The quality of a final garment depends on the quality of a fabric when it is received as a roll. Even the most outstanding manufacturing methods cannot compensate for defective materials. Normally, 10% of the rolls received are inspected and evaluated based on a four-point system. This way, fabric related quality problems can be avoided before it is put into production.
What is checked, and how the inspection is set up
Fabric is inspected before cutting so that faults are found in the roll, not in cut panels or finished garments. Besides faults, the inspection covers colour and shading, construction, weight, shrinkage, handle, length and width, print faults and overall appearance. Cutting only inspected and approved fabric reduces rejects and keeps production and deliveries on time.
- Inspect in a clean, safe, well-ventilated area with good lighting. The fabric passes over the inspection frame at an angle of 45 to 60 degrees to the inspector, under overhead cool white fluorescent light; a backlight is used when needed.
- Have the approved bulk dye-lot standard on hand before starting, so that colour, handle, weight, construction, finish and appearance can be judged against it.
- Check and record shade continuity within each roll: centre against selvedge, and the beginning, middle and end of the roll.
- Check the weight of knitted fabrics against the approved standard weight.
- For yarn-dyed and printed fabrics, measure the pattern repeat at the beginning, middle and end of the selected rolls.
- Flag every defect on the fabric as it is found.
Four Point System
The 4-Point System assigns 1, 2, 3 and 4 penalty points according to the size and significance of the defect.It is a widely recognized inspection method frequently used in the textile industry.It is a technique issued by the American Society for Testing & Materials with reference to the designation ASTMD5 430-93.Start the frame and inspect for defects. Run the frame at20±5 yards per minute (18±5 meters per minute). Points are assigned according to the following criteria:
4-POINT SYSTEM DEFECT EVALUATION
| Assigned Points | Size of Defects(In inches) | Size of Defects(in Cms) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | < 3″ | < 8 cm |
| 2 | > 3″ < 6″ | > 8 cm < 15 cm |
| 3 | > 6″ < 9″ | > 15 cm < 23 cm |
| 4 | > 9″ | > 23 cm |
If a defect is observed: Faults are classified and scored with penalty points of 1, 2, 3 and 4, according to their size and significance.Each defect should be counted as a separate defect even if nature is the same and then based on the points allocated to each defect, total points should be calculated.
- No more than 4 penalty points can be assigned to any single defect.
- No linear yard or meter can contain more than 4 points, regardless of the number of defects within that yard or meter.
- A continuous running defect which exceeds 9 inches (23 cm) should be assigned 4 points. In the event, there is an additional defect within the same linear yard or meter it
should be considered as a separate defect and assigned defect point accordingly. - Any continuous defect (i.e., roll to roll shading, narrow or irregular width, creasing, uneven finish, barre’, skew, etc.) should be assigned a maximum of 4 points for every
yard or meter within a shipment. - Each full-width defect should assign 4 points.
- Obvious, noticeable and severe defects are to be assigned 4 points for each yard or meter in which they occur, regardless of size.
| Vertical Defects (along with the length) |
Horizontal Defects (along with the width) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | Points | Length | Points |
| 0.1 to 3.0 in (0.1 to 8.0 cm) | 1 | 0.1 to 3.0 in (0.1 to 8.0 cm) | 1 |
| 3.1 to 6.0 in (8.1 to 15.0 cm) | 2 | 3.1 to 6.0 in (8.1 to 15.0 cm) | 2 |
| 6.1 to 9.0 in(15.1 to 23.0 cm) | 3 | 6.1 to 9.0 in (15.1 to 23.0 cm) | 3 |
| 9.1 to 36.0 in (23.1 to 92.0 cm) | 4 | 9.1 to full width (above 23.1 cm) | 4 |
Note:
A maximum of 4 points may be assigned to anyone linear yard), regardless of the number or size of the individual defects.For a continuous lengthwise running defect, 4 points and 1 defect will be assigned to each linear yard where the defect exceeds 9 inches (23 centimeters).Example: barre effect on the full roll in 100 linear yards:400 points should be assigned with 100 defects. So if the acceptance criteria are 40 points / 100 yd2, then this roll is acceptable.The maximum number of defect points to be counted against anyone linear yard is 4 points.Overall, fabric quality is assessed on the basis of the number of defect points per 100 yd2 of fabric.
