Step 3- Creating A Good Work Flow Floor Plan For Faster Production And Creating Process Manuals

Step 3- Creating A Good Work Flow Floor Plan For Faster Production And Creating Process Manuals Creating A Well-Organized Floor Plan In Step I talked about Goals, Planning and your current Financial Status. Have you created your Goals & Plans for this week and for each day of the week? Remember, if you do not write it down, it does not happen! In Step 2 I talked about the Order Taking Process and the Production Process. Do you have all of your forms downloaded and are you using them as you are re-organizing your business? Getting totally organized is extremely important and must be done in order to have a profitable embroidery business. In Step 3 I am talking about creating a good floor plan for your embroidery work room and creating Step by Step Instructions for each process in your business. An Efficient Floor Plan Without a good work flow plan, you will be wasting a lot of valuable time. This is very important in order to insure that you will have an efficient work flow. A layout for the most efficient work flow should be done in a loop if at all possible so that each area is not conflicting with another area. In a good work flow the work runs very efficiently from one area to the next and without it there are too many wasted steps from one job process to another. This is just as important to the one person shop in the home as it is to the large multi-head shop or even a shop in a retail location. 1

When you are working from home you are usually very limited in your floor and wall space but you still must make it very efficient in order to make it profitable. Separate Section For Each Process When you are working on your floor plan and trying to figure where each part is going to be sitting, you must plan to divide it separate sections for your different types of processes. By processes, I mean, Office Area, Design Preparation, Hooping, Finishing, Shipping, etc. Each area uses different supplies and tools and they need to be kept in that area. So you really want to think about that as you are planning out your workflow. This can even be done in a small one room shop. The workflow should be as follows regardless of what size shop you have: 1-Order Processing-Taking the order, Logging In, Order Products 2-Receiving- Receiving should be located as close to the incoming door as possible. This is receiving the goods in from the distributors and other customers. 3-Staging- Shelving where the received orders are waiting for the prep work, hooping and designs to be finished. 4-Prep - where the garments are hooped and placed into baskets or bins ready to be transported to the embroidery machine. In a one person shop this may be in front of the machine and done as you are also embroidering. 5-Staging 2- Garments Hooped-Ready for the Embroidery Operator. In a one person shop, you would not have this area if you do not have enough hoops to hoop garments ahead of production. 6-Embroidery Machine Production 7-Finishing - Garments are trimmed and packed. The packed garments are then ready for Shipping 8-Shipping or Pick up. These areas may be overlapping but the flow must stay the same. I have a very small room that is my workroom at home. I have a video that you can watch to see how I had it organized at one time. I have since made some changes. I purchased more shelving and moved my table and added 2

more plastic storage boxes. I have even more in my room now than I did in the video. Here is a link to the video as it was before I made the changes. http://embtrainingresourcecenter.s3.amazonaws.com/organizing-yourworkspace.mp4 Here is the basic layout after I made the changes. In my home workroom, I have 2 machines but I only have space for one table. In my small 2 machine home shop, the Prep area and Finishing area are be on the same table directly across from your machine but they are at opposite ends of the table. I still keep my tools assigned for the different areas in my plastic drawers and I bring them out when I am working on that particular task. I do not use the same tools for all processes. When you do this you end up misplacing tools and you spend a lot of time looking for the right tools to use for a certain process. I have several different pairs of scissors, many the same but the ones that I use for trimming my backing are not the same ones that I use for cutting the backing or topping before hooping. so that I can function more efficiently. If you have two multi-head machines, you can have both of them across from the table or one can be at one end of the table at the Prep area and the other machine across from the table. It will depend on how large your room is and how it is physically set up. Both layouts can be very efficient. If you have a larger space and have multi-head machines then you will 3

definitely want to have a table for each machine or one large table in between the two machines so that it is accessible for each operator. If you have one table, it must be wide enough that they are not interfering with each other. This is also known as a U shape or a modified U shape having the third or smaller machine, such as a single head at the end of the U. If you have multihead machines, one operator can be assigned to each machine and a helper is assigned to all three. This helper can change threads, carry work, help load and unload machines. This helps the operators to concentrate on thread breaks and making sure the job is done correctly. In this manner more items are completed on each machine at the end of the day. This helper can also do some of the finishing. If you have someone that does your hooping for you for all machines then you will only need 2 operators for these 3 machines. I have found in some shops that the person operating the machine is also doing all of his or her own hooping. This is OK if there is a helper that can float between the machines but when you have short running designs, there is a lot of wasted machine time and it is hard to be efficient when the person is hooping all of their own work and trying to run the machine at the same time. Below is a drawing of a basic layout for a small shop that has 2 embroidery machines. This was actually created for a small shop that had a retail front end that was a separate room. This was a large room in the back of the store. machine. 4 The best physical layout of your shop will determine how you will be able to place your machines for the best possible production. The most efficient layout I have found has been having two machines across from each other with one wide table in the center or two narrow tables in the center, one for each

