Name: timeSSD
Brand: timeSSD

About timeSSD

Labour costing and standard time data for apparel

Garment makers and brands can use timeSSD, a cloud service that prices sewing labour and tracks how well a factory performs. Its users are apparel brands and the factories that make garments for them. The company says it was the first cloud service of its kind to be paid for as used, and that it carries forward the work of the earlier SSD system, which the company describes as one of the first computerised time and cost benchmarking tools for the sewing product industry.

The service started in 2017 as a shared labour costing platform. Microsoft Azure hosts it, and the company says it brings costing and method improvement tools together in a way that is simple to use.

Standard time data built on MTM-2

The system includes a database of motion elements developed with MTM-2, a predetermined motion time method. These elements provide standard times for sewing operations, which give a basis for measuring how long a job should take. The company says the database is dedicated to the apparel industry.

Costing a garment

The platform works out a bill of labour: the allowed minutes and labour cost for every garment, calculated from the motion elements used to make it. This lets a brand or factory see what a garment costs in labour before production starts, and compare alternatives when a method changes.

Method documentation and translation

Work methods can be written up and kept in one system, in 14 languages, with instant translation between them. The company says this helps factories with multilingual workforces share the same instructions, and gives brands a consistent record of how each operation is done.

Planning and performance

Planning tools cover capacity and layout, along with line balancing, so that work is spread evenly across a production line. Performance is measured against the standard times, which the company says helps managers spot where a line is slower than it should be and act on it.

Use anywhere, integrate with other systems

The product is used on demand, with usage decided by the user, and it can be used from any device. Data can move to and from third-party systems through an EDI feature. Methods and operation lists can be shared between users, and the company says it includes social manufacturing features that connect people across the apparel community.

TrustList summary

timeSSD is a cloud platform for costing labour and measuring manufacturing performance in the apparel industry. It is aimed at garment brands and manufacturers, and it began as a collaborative software service in 2017. It is hosted on Microsoft Azure.

What timeSSD offers

Standard time data: a database of motion elements built on MTM-2 gives predetermined times for sewing operations.
Labour costing: a bill of labour that works out the standard minute value and cost of each garment from the motion elements used.
Method documentation: work methods written up in 14 languages, with instant translation.
Planning tools: capacity and layout planning, line balancing and efficiency control.
Sharing and supplier ranking: brands and factories share method and operation lists, and suppliers can be ranked against a standard operation list.
Consulting and training: method engineering delivered remotely or on site, plus practitioner training, webinars and certification exams.

Clients

The same capabilities are offered to brands and manufacturers alike. The site names universities and fashion institutes, and several manufacturers, among its community.