How many rolls to inspect, and what to record
Some buyers set a sliding sampling plan in place of a flat percentage: the smaller the lot, the larger the share inspected. The minimum applies to each pattern, colourway or print. The inspector picks the rolls at random, and once a roll has been chosen it is not swapped for another.
| Lot size (yards) | Lot size (metres) | Share of lot inspected | Yards inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2,500 | Up to 2,300 | 20% | Up to 500 |
| 2,501 to 5,000 | 2,301 to 4,500 | 10% | 251 to 500 |
| 5,001 to 20,000 | 4,501 to 18,300 | 8% | 400 to 1,600 |
| 20,001 to 30,000 | 18,301 to 27,400 | 6% | 1,200 to 1,800 |
Each inspected roll carries an inspection tag, which nobody removes before the fabric is cut. The inspection report records, for each roll:
- the mill name, the fabric purchase order number and the mill or supplier roll number;
- the ticketed length, the actual length and the difference between them; a shortfall is reported to the mill so that it can be replaced;
- the cuttable width, measured three times: at least 2 yards or metres into the roll, in the middle, and at least 2 yards or metres before the end;
- the total defect points for the roll under the four-point system, and the result in points per 100 square yards or metres;
- any comments from the inspector.
Inspection Terms
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Initial Factory Evaluation | Thi is an in-depth study of vendor’s production capacity, machinery and quality control capabilities before placing an order. It ensures that the most appropriate factory is selected. |
| Pre-Production process | This is to insect materials and components before production starts to ensure that the function and appearance of the components are consistent and satisfactory |
| During Production Inspection | It is an inspection of the first batch at the early stage of production. The first batch are randomly inspected for any possible defects, identify deviation so as to ensure a uniformed batch |
| Final Random Inspection | It is a random inspection using MIL-STD-105E, BS8001, ISO 2859, DIN 40080 or to the customers individual required standard, after the shipment has been completed, packed and ready to be shipped. Colour, appearance, workmanship, style etc will be checked against the customer’s specifications. |
| Acceptable Quality Level(AQL) | AQL is the maximum acceptable percentage of defect for purposes of sampling inspection, can be considered as a process average |
| Critical Defect | It is a defect that judgment and experience indicate is likely to result in hazardous or unsafe conditions for individuals using, maintaining or depending on the product. |
| Major Defect | It is a defect, other than critical, that is likely to result in failure or to reduce materially the usability of the unit of product for its intended purposes. |
| Minor Defect | It is a defect that is not likely to reduce materially the instability of the unit of product for the intended purpose. |
Points Per Classification
Individual rolls exceeding the points allowed are removed from the shipment. A shipment is rejected if the point total exceeds the allowable limit.
POINTS ALLOWED PER SHIPMENT
| GROUP NO. | DESCRIPTION | POINTS ALLOWED PER INDIVIDUAL ROLL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dress Shirting’s – SHIPMENT Worsted/Woolens All Tailored Suiting Fabrics Open End Denim 12-16 oz./ yd2 All Synthetics Filament Rayon Twills Poplin/Oxford/Gingham Shirting Lightweight Denim 4-8oz./yd2 Mid-weight Denim 9-12oz./yd2 |
20 points/100 yard2 24 points/100 meter2 |
15 points/100 yard2 18 point/100 meter2 |
|
| II | Ringspun Denim 12-16oz./yd.2 Corduroy/Velvet Flannel Woven’s with Spandex/Elastane Seersucker, Dobby, Jacquard Chambray/Indigo Yarn Dyes All Silk Basic Knits |
25 points/100 yard2 | 20 points/100 yard2 |
| III | All Specialty Knits | 30 points/100 yard2 36 points/100 meter2 |
25 points/100 yard2 30 points/100 meter2 |
| Linen Linen Blends Rayon Blends |
40 points/100 yard2 48 points/100 meter2 |
32 points/100 yard2 38 points/100 meter2 |
|
| V | Madras Muslin |
60 points/100 yard2 72 points/100 meter2 |
50 points/100 yard2 60 points/100 meter2 |
hi. i see 4 point system formula based on 100 sqs yard, but i see some of factories calculate the average points for 100 linear yards using the below formula:
total points of inspected rolls*100/total inspected yard
Kindly adv me what is the difference btw 100sqs yard and 100 linear yard
thanks.