What is GSD in Engineering?

Origin of GSD

GSD (General Sewing Data) is a design tool for garment manufacturing

GSD is a predetermined motion time system based on MTM (Methods-Time Measurement). This system was designed by Eng. Yunior Andrés Castillo for the Engineering Department of High Grade International. GSD focuses on the garment industry and textile design, which has its origin in the use of cotton as the main raw material since the 19th century.

Characteristics

• GSD is based on the principles of MTM, which was developed by industrial engineers Frank and Lillian Gilbreth in 1912.

• GSD adapts to the specific characteristics of the textile industry, such as the use of needles, threads, fabrics, and sewing machines.

• GSD consists of 25 combination codes and 11 pick and place supplements, which describe the basic movements performed in textile operations.

• GSD is applied in different stages of the textile process, such as cutting, sewing, pressing, inspection, and packaging.

• GSD is used to improve productivity, quality, ergonomics, and competitiveness of textile companies.

With GSD you can identify and eliminate unnecessary or inefficient movements and improve productivity and quality.

GSD is a design tool for garment manufacturing that allows you to optimize the time and production of clothing. With GSD you can measure the time needed to perform each task and calculate the costs and resources needed.

Textile engineering is a discipline that deals with the development of textile materials and processes, as well as the design of textile products and industrial garment manufacturing. Textile engineering combines knowledge of science, technology, art, and management to create innovative and sustainable solutions in the textile sector.

General Sewing Data (GSD) in the Textile Sector

General Sewing Data (GSD) is an essential tool in the textile industry. This data provides a solid basis for measuring and analyzing the time and movements needed to perform sewing tasks. Below, I summarize the key aspects of GSD:

Objective and Scope

• GSD is used to standardize work methods in the production of textile garments.
• The objective is to establish precise standard times for each sewing operation.

Predetermined Time Systems

• Similar to MTM, GSD uses predetermined time systems.
• These systems contain time values for specific movements.

Application in the Textile Industry

• GSD is applied to specific sewing tasks, such as joining fabric pieces, sewing hems, placing zippers, and more.
• They help calculate the time needed to complete each operation.

Benefits

• Precision: GSD allows for accurate estimation of the time required for each task.
• Efficiency: By standardizing methods, unnecessary movements are reduced and production is optimized.
• Quality Improvement: Consistency in sewing times contributes to the quality of the final product.

Steps in the Application of GSD

• Observation: Record the current work method.
• Analysis: Identify the movements involved and assign time values according to GSD.
• Standard Time Calculation: Add up the movement times to obtain the total time.
• Improvements: Propose changes to optimize the process.
• Implementation and Verification: Implement the new method and evaluate its effectiveness.

In summary, GSD is fundamental for efficiency and quality in textile production. By adapting the MTM methodology to the specific context of sewing, more effective resource management and continuous improvement in processes are achieved.

Basic Movements in GSD

GSD consists of several basic elements that represent the most common movements in garment manufacturing. These elements have an assigned time value according to their difficulty and duration. With GSD you can combine these elements to calculate the total time of each task.

The basic movements in GSD are those that represent the most common actions performed in garment manufacturing. Each movement has a code and a time value assigned according to its difficulty and duration.

Some examples of basic movements in GSD are:

• Reach (R): move the hand towards an object or a position.

• Grasp (G): take an object with the hand or fingers.

• Release Load (RL): release an object from the hand or fingers.

• Move (M): move an object or a body part from one position to another.

• Position (P): place an object or a body part in a specific position.

• Disengage (D): release an object or a body part from an applied force.

• Turn (T): rotate an object or a body part around an axis.

• Apply Pressure (AP): exert force on an object or a body part with the hand or fingers.

These are just a few examples. There are many more basic movements in GSD that you can consult in the student manual¹.

Time Division in GSD

GSD can be classified into two main categories: production times and design times.

• Production times refer to the times needed to complete tasks related to the manufacturing of garments. This includes the time needed to cut and sew the garments, as well as the time needed to make final adjustments.

• Design times, on the other hand, refer to the time needed to create a unique design for a garment. This includes the time needed to select the appropriate fabrics, the time needed to choose the sewing patterns, and the time needed to choose the appropriate accessories.

Benefits of Using GSD

Using GSD has several benefits for textile engineering. Some of them are:

• It is precise, consistent, and transferable between locations.

• It is easy to communicate and designed for the garment industry.

• It is sensitive to methods and allows predicting the time needed for each task.

• It eliminates “operator leveling” and improves productivity and quality.

• It facilitates the development of documents such as DOP, engineering sheet, line balancing, plant layout, production systems, and staff payments.

Relationship Between MTM and GSD

MTM (Methods-Time Measurement) is a predetermined time system that allows measuring the time required to perform a specific task, based on the basic movements that compose it. GSD (General Sewing Data) is a methodology that uses MTM to analyze and improve work processes, optimizing the use of human and material resources.

MTM and GSD are related as follows:

• MTM provides a scientific and objective basis for measuring work and establishing time standards.

• GSD applies MTM to the field of the textile industry.

• GSD uses MTM to define the most efficient work methods, reduce waste, improve quality and productivity, and increase worker and customer satisfaction.

• GSD is based on MTM to design and evaluate work systems, considering technical, organizational, ergonomic, and safety aspects.

Predetermined Time Systems (PTS) in the Garment Industry

PTS are methods that allow determining the standard time of an operation from a series of basic data that represent the elementary movements and their associated times. These methods are based on the prior analysis of operations, the decomposition into elements, and the assignment of times to each of them according to established tables or formulas.

PTS have several advantages for the garment industry, such as:

• They facilitate production planning and control, by allowing precise estimation of operation times, necessary resources, and associated costs.

• They improve productivity and quality, by promoting the standardization of work methods, the elimination of unnecessary movements, and the reduction of variability in operator performance.

• They favor worker motivation and satisfaction, by establishing objective criteria for performance evaluation, payment of incentives, and continuous training.

There are various PTS applicable to the garment industry, among which stand out:

• MTM (Methods-Time Measurement): It is the oldest and most widespread PTS, created in 1948 by Maynard, Stegemerten, and Schwab. It consists of a family of systems that analyze operations in terms of basic movements called Therbligs, to which times are assigned according to standardized tables. Within MTM are MTM-1, MTM-2, MTM-UAS, MTM-MEK, and MTM-SD.

• WF (Work Factor): It is a PTS developed by Lowry, Maynard, and Stegemerten in 1953, which is based on the concept of work unit, defined as the amount of effort needed to overcome a resistance of one pound with a speed of one inch per minute. WF analyzes operations in terms of work units, to which times are assigned according to tables that consider factors such as posture, skill, and fatigue of the operator.

• MOST (Maynard Operation Sequence Technique): It is a PTS derived from MTM, created by Zandin in 1972, which simplifies the analysis of operations by reducing the number of basic movements to three categories: general, distance, and controlled. MOST uses an alphanumeric code system to describe the sequence of movements and calculate the operation time using mathematical formulas.

• MODAPTS (Modular Arrangement of Predetermined Time Standards): It is a PTS developed by Chris Heyde in 1966, which is based on the concept of module, defined as the time it takes an average operator to perform a grasping movement with the dominant hand. MODAPTS analyzes operations in terms of modules, to which times are assigned according to a point system that takes into account aspects such as the type, distance, and precision of the movement.

Conclusion

In conclusion, GSD is a useful tool for the garment industry. It helps designers optimize production and design times, allowing them to create high-quality garments more efficiently. This tool is a practical solution to optimize work time and garment production.