Increasing performance of footwear stitching line by installation of auto-trim stitching machines

Abstract

<p class="Abstract">Industries need to innovate their processes and machines on the advent of new technology in the market especially when there is the matter of line performance, cost and process efficiency. Stitching in the footwear is considered as the bottleneck of the production because of the variability of operations in the different articles (shoes). In this regard, such operations which remains constant (i.e. thread cutting after the stitching operation is complete on the specific footwear component) are required to be automated so that the time and cost can be saved. In the case company, stitching machines don`t cut the thread automatically after the completion of operation on the shoe component. On the same time, such stitching machines are available in the market which cut the thread automatically when the operation is completed. Before, purchasing those machines, it was needed to prepare the feasibility of the investment and its impact on the performance, cost effectiveness and overall line efficiency. One of the latest machines was brought for trial in the case company and the stitching operations were performed on both machines (existing and new machine) so that the difference in the performance can be calculated. Time of the performed operation was recorded by the help of stopwatch, amperes of the motors of existing machines were checked by the help of ampere meter. The data was put into MS excel and various formulae were applied in the spreadsheet to prepare the feasibility. It was concluded that after the installation of 10 post bed single needle stitching machines and 2 post bed double needle stitching machines, the production will increase by 61 pairs/day; the line efficiency will increase by 12% and Rs.8/pair will be saved.</p>