Productivity improvement through assembly line balancing by using simulation modeling in case of Abay garment industry Gondar

Abstract

This study aims to balance the garment line of the polo shirt operation by utilizing line balancing techniques. These techniques are employed to enhance the efficiency and productivity of the Abay garment industry. Observational methods and stopwatch timing were employed to collect data on the processing times for each operation. Subsequently, the standard allowed minute was determined based on work measurement principles. To assess statistical significance and identify appropriate expressions for the existing simulation modeling, all collected data underwent statistical analysis using the Arena input analyzer. Moreover, Arena simulation software was employed in this research to simulate and evaluate the effectiveness of both the current and proposed polo shirt sewing line models. Building upon the existing model, alternative improved models were proposed. The alternative models yielded significant improvements in multiple performance metrics, including output, capacity utilization, waiting time in queues, and number of products waiting. These improvements indicate an increase in productivity resulting from the implementation of balanced production lines. The outcomes of the improved scenario included an increase in output from 288 to 381, a rise in line efficiency from 39.06 % to 55.64 %, and an enhancement in labor productivity from 54.25 % to 66 %. Additionally, the cost of labor was reduced by 15.63 %, while revenue experienced a notable increase of 30 %.