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<p>Garment industries in developing economies often face persistent challenges such as low productivity, long cycle times, and high levels of non-value-adding activities. This study addresses these challenges by integrating Discrete-Event Simulation (DES) with Lean Manufacturing tools to optimize production efficiency in an Ethiopian apparel manufacturing company. The research aims to identify operational bottlenecks, minimize waste, and enhance overall line performance through data-driven process improvement. A DES model of the sewing line was developed in Arena Software following a structured approach encompassing system analysis, data collection, model validation, experimentation, and performance optimization. The model was simulated for 40 replications, each representing an eight-hour shift over a 30-working-day horizon, with a two-day warm-up period to eliminate initial bias. Lean tools, including line balancing, value stream mapping, and workstation re-sequencing, were integrated into the simulation environment to test multiple improvement scenarios. The optimized model achieved a reduction in average cycle time from 8.92 to 6.7&#xa0;min, improved line efficiency from 58.68 to 98.5%, and enhanced labor productivity to 71%, while reducing the number of operators from 19 to 17. These improvements correspond to an estimated 9.96% reduction in labor cost and a notable enhancement in resource utilization. When compared with similar simulation-based lean integration studies, the proposed model demonstrates superior performance in both efficiency gain and practical implementability. The findings underscore the potential of combining simulation-based experimentation with lean principles as a sustainable pathway to productivity improvement in resource-constrained manufacturing environments.</p>

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Simulation-based optimization and lean integration for garment production efficiency: a case study from Ethiopian apparel manufacturing

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月15日

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  • Yared Hagos Gessesse,
  • Leake Weleabzgi Gebrehiwot,
  • Misgna Arefaine Gebreabzgi

摘要

Garment industries in developing economies often face persistent challenges such as low productivity, long cycle times, and high levels of non-value-adding activities. This study addresses these challenges by integrating Discrete-Event Simulation (DES) with Lean Manufacturing tools to optimize production efficiency in an Ethiopian apparel manufacturing company. The research aims to identify operational bottlenecks, minimize waste, and enhance overall line performance through data-driven process improvement. A DES model of the sewing line was developed in Arena Software following a structured approach encompassing system analysis, data collection, model validation, experimentation, and performance optimization. The model was simulated for 40 replications, each representing an eight-hour shift over a 30-working-day horizon, with a two-day warm-up period to eliminate initial bias. Lean tools, including line balancing, value stream mapping, and workstation re-sequencing, were integrated into the simulation environment to test multiple improvement scenarios. The optimized model achieved a reduction in average cycle time from 8.92 to 6.7 min, improved line efficiency from 58.68 to 98.5%, and enhanced labor productivity to 71%, while reducing the number of operators from 19 to 17. These improvements correspond to an estimated 9.96% reduction in labor cost and a notable enhancement in resource utilization. When compared with similar simulation-based lean integration studies, the proposed model demonstrates superior performance in both efficiency gain and practical implementability. The findings underscore the potential of combining simulation-based experimentation with lean principles as a sustainable pathway to productivity improvement in resource-constrained manufacturing environments.