Office In Another Space In my home workshop, my office is in one room and my work area is in another room. If you have the space to do this, it is ideal. This gives you more actual work space than trying to get it all into one room. Even if you have your computer and desk in the corner of another room, it will give you more floor space in your workroom. The picture in the center is of course my desk area, the picture on the right is the shelving unit that is on the right side of my desk, and the picture on the left is the shelving units on the left side of my desk. This gives me a lot more floor space in my work room. You do not always have to have your embroidery machine hooked up to your computer. You can add your designs to your machines by a USB port, a floppy disk or even remotely from your computer. All of this is possible in today s world. I know that floppys are a thing of the past, but many of the machines in the embroidery shops are still using them today. In my home shop I have one machine that uses floppys and one that uses a USB device. Additional Storage Areas If you have room in your basement to store some of your supplies so that they are not taking up space in your workroom, you may want to think about that. I have a lot stored in my basement. This gives me more floor space in my workroom to work with. I put a shelving unit inside of my closet in my workroom for additional storage of jobs that needed to be done before I rearranged my room. Now I use the closet to store Blank goods in plastic tubs on the shelves. I do not have much in inventory, but that is another whole subject that we will not get into for this training. 5

Offering Additional Services If you offer additional services such are sewing athletic twill, sewing on patches or manufacturing banners, this area should be totally separate from the embroidery area. They can be in the same room, but you do not the operation of one interfering with the other, especially if you need to have both running at the same time. You may have more than one application on the same job that would encompass both embroidery and twill, but they still need to be set up in different locations. Different processes, machines and tools are used for sewing. If you manufacture banners, you will need to plan extra room for a large banner table. The banner table needs to be large enough to hold large banners but not so large so that you have wasted steps walking around it. My banner table is 4 feet wide and 10 feet long. I have used several different tables and this seems to be the best for most of my banners. My banner table and machines for sewing my banners are located in my basement. I have a large room in my basement that houses all of my overflow of embroidery supplies and my equipment for my banners. When I have to embroider the center of a banner, I take it upstairs to my embroidery room. Not the ideal setup for that, but it works. Whatever your situation is, you can make it work, but you want to make sure you are creating a very efficient work flow. Without a good floor plan and an efficient work flow, it is very difficult to stay organized or get your work done in a cost effective manner. Create A Blueprint Of Your Embroidery Workroom Area Before you start moving anything around, draw up a blueprint on a large piece of graph paper. Draw and cut out pieces of paper that represent the machines, tables and all other existing equipment. Draw these pieces to scale so that it will work for you. Label each piece so that you will know what each piece represents. Lay the labeled pieces on the graph paper and move each piece to the area that will represent where it should be moved. Have every thread shelf, backing shelf or racks, hoops, steamer, everything that you use that takes up floor space in these drawings so that nothing is 6

missed. Once you have your layout exactly the way that you want it, take a glue stick and glue them into place. This will help you make sure that everything does get placed in the proper location when you do make your move. It will help everyone that is involved with the move be more efficient. If electrical work or carpentry work is required, a copy of the blueprint can be made for the contractors. This will help to explain exactly what is needed and will make it easier for everyone concerned. Each time you add a new process or piece of equipment you have to go through and rearrange your floor plan for efficiency. This is a very smart move! I have done this many times as I grew my business. A well-organized floor plan is a critical factor when you are creating a highly efficient work flow. Organize Each Work Area For Maximum Efficiency Planning out and organizing each area in your business is extremely important in your overall Master Plan. Each area or workstation has certain tools that are applicable only to the jobs or procedures that are done in that work area. Keep all of the tools needed for that area close at hand so that there is no time spent searching for the tools. Each Employee Is Assigned Their Own Tools If you have employees, each one should be assigned his or her own set of tools. There should be enough for everyone with no borrowing between each other. When they have to borrow, they do not always get returned or get returned to the correct location. If each employee is assigned certain tools, make sure that they keep track of them. A good method is to have them wear an apron and have all of their tools in the apron pockets. This is a very efficient way of keeping track of the tools and having them at their fingertips at all times; saving a lot of wasted steps in looking for that needed tool. When the employee is assigned tools, make a list of the tools that they were given, have them sign it and place it in their employee folder. This step will help to make them more responsible and they cannot deny that they were given a certain tool if it is missing. If they cannot keep track and keep losing them, they should be responsible for the replacements. If they change position and they are assigned different tools, this should be noted in their 7

