the operators. Attractive detailing and
packaging of the hangered shirt, padding, steam pressures and
timing are all discussed. A unique wash formula for whiter
whites and brighter colors and removal of grease and body oils
is included in the loose-leaf text book.
My experience with shirts spans over 55
years with US Army as a principal laundry and dry-cleaning
concessionaire at Ft. Meade, MD, where average shirt volume was
approximately 10,000 per day. We were constantly
“sampled” for excellent quality in both finishing
and washing in laundry and drycleaning and in tailoring.
We operated our own 40,000-sq.-ft. plant
for over 35 years.
Stan Caplan has over 35 years experience
in his own high volume dry-cleaning, laundry and tailoring
plant and two package plants with adjoining coin-operated
laundry and drycleaning. Stan is the former chief instructor at
the International Fabricare Institute, the Southwest
Drycleaners Association and various other trade
association-sponsored schools throughout the US and courses in
Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Singapore and Hong Kong. Stan
offers consulting, training and engineering services in all
areas from customer service area to the boiler room since 1981.
His complete system withtotal quality management will produce
maximum efficiency, economy and product excellent quality. Stan
can be reached at 7341 Amberly Lane, Suite 310, Delray Beach,
FL 33446, phone/fax (561) 496-2548. His e-mail address is stancap100@aol.com.
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