Optimizing Sewing Line Balancing in Apparel Manufacturing through Digitalization

Abstract This study presents an innovative software system for optimizing sewing line balancing in apparel manufacturing, addressing challenges posed by dynamic production demands, such as fluctuating order sizes and varying product styles. By Integrating real-time data with lean principles, the system utilizes a parallel station position-weighted algorithm and dynamically assigns operators based on current task metrics. This real-time data integration for operator assignment is the system’s key innovation. A case study demonstrated significant improvements: line efficiency increased from 79.68% to 88.31%, and per-operator output rose by 10%. These results highlight the potential for substantial efficiency gains in apparel manufacturing.