employee folder. They should not be held responsible for tools that they no longer use and were exchanged or turned in to their superior. I have a form for you to use for the Tool Assignment. End Of Day At the end of each work day the area should be swept clean and all of the tools, paperwork and unfinished items returned to the proper location ready for resuming the work the next day or for the person on the next shift. If the employee is in the middle of an unfinished job, notes should be created to let the next person know what was completed and what the next step is. All of the paperwork and notes pertaining to that job should be returned to the folder or on an Unfinished clipboard. If this is not done, it creates confusion and lost paperwork. Storing Supplies All of the supplies that are applicable to that work area and the function of that position should be stored in that work area. If extra supplies are kept on hand and interfere with the production, they should be stored in the Supply Storage area. This is especially true for a larger shop. You will store in the actual work area only the supplies that are needed in that work area for a short period of time. As I stated earlier, if you have room in your basement, you can store extra supplies down there and keep them out of your current work area. The embroidery machines should have their own thread storage area behind the machine for easy retrieval or at least one central location that is close to all of the machines if it is not feasible for separate storage. The extra thread should be stored in the Supply Storage area. The rolls of embroidery backing should always be stored in the Supply Storage area before it is cut into squares. After it is cut into the proper sized squares it is then moved to the hooping area that is applicable and the overflow should then be stored back into the Supply Storage area. 8

Step by Step Instructions - Process Manuals After you have created your efficient floor space it is time to start planning out each are of your business. You have many individual departments within your business, even if you are a one person business. To start planning each area, you will go through each of your processes, one by one and write down Step by Step Instructions for each process. As you are doing this, think about what you are doing and ask yourself a question. Is there an easier or quicker way that I can perform that same task? Write it down in a step by step fashion and create an actual process manual out of it. A process manual needs to be created for everything that you do from taking an order from a customer to shipping your products out the door and even creating that invoice and sending it out. I usually teach people to start with the Taking and Order process first and then continue to create a process manual for each one of your office procedures. These process manuals do not have to be anything fancy. These are only a set of step by step instructions; that is all that it is. Do not try to complicate this, keep it simple. To get started you need to go through each process with a pen and paper beside you. Start with Step 1-Write down your first step. Go to Step 2-Write down that step and continue on until you have the entire process done. Then you will go to the computer and copy it all over into the computer on a Word doc. After you are finished, put them in a 3 ring binder and store your Process Manual for that area, in that area. You will be having a separate 3 ring binder with your processes in it for each area. Some of the processes that you have in your office you probably would not even think of as creating process manuals for, but they all need to be done. For example: Creating your invoices Taking credit card payments Ordering your products-complete with Suppliers contact info and your ID number. Ordering your supplies Taking an order over the phone Taking an order in your place of business Payroll 9

These are only a few. As you are working in your office, think about each process that you do and write down each individual one and start from there. Then you can go right through each one of your areas. Design and Artwork preparation Production Process Hooping Process Which backings to use for Different types of fabrics or garments Programming the Embroidery Machines, Finishing Process Shipping Process To keep it organized, you can start with the Ordering Process and continue on as you work your way through it. You want to keep it as simple as you can and you can only create a process manual as you are actually going through the process. Do not attempt to try and think it through. You will forget some of the steps. You have to do the step, write it down and go on to the next step. This is not hard, but it is going to take time and is a very important task to get done. When you are finished with your manual, give it to someone that is not familiar with the process and ask them to read through it and try to duplicate that process. If they can, it is complete. If they cannot, you need to go back and rewrite it until they totally understand what it is that you are trying to do. Make it so simple that anyone can pick it up very quickly! The object here is to create a step by step process for each one so that it is both easy to train a new person and it is not so complicated for someone to step into your shoes if something should happen to you on a temporary basis. Many times we just want someone to come in and help us out a bit. This can be done so much easier if we have everything written down in such a way that someone can pick up our instructions and take over that process. Now I understand that there is a learning curve to embroidery, but there are many processes that can be made very simple that would really help out in a time of need. Every function that you have in your business has a certain way that it is done or needs to be done to be efficient. 10

Go through each area and each function and repeat this same process. Now this is going to take some time, but when you are finished you will have a complete plan for each area of your business and it will be much easier when it comes time to hire and train someone else for any area of your business. This will also help to make the entire department run smoother and more efficiently. Every person in your business will be trained the same and you will all be on the same page, so to speak. Each movement within your business is costing you money and should be accounted for. Without planning and keeping track this is impossible! Homework for Step 3 Create Your Floor Plan Start Creating Your Step by Step Instructions for your Process Manuals! In our next lesson, Step 4 of the 9 Steps To A Profitable Embroidery Business I am going to teach you how to plan out your production and create a production schedule. This is going to be a really good lesson! Attachments Tool Assignment Sheet Written lesson Audio 11