Implementation of autonomous maintenance and kaizen to enhance overall equipment efficiency in an apparel manufacturing unit

Abstract

Proper utilization of resources can increase the potential benefit of an organization. Like all other organization, apparel manufacturing industry also works with different resources (Man, machine, material, method and money) from individual sectors such as knitting, dyeing, cutting, sewing, finishing etc. Where still there are lots of hidden opportunities are remaining to explore. Hence, Kaizen and autonomous maintenance are likely to be more applicable progress tool to increase the overall equipment efficiency (OEE) percentage for such types of organizations. Taking into consideration of the importance of kaizen and autonomous maintenance (AM) for apparel manufacturing industry specially in cutting and sewing section, this thesis paper explains the implementation procedure of kaizen and AM in a pilot line to increase the OEE percentage . The present study is performed with a well reputed apparel industry in Bangladesh named East West Industrial Park Limited. It is explained here how OEE percentage can be increased by applying kaizen and increasing the number of trained motivated worker for basic maintenance work along with other related techniques. A sewing floor and its cutting section are considered to implement this study, and OEE percentages as well as AM ratio are compared before and after implementing the mentioned techniques. The study reveals some root causes in the system, which hinders efficiency level. On the basis of this study, some improvement strategies are presented. Analytical results from the study confirm that the company can achieve substantial improvement in their existing OEE percentage, if it implements the proposed techniques in rest of the line also.