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Groz-Beckert addresses challenges of the digital age

Groz-Beckert introduces its latest Smart INH, which consists of two components: the mobile app INH@site and the administration software INH@office.

27th March 2018

Innovation in Textiles
 |  Albstadt

Clothing/​Footwear, Industrial

The INH trolley. © Groz-Beckert Lean production, Industry 4.0 and digitalisation entered the clothing production process a long time ago, with sophisticated technology such as design software, CNC cutting machines, fully automated sewing machines and robots, as well as computer-controlled embroidery machines, making production efficient and easier.

With the INH (Ideal Needle Handling) quality management, Groz-Beckert has been offering a way of improving the complex handling of sewing machine needles during the clothing production process since 2016. Now, the German provider of industrial needles introduces its latest Smart INH, which consists of two software components: the mobile app INH@site and the administration software INH@office.

From lean production to Lean 4.0

Lean production originated in the 1980s in the Japanese automotive industry. As a systematised production organisation, it follows the basic goal of avoiding waste. This is achieved by removing all non-value-adding activities and striving towards the zero-error principle.

These are activities and processes that do not add to or help preserve the value, according to this principle: over-production, inventories, error/reworking, inefficient methods and processes, unused know-how of the employees, movement without adding value, all walkways and footpaths, and wait times – of employees and products.

The INH@office management program. © Groz-Beckert When implementing lean production, the actual focus is on processes and methods that largely take place without IT support. In the current age of digitalisation, however, the Lean 4.0 approach has been developed from a purely process-oriented method: Through the use of modern information and communication techniques, processes in production are made more efficient and production and administration processes are connected.

Needle is becoming lean

With the introduction of the INH quality management, Groz-Beckert has taken a step towards lean production. INH simplifies the handling of sewing machine needles in sewing businesses and defines a standardised process for handling broken and damaged needles. By using an INH trolley, waste is avoided by removing unnecessary wait times. Using the needle return box also prevents errors and makes use of the detailed knowledge of the individual employees. The process is simplified further with the needle storage sheet.

For example, in the event of a needle breakage or needle change, the responsible person accesses the machine with the INH trolley. The needle change and the complete documentation takes place there.

The INH@site mobile app. © Groz-Beckert As early as the development stage of the INH quality management, Groz-Beckert identified its ‘smart’ potential. In addition to the basic version, where the documentation of the needle breakages takes place physically, the so-called Smart INH was created for digital documentation of needle breakages and all other needle changes.

Digital components of Smart INH

Using the INH@site app, the relevant needle sections are photographed in the event of needle breakage or a needle change. Relevant data, such as the place and time of needle breakage, or production order details, is assigned to an image. The resulting image data set created in this way is saved digitally.

The administration software INH@office is used for entering and maintaining all relevant data, like production orders, sewing lines with machinery or sewing personnel. The saved image data sets can be called up at any time via INH@office. The dashboard also provides an overview of the current situation and different evaluations can be carried out there. The connection of the brand owner and customer to INH@office enables an online audit to be carried out at any time. The brand owner and customer can check whether the factories are fulfilling their duty of documentation.

The latest available version of Smart INH forms the basis for further digitalisation options. A warehouse management system connected to INH@site, for example, can trigger an automated order process and also avoid grey inventories in production.

www.groz-beckert.com

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