FACTORY QUALITY CONTROL GUIDELINES
RMG CLOTHING COMPANY
The Quality Control Guideline for Manufacturing of Apparel explains the
purpose, design, and
Operation of a Quality Control Program for factories It describes in-process quality control
measures
That may be applied during Manufacturing operations as well as final
quality inspection procedures for
Finished merchandise these guidelines can assist you in setting up your
own Quality Control Program for apparel.
For purposes of illustration, references are made throughout this manual
to garments, bundles, and other elements of apparel manufacturing.
It describes procedures, conditions, and measures that may be applied
during the manufacturing process for the products that RMG purchases. The purpose of this manual is to provide our suppliers
with RMG guidelines and standards. The
manual takes the suppliers from the beginning
Of a program all the way to shipping the products, however, this manual
is designed strictly as a
Guideline and does not supersede any directions directly from RMG
offices. It is our desire to provide
Our suppliers with all the information needed for a successful
partnership with RMG Clothing Co. Should
we be able to assist you in any way with procedures described in this manual?
Please feel free contact any of offices.
This section was furnished to you in confidence and solely for use in
connection with your dealings
With RMG Clothing Co. while in your possession, this manual and its
contents must be maintained
In strict confidence and not be disclosed to anyone other than those
who need to know its contents
For the purpose of your dealings with RMG Co,
Purpose of Quality Control
It is a long-standing RMG Co, tradition to offer our customers
first-quality merchandise. The purpose of the Quality Control Program is assist
manufacturers in meeting our high standards. In addition, the Quality Control
Program can help our suppliers with their operations. Quality control programs
not only help spot and reject defective items. But more importantly they
pinpoint production operations that need special attention. Thereby reducing
the number of defects in future production this type of quality
Control provides a basis for
management decision in the manufacturer’s plant for the purpose of this manual,
the term defect refers to a condition that renders merchandise of second
quality and/or unacceptable because the defect is one or more of the following:
It is conspicuous.
It will affect the sale-ability
of the product.
It will affect the service-ability
of the product.
A manufacturing realizes three major benefits from a formal quality
control program:
Getting the most for quality
control dollar
Using the entire quality
control staff most effectively
Ensuring that even with
turnover of personnel, is maintained
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ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM
Management Leadership
Experience has proven that the key to effective quality control is
management’s leadership in the program.
If top management wants good quality displays leadership in quality
concerns, middle management and production supervisors will follow
through. Without leadership from the
top, there is often little or no improvement in quality no matter what system
is used.
RMG Co. has experienced many suppliers who are serious about improving
quality control. The management of such suppliers has learned to identify and
correct common problem areas such as the following
No piece goods inspection, not even measuring yardage to see that the
company gets what it paid for in total yards.
No cutting inspection other than by a Cutting Supervisor.
A ratio of only one sewing Supervisor to every 100-200 Operators,
A lack of Quality Inspectors, or a ratio of only one Inspector to 100-200
Operators, or “Inspection” who are primarily
bundle movers.
Final 100% Inspectors who are on piece –rate pay and are performing
operational functions such as trim, turn, button or zippers close, fold and
package.
Little or no training program for any type of Inspector
Inspector’s salary rates lower than the rate for any other job in the
plant pay at the minimum allowed.
No checking for size other than measuring a few pilot-lot garments.
No lab testing or lab equipment, not even a washing machine.
No inspection or checking of contracted merchandise beyond possibly sending
someone to the contract shop once a week, primarily to check delivery status.
Acceptance and shipment of import merchandise without checking it for
quality or size.
These conditions suggest areas to think about as you review this
manual. After your review, you
Will be able to evaluate your system in terms of recommendation for an
effective quality control program
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Final
Statistical Auditing
The most crucial part of quality control process is the final
inspection. Our experience has shown that unless the supplier uses the same
inspection method that RMG uses to inspect incoming shipments, we may
experience excessive quality problems.
The inspection method used at RMG is called “statistical auditing “It
is an inspection procedure that projects that quality level of a group of items
by carefully examining a statistically determined number of individual samples.
The Statistical Quality Control program explained in this manual will
help implement a statistical auditing final inspection in your quality control
operations. While we encourage systems and procedures for in-process
inspections at all phases of production, RMG requires that the final
statistical audit be performed on all production. Adopting the statistical
auditing method and recording the results will enable you to institute the
following quality control procedures:
Evaluate your piece goods/trim suppliers. Identify bad shipments and
take corrective action
Evaluate your Operators in all areas of production (cutting, sewing,
finishing) and take corrective action as necessary.
As you study this manual, please keep in mind that the fundamentals of
quality control are the same, whether you produce expensive or budget-priced
merchandise, complex items like tailored suits or sample, basic items. However,
the details explained in this manual may not exactly fit your method of
manufacturing. It would be impossible to develop one specific program for all
suppliers. You may want to add to the suggestions or change them to fit your
product line.
RMG Co, requires all merchandise manufactured to be first quality
merchandise, whether expensive top-of-the –line, mid-priced, or budget-priced
merchandise. To us, price difference is based on cost of materials and labor to
produce the merchandise.
Page
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GUIDELINES
FOR MANAGEMENT
Management plays a critical role in quality control. The following
guidelines for management reflect recommendation for planning and initiating an
effective quality control program.
Chain
of Management Responsibility
Management is responsible for determining who will have final decision
regarding quality control problems. The
chain of responsibility may vary require on size and staff of the manufacturer.
Quality problems found in the final audit may require important
decision, such as these:
·
Who will do a 100% inspection, if necessary?
·
Do we have time to return the merchandise to the
production plant for corrective action?
·
Do we ship problem goods, knowing merchandise
fails to meet established quality level?
Such decision should be made by an assigned and responsible manager,
not by sales or production personnel.
Quality Control should be established as a separate entity from sales
and production.
Quality
Control Staffing Requirements
A good quality control program requires a competent Quality Control
Manager or Supervisor.
The Quality Control Manager is responsible for overall quality system,
procedures, and directions. All Quality inspectors report to this person. The
Quality Manager should report the person with the most responsibility for the
facility operation.
It is important that the Quality Control Manager has the proper
attitude toward quality. It is also important to ensure the Production Managers
have the proper attitude regarding quality control.
These two areas must work together as a team.
The size of plant determines the number of quality control staff needed
to do the job. Some suppliers have discovered that, after instituting the
statistical auditing method, they had more inspectors on staff than they
needed. The procedures presented in these guidelines will help establish the
size of the quality control staff necessary for your facility.
Page
-4 of 27
PLANNING
OVERVIEW
Although there are many important element of an effective quality
control program, two elements
Are essential: leadership of management and careful inspection of merchandise
Planning
the Total Quality Control Program
It is very important to plan the steps to implement the total Quality
Control Program, the total
Program outlined in this manual includes monitoring operations,
inspecting finished goods. Recording
Results and taking corrective action four major areas to consider are:
·
Staffing:
