Digital Print Department

DTG : Primary Functions

1. Organise Workload to ensure date required priorities can be met
2. Initiate and undertake print processes, capturing timings for set up and print run durations
3. Decorate garments items per qtys per orders
4. Account for finished items, scrap and numbers processed
5. Establish destination for finished goods (stock, despatch)

Inputs

Outputs

Current Processing Flow

Organise Workload

Note: The process of organising workload begins before a shift starts and is reviewed and updated throughout the shift as underlying information and availability statuses update

1. Process lines "To do" for the digital print department are scheduled by production management according to the following attributes :-
   

2. • • Estimated Print Date

     • Machine

     • Shift

3. Within the sets of print jobs allocated to DTG machines for a given day, the DTG manager can re-allocate jobs amongst the various machines to load-balance the workload to ensure date requirements can be met
4. Where the date required equals the estimated print date, the process is highlighted in red to indicate it must be done today.
5. For clarity Webstore DTG prints are always allocated to press Brother 5.

Initiate and undertake print processes, capturing timings for set up and print run durations

1. For each scheduled DTG job that is ready to print (That is, artwork, tech specs and stock requirements have all been satisfied) staff print out the job garment sheet and physically pick the required garments and update the record as picked. The picked garments are located in a DTG picked stock area and recorded as such
2. Pre-Treatment of Garments is undertaken and the corresponding job record updated to reflect this.
3. DTG staff call up the job's artwork image ready for printing. This step varies slightly depending on the DTG machine that will carry out the print
   1. For prints on the Aeoon machine, the ripped art image is called up directly from the machine
   2. For prints on the Brother machines, the ripped art image is called up from Within the job record on Strokeone and the file "sent" to the respective Brother machine
4. The Pre-Run Check process begins, and it's time/date of starting is recorded as is the status of Pre-Check beginning.
5. Once pre-checks are completed, the record is marked as such and simultaneously, the actual print run begins, and it's start time is recorded for MIS as well as production status of in progress.
6. Printing of the job occurs.
7. At the end of the production run, the decorated goods are subject to Quality Control checks to ensure that they meet internal standards.
8. Next, staff record the end time / date of the job and thus the duration of the run for MIS purposes

9. The production status for the print process job is now complete.

Account for finished items, scrap and numbers processed

1. The next processes vary depending on the source of the job order and whether there are any other processes scheduled for the job
   1. If the DTG print job is a POD order from the webstores team , data entry is done (as per step 4) and the printed garments are located to await collection by the webstores team
   2. If not for webstores, the job is further evaluated to determine whether the DTG process is the final process for the job
2. If it is not the final process go to step 7 .
3. If the DTG process is the final process line for the job-  that is there are no other uncompleted processes left, then the DTG staff  capture produced items information
4. Specifically two sets of information are captured
   1. Per process line, the number of processes successfully applied, and (if applicable)the numbers scrapped
   2. Per specific garment created (i.e. per printed SKU) the quantities successfully produced, and (if applicable) the numbers scrapped
5. Once this data is recorded, DTG staff mark the data collection process as completed, book in the items and place the completed goods into a trolley, and record the specific trolley location against the record
6. The trolley is then physically moved to the despatch area for further processing
7. Where the print process is not the final process on the job, data entry is not done, but the following  steps occur
   1. the qty of each DTG process successfully applied per position/process line is recorded.
   2. The produced goods are recorded as located in a specific trolley and located to the other processes team to await next the processing lines

See here for schematic of the workflow

DTG: Stock Management Functions

1. Monitor stock levels of key peripherals / consumables to ensure stock levels >= minimum amount
2. Create / raise Purchase Orders with suppliers for peripherals / consumables
3. Create internal PO records to match
4. Book in items received against raised POs

Inputs

Outputs