Various Methods of Inspection Systems for Apparels

By: K. Sakthivel
Abstract All the retailers want to buy high quality products from manufacturers, to sell the product to their customers. The quality of the garments may vary depends on the price ranges. So we need to follow various methods of inspection techniques, depends on the customers wants and needs. The inspection system gives the clear judgment of the quality of the garment. Introduction Quality Assurance process the bulk pollution is examined before delivery to the customer to see if it meets the specifications. The consumers want to get high quality products in low price. The products should reach the consumers with right quality depends on the cost. Quality assurance covers all the process within a company that contributes to the production of quality products. Which is conduct form beginning to end of the process (or) shipment? The inspect is carried out by representatives of the current production and the result record on control chart. Which is a process to Assure the product quality Acceptable or not. The aim of garment inspection is to visually inspect articles at random from a delivery in order to verify their general conformity and appearance with instruction/description and/or sample received. There are different types of inspection following by inspectors as requirement of consumers. I. Pre-Production check: This is done before production starts. Where then is a final verification of the material used; style, cut and workmanship of the garment or pre-production sample as per the customer Requirements. II. Initial production check: This is done at the start of production where a first batch of garments is inspected; to distinguish possible discrepancies/variation and to allow fro the necessary corrections to be made bulk production. The inspection is a preliminary stage covering mainly style and general appearance, workmanship, measurements, quality of fabrics, components, weight, colour and/or printing. During production check: This is done during production to ensure initial discrepancies/variations have been rectified. This inspection is in fact the follow -up of the initial production check and is generally carried out a few days after the initial inspection, especially if discrepancies have been detected at that time. Final Random Inspection: This is carried out when the production of the total quantity of an order or partial delivery is completed. A sample lot will be selected from the order and a percentage of the garments will be inspected, this percentage usually being stipulated by the buyer. The AQL sampling inspection may be applied or another inspection system designed by the buyer. AQL Random Sampling Inspection: The AQL random sampling inspection was derived from the mathematical theory of probability and is based on the sampling scheme defined in military standard 105D (MIL -STD - 105D). This method constitutes taking random sample from a lot of merchandise, inspecting them and depending on the quality of the sample inspected, determining whether the entire lot is acceptable or not. The MIL STD - 105D (also BS 6001, ISO 2859, DIN 40080) provides the sampling plans; and these determine the number of samples of be inspected in lot size, in addition to indicating and the acceptable quality level (AQL) which represents the maximum number of defects per hundred units that, for the purpose of the sampling inspection can be considered satisfactory as a process average.

In general cases the buyer will determine which sampling plan and what AQL to adopt. The AQL 1.5 is applied when severe inspection conditions are required on high-class expensive items. The AQL 2.5 is applied when textiles of normal/good quality are involved. There are three types of sampling plans: i.e. single, double and multiple sampling plans. Each sampling plan can be performed at three levels, i.e. normal, tightened and reduced, depending on inspection requirements and quality of the products. In the garments industry generally single and double normal sampling plans are applied. Therefore only examples of these two will be provided. The sample size code letter table shows various lot sizes corresponding to a serious of code letters. There are seven inspection levels, four for general inspection (Already mentioned) and three for special inspection. For garment inspection, general inspection level II (normal II) is normally applied. Single sampling plan - Normal inspection: Assurance an AQL of 2.5 % and a lot size of 1200 garments and the sample size is 80 garments. If the number of defective garments found is 5 the total lot is "Acceptable" suppose if the defective garments found is 6, the total lot is "Reject/ Re-Check". Double sampling plan - Normal Inspection: Assurance an AQL 4.0% and a lot size is 1200 garments and the sample size is 80 garments. If the Number of defective garments found is 7, the total lot is "Acceptable" suppose if the defective garments found is 8 the total lot is "Reject/ Re-Check". For Example: Total garments (lot Size) 1200 garments Sample size (selected for inspection) 80 garments AQL 2.5 / 4.0 If the major defective found is 5 and minor defective found is 7 the total garments is "Acceptable". If the defective exceed (Above 5 major and 7 Minor), the total garments is Reject / Re-check. AQL CHART FRI (Final Random inspection) Normal II of shipment quantity AQL max. 1.0 1.5 2.5 *13 8 20 +0 0 1 13 32 20 0 1 1 50 32 32 1 1 2 50 50 50 1 2 3 80 80 80 2 3 5 125 125 125 3 5 7 200 200 200 5 7 10 315 315 315 7 10 14 500 500 500 10 14 21 800 800 500 4 21 21 1250 800 500 21 21 21

Category inspection Sample size level Lot size 51-90 91-150 151-280 281-500 501-1200 1201-3200 3201-10000 10001-35000 35001 150000 150001 500000 500001 + More

of

4.0 13 1 20 2 32 3 50 5 80 7 127 10 200 14 315 21 315 21 315 21 315 21

6.5 13 2 20 3 32 5 50 7 80 10 125 14 200 21 200 21 200 21 200 21 200 21

AQL max = Acceptable Quality level. i.e.: maximum number of defective sample. * = Sample Size, + = AQL number

Colour Black White

Random Selection of Carton Box for Inspection Order Quantity Size M L XL 150 150 150 150 150 150 150 150

Total 600 600

If a carton contains Black, S-10, M-10, L-10, XL-10 White S-10, M-10, L-10, XL -10 Total No. of Cartons 15 Box Carton Selection = nx2 Where, n = number of cartons

10% of out of points for knitted goods and 5% of out of points (tolerance) are Acceptable. The measurement tolerance level may very customer to customer. Major defects: Which fails to meet the mandatory regulations directly affecting the salability and safety of the merchandise as the point of view of the customer. Which affect the salability but also affect the value of the merchandise is considered as major defective, the major defects cannot be rectify. Ex: Fabric hole, Broken stitch, size Jumped, Dye patches, etc Minor Defects: These defects shall deteriorate the serviceability of the merchandise with in few washing or laundry minor defects rectify. Ex: Stain, Skip stitch, wavy bottom hem. Etc If the defect found front side of the garment (when packed) which is considered as major, if it is found back side of the garment which is consider as minor defects. Defects are considered major & minor as per the customer demands. Conclusion: Now-a-days most of the customer demand for high quality products in low prices. So we should maintain the quality from the beginning stage of the production then only the final product with reach the consumer with right quality and we can get the order continuously from our customers. The quality should monitor, in right time and sequence by the manufacturer or quality Inspector (Buyer nominated persons) to avoid the further problems and comments from the customers. The garment manufacturers inspect there products "online" continuously by the responsible persons. The problems not only occur in garment stage. Which is affect from the fiber stage. So the quality, we should maintain from fiber to final product, then only the right quality product will reach the consumers. About the Author: The author is a student of B. Tech, Final Year, in Department of Textile Technology, Pavendar Bharathidasan College of Engineering and Technology, Trichy, India.