Fiddling with URLs many times a day or managing bookmarks on a mobile phone is still a cumbersome experience. Now is the era of standalone apps which are making everything quicker and simpler to use, facilitated by the growing number of smartphone users. In a global competitive scenario where retail stores are also moving to M-commerce to free users from the hassles of hours of store-shopping, why are apparel manufacturing firms lagging behind in the wake of new development of smart apps which can help in simplifying the processes…? There are many mobile applications designed for specific purposes to help the garment industry, in particular, to attain its goal. The following are some of the apps identified and selected by Team StitchWorld that would change the way things work in the apparel industry.
Project Management
Name: Smartsheet Project Management
Platform: Android
Developer: Smartsheet.com
Free or Paid: Free trial for 30 days
Every project or order’s success depends on its timely accomplishment or timely delivery which marks for the making of a task scheduler that needs to be checked regularly so that there is no diversion in the scheduled delivery window. In the apparel industry, a similar task scheduler commonly known as TNA Calendar is made by a merchandiser, who is accountable for that order and needs to connect with all the departments in an apparel manufacturing factory. Any detailed to-do-list with many critical activities needs constant monitoring and excel sheets add to the headache… Smartsheet Project Management, an Android app, can be an integral part in handling TNA activities and managing orders without any hassle. Along with a familiar spreadsheet interface, Smartsheet also adds automated workflows, interactive Gantt Charts and file sharing options. The user can not only import the files but also modify available templates of Project Plan, Gantt Chart, Project Management with Gantt and sales pipeline. Smartsheet app gives the user the facility of setting alerts and attaching files to critical tasks as well.
Name: Wrike
Platform: Android
Developer: Wrike Inc.
Free or Paid: Free
With a number of options for project and task management, another app perfect for your scheduling needs is Wrike which keeps you updated with custom push notifications. This app allows the user to check to-do-list at any hour of the day. Wrike enables users to create, assign and schedule tasks. With a few taps on Gantt Chart, users can adjust the project timeline on Wrike. This project management app also allows the user to attach images or files on phone, Google Drive, or Dropbox instantly to the project plan.
Apparel Costing
Name: Apparel Costing
Platform: Windows
Developer: Ehbipul
Free or Paid: Paid (US $ 22.99)
The most complex procedure that actively includes merchandisers and top management is apparel costing. Keeping all the factors in mind, the type of fabric, trim, garment testing, logistics, and value-addition costs, calculating them manually is a difficult task. This app allows the user to calculate the consumption of fabric, trims and other accessories used in a garment along with the costs involved in its testing and transportation.
Apparel costing includes the cost of production (per minute cost of the factory X number of minutes taken for completion of garment) while calculating the total cost. This does not mark an end to its features; the app also allows the user to include each component in the unit of measure that is applicable for it – fabric and threads in metres, buttons and zippers in numbers as well as sequins and other accessories.
Name: Hudson Cost
Platform: iOS
Developer: Yasir Sattar
Free or Paid: Free
iOS is not lagging behind Android apps in helping its users and the tool offered is ‘Hudson Cost’, primarily to cost a product. Hudson Cost allows the user to calculate costs of different articles of home textiles and garment. The unique feature of this app is that it can be segregated by a country, as every country has different sizing charts. Now coming to what Hudson Cost can do for you, it can calculate woven and knit fabrics greige cost, knit bedsheet’s weight along with the packaging and warding costs. It will take away your worry of toggling between different cost sheets for different products. Users can calculate up to 50 complete articles cost on one sheet.
Cut Order Planning
Name: Cut Order Plan PRO
Platform: Android
Developer: Kaushal Kumar Agrawal
Free or Paid: Free
A daunting task before the cutting master is to find the most efficient marker for a given set of style/colour quantities. Cut order planning seeks the most effective use of fabric. When thousands of variables and possible solutions exceed human capabilities, Cut Order Plan Pro comes to their rescue. This app can create minimum number of markers for any style with any given order quantities (in all sizes). Time and cost invested in spreading and cutting can be minimized as the same marker can be used for all fabrics, thereby enhancing marker usability. The option of mixed laying (multiple fabric in single order style) which is very prevalent now is also present in this app. Besides it allows the user to create PDF reports on demand.
Time Study
Name: WorkStudy+ 5
Platform: iOS
Developer: Quetech Ltd.
Free or Paid: Free
Industrial Engineers have conventionally used stopwatch, boards for holding watches and papers, video recorders, and forms to record data. In the age of smartphones, there are time study apps to free you from all the hassles of holding stopwatches and offers multiple functionalities. One such versatile tool is WorkStudy+ 5 which allows the user to create and edit any number of time study and sampling study files on the device. It can track numeric values, individual job cycles, delay type elements, value added and non-value added time for lean analysis. Individual elements/tasks can be visually identified by configuring display colours, fonts and layout of your element list. 1,000 of tasks…? No worries! This app can handle complex studies containing 1,000s of tasks. It automatically selects successive elements/tasks for repetitive studies and eliminates unwanted study observations. Statistical results can also be customized by incorporating desired error percentage and confidence percentage.
WorkStudy+ 5 also comes with a professional add-on application for generating powerful and customizable statistical reports in Microsoft Excel and existing study files can be shared between devices easily via e-mail, or cloud storage apps.
Name: Time Motion Study
Platform: Android
Developer: Graphite Inc.
Free or Paid: Paid (US $ 4.11)
Study of time and motion of operators consumes maximum time of an IE and is a goldmine of best opportunities to improve productivity. One such app that completely justifies its name is Time Motion Study. This app allows the user to fragment the activity into as many number of motions you like. With an easy single tap, the user can switch between different motions during the process of time and motion study. Use of this app lets the user compare the performance of different workers, tools or methods. Switch between measuring one motion at a time, or multiple concurrent motions, this app lets the user check where operator spends most of his/her time. The final results (i.e. total time taken by operators for an operation including both value added and non- value added time) can be shared via e-mail or Facebook; CSV file scan also be exported.
Name: Time Pro Professional
Platform: Android
Developer: Applied Computer Services Inc.
Free or Paid: Free
Another one in the competition in time and motion study segment is an app by Applied Computer Services Inc. in which time study templates can be used in any number to cover all your operations. Full details can be captured by adding header data to identify the study, additional data and notes taken during observation. The user can easily handle interruptions and fumbles and rate the performance of every observation while adding and editing elements like pick, align and dispose in real time. The user can also instantly access summary statistics and see required observations, operator performance and the final standard for review while at the workstation. Making the task easier, the user can download templates from Excel and send collected data back to Excel for final summarization.
Name: nuVizz Time Study App
Platform: iOS
Developer: nuVizz Inc.
Free or Paid: Free
A completely self-contained native application, nuVizz allows users to create discrete elements, activities and conduct time study of any activity. Up to 10 elements can be accommodated on the screen which can be seen without the need of scrolling up/down. It enables the user to capture all the necessary information (attributes) like username, pace rate, activity type regarding both the job elements (elements) and the job (transaction) to be studied. nuVizz enables the user to take delay times and standard job element times separately from the beginning. This user-friendly time study interface allows users to capture audio, video and notes during the actual time study without leaving or closing the time study. For further analysis, the user can even export/import data to other devices.
OEE Calculation
Name: OEE
Platform: iOS
Developer: Auto Lean Inc.
Free or Paid: Paid (US $ 3.99)
Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) is the most complete and holistic measure of machine’s efficiency. AutoLean’s OEE, perfect for any process, machine, and facility, lets you calculate the waste in the manufacturing process in terms of availability, performance and quality loss caused by planned/unplanned stoppages, slow cycles and any rework in the piece.
An easy to view graph allows you to view OEE to judge if processes are improving appropriately.
Comparing all production shifts for analysis by production date, including availability, productivity, and quality components of the OEE formula, is no more a headache. With this app, the user can view all this in a quick glance and understand production losses through downtime. OEE app enables users to e-mail OEE analysis reports or attach OEE data in a .csv file and store for historical comparisons.
Lean Manufacturing
Name: Lean Manufacturing
Platform: Android
Developer: Pilotage Industriel
Free or Paid: Paid (US $ 5.41)
Every industry is moving towards lean manufacturing to maximize profits by improving the operational efficiency of production system and reducing wastes. “But what you can’t measure, you cannot improve”. In this context, Lean Manufacturing app helps in calculating wastes using four pillars of lean – 5S, Visual Management, Standardization of Operations and Heijunka (production levelling). Entailing practical explanations illustrated by many drawings, this app allows the user to determine the area that needs continuous improvement approach. Workflow by JIT can be managed by building a Kanban schedule and production cycle on the need of customer through Takt Time. Using this app and following a structured approach, changeover time can be reduced and wastes in the process would be eliminated eventually. The app enables the user to send data (collected and calculated) by e-mail.
Takt Time Calculation
Name: Takt
Platform: iOS, Android
Developer: AutoLean Inc.
Free or Paid: Paid (US $ 1.99)
With a pressure to meet the delivery timelines and knowing the maximum amount of time in which a product needs to be produced to meet the customer demand, is vital. What if an app can calculate the Takt Time for you? AutoLean’s Takt serves the purpose of ensuring continuous workflow in production and capacity utilization. It enables the user to understand the pulse or rhythm of all the operations in the manufacturing process by inputting customer demand in units/day; subsequently allowing you to deliver RP at RT in RQ.
Lux Measurement
Name: Lux-o-meter
Platform: Windows
Developer: Martin Suchan
Free or Paid: Free
First windows 8.1 app Lux-o-meter allows you to measure real illuminance. This app lets the user measure the illuminance of light using the built-in light sensor. In addition to lux as illuminance unit, the app provides the user with alterative illuminance units – Foot-candle, Phot and Nox.
Name: Lux Meter
Platform: Android
Developer: Martin Suchan
Free or Paid: Free
Another app for android users is Lux Meter which allows the user to measure illuminance of light by using the light sensor of the device. The unique feature of the app is that the current lux value along with maximum and minimum lux values can be saved. Lux Meter provides the user foot-candle and lux as illumination unit. The feature of calibration multiplier in the app enables the user to convert any illumination unit.
Name: LightMeter by Whitegoods
Platform: iOS
Developer: Whitegoods
Free or Paid: Free
A garment manufacturing factory works for eight to ten hours in a shift where operators take on activities of cutting, sewing and finishing. It is the responsibility of IE department to ensure that light intensity in cutting, sewing and finishing sections is appropriate, i.e. 500-1000 lux for cutting and sewing section, and 250-500 lux for finishing section. Spending a big chunk of money on buying a lux meter equipment seems not so an alluring option in front of a free app doing the same. This app saves the user from the cost of using lux meter equipment. The app can display results in any unit, be it lux or foot-candle depending on user’s preference. Not only does it measure light, but also gives suggestions to users regarding the current lighting scenes. As light levels change, the screen displays dynamic information. LightMeter is incorporated with a timer function for hard to reach spots where you need a reading but can’t see the display. With this easy-to-use app, enjoy a lux meter in your hand always.
Garment Facility Establishment
Name: KarkhanaSeba
Platform: Android
Developer: National Apps Bangladesh
Free or Paid: Free
Setting up a new factory involves purchasing of land, submitting applications, receiving permissions from various authorities, lots of paperwork and the need to stay updated on the same. That time calls for a desperate need of a person whom you could consult regarding the same and he could assist you in the same. Getting such a person at that particular time is not certain, but KarkhanaSeba by National Apps Bangladesh will undoubtedly help you out in this case. Especially if you are new to apparel industry and planning to set up a new facility in Bangladesh. KarkhanaSeba unfetters the user from worries of submitting necessary documents to the concerned authorities for the establishment a new garment facility. Not only this app will assist in submitting the applications but will also inform the user of requirements that need to be fulfilled in advance. Icing on the cake is its notification system feature that informs the user on application update.