Operation Breakdown & Process Flow Diagram

An operation is one of the processes that must be completed in converting materials into finished garment . An operation breakdown is a sequential list of all the operations involved in assembling a garment , component or style . It is used to cost the garments and to establish the work flow for each style .

Steps for operation breakdown ?

Identify the components of a garment . Analyze how the individual components have been made . Find the best method of attaching the components together . Based on the no. of m/c and labour available , assign the best possible path .

Things to be kept in mind

Each operation should be easily identifiable having definite beginning and end , ensuring their subsequent repeated recognition . Elements should be as short as possible so that they can be measured reliably by a trained observer . Manual operation should be separated from m/c .

Independent Processes
Process which is not dependent on any previous operation and can be performed even if some other process has not taken place . E.g. : Collar making

Dependent process
Process which cannot be performed till the time , the process just before that operation has not been performed . E.g.: Collar attaching to collar band .

Flow Diagram
Flowchart Process flow chart Process map Process chart Business process model Process model Work flow diagram Business flow diagram Flow diagram

 The flow of work and the type of activity can b shown in a diagrammatic fashion by flow process diagram These can be : Man type Records the activity of an operator or worker . Material type How material sis handled or treated . Equipment and machine type records how equipment is used .

Definition
Process flow diagram is a graphical or symbolic representation of a process . Each step in the process is represented by a different symbol and contains a short description of the process step . The flow chart symbols are linked together with arrows showing the process flow direction. A flow process diagram is a process chart setting out the sequence of the flow of a product or a procedure by recording all events under review using appropriate process chart symbols .

Advantage
Allows to see the process flow at a glance It gives a snap shot of your business processes .

Most commonly used symbols

Operation this is a main step in a process , method or procedure .
Inspection for quantity only ( Gilbreth )

Inspection for quality only (Gilbreth)

Transportation ( except for Gilbreth who uses a small circle)

Most commonly used symbols

Permanent storage

or

Temporary storage or delay

Combined activities , in this case operation and inspection

Types of process charts

Two handed process charts Outline process charts Network analysis

Flow Process Chart

Flow process chart is a tool for production planning purpose But its an inadequate tool because these are diagrams without any time or space scales Any production blueprint or chart must be based on the time and space rlationships to be worthy of being used as an engineering tool for calculating production systems

FPG, Flow Process Grid

It is a dimensional graph of the entire production sequence of a product which measures and shows the definite time and space relationships of all factors in production ( process stations, inspection stations, temporary storage station, transport activities) It has a graph grid structure where the y axis denotes the time line and the x axis depicts the lateral space relationship between work and temporary storage

FPG, Flow Process Grid

The spatial relationship necessary between work stations for the best plant layout The time relationship required among work stations necessary to yield minimum total production time

Flow Process Grid

It uses the following data : 1) Total processing time per garment 2) Total processing time per bundle 3) Inventory-in-process time per bundle 4) Amount of machines of each type required to produce the required hourly amount 5) Amount of operators needed to produce the daily amount 6) Temporary storage allowed totally between successive levels 7) Total scheduled inventory-in-process time

Flow Process Grid

It contains columns for: 1) Operation title ( including symbol for machine)noted n right hand corner of operations title column 2) Time per unit for each operation in the line 3) Time per bundle amount for each operation 4) Amount of operators and machines needed to produce the required daily amount

Flow Process Grid

Color code: 1) Black: operation title, unit time, arrows, level numbers 2) Blue: bundle time 3) Red: machine symbols, operators required per operation, total operators needed 4) Green: amount of machines needed

 Production control reports DOPR, Daily Operation Productivity Report DIP, Daily Inventory-in-Process