Garment manufacturers are leading Industry 4.0 by using modernization and innovative technology to manage the fashion industry's complex requirements. Meaning, the increase of automations and adoption of smart technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT-Technologies, digitalization and real-time data exchange. This has led to significant changes not only in the manufacturing process but also the workforce.
The goal of the development and implementation of these technologies was to aid factories in increasing their efficiency, flexibility and quality but also to reduce all aspects of production costs. One of them being labor costs that have been on a continuous rise over the last decade. According to a study 80 per cent of garment factories in Bangladesh intend to buy automated machines in the next one to two years. But, with almost all repetitive and time-consuming tasks in the garment production line now being executed by robotics, what does that mean for human workers?
New Skills Needed
The new emphasis on roles that now require technical expertise and an understanding to oversee automated systems, has led to a shift in the types of jobs in garment manufacturing. Jobs such as Machine Operator to operate, monitor and troubleshoot automated machinery, Software Developer to write and maintain the software that controls the machinery, Logistics and Inventory Manager with supply chain management knowledge to oversee the production line, and Data Analyst to analyze data generated by the automated machinery systems to optimize processes, make informed business decisions and identify trends are now commonly sought after in garment factories.
Additionally, workers are also being trained and reskilled to foster the new advanced technical environment along the garment production line. Especially technical training with hands-on training on operating and maintaining the machinery, and technical courses for machine control and maintenance are very important. Some factories also offer their workers training in educational institutions to get first-hand knowledge on latest needs in the garment industry. One factory has been training and upskilling their workers since 2022 in digital literacy, efficiency training, workplace communication and more with 96 per cent of the participants giving feedback that the training helped them for their current and even future roles in the garment industry.
Automation in Action
The shift towards automation has affected almost all stages of garment production. However, some stages still require human skills and brainpower. The biggest impact auf automation has mainly been on repetitive and time-consuming tasks to increase efficiency and quality, and on stages that are prone to human error to reduce losses during production:
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1. Cutting and Pattern Making
Thanks to smart automated cutting machines this stage of manufacturing has been fully automated. Machines like OSHIMA’s Smart Automatic Cutting M8S are equipped with computerized systems, lasers and data systems, now perform this task with the highest precision and efficiency, while also allowing the executive team to oversee the process and make changes on the go. The reliance on expensive human labor has been almost eliminated allowing to save labor costs for other stages of production.
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2. Sewing:
One of the most labor-intensive processes garment manufacturing is sewing and assembling. Many garment factories have therefore resorted to robotic sewing machines and automated assembly lines to speed up the process and eliminate human error.
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3. Quality Control and Error Detection:
Another very time-consuming and exhausting manual task, that is also prone to mistakes, is quality control and error detection of fabrics. Therefore, automating this step has led to a major increase of speed and accuracy in quality control processes. While the majority of factories rely on fabric inspection machines that aid in accurate measuring, some manufactures have started to update their processes with the use of AI. This reduces the risk of oversight. Fabric Inspections machines like the EagleAi from OSHIMA rely on a regularly updated database to inspect fabrics, contributing to speeding up this step in the production line even more while also increasing the identification rate to over 90 percent.
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4. Packaging and Sorting:
Automated packaging and sorting systems have fully replaced human labor in the last stage of garment manufacturing by now. These solutions usually provide a high output while managing packing, applying labels and sorting products for shipping all at once and therefore not only maximize efficiency in the logistics but also save manual labor costs. OSHIMA’s packaging solution for example can complete an output of up to 240 cases per hour.
Conclusion
While automation is revolutionizing garment manufacturing, it's important to approach this journey with caution and thoughtful consideration. Using technology like those provided by OSHIMA can considerably increase efficiency and productivity. As the industry evolves, keeping ahead requires not only adopting new technologies, but also developing a staff prepared to succeed in this new era. Partner with OSHIMA to customize your production process for the future of fashion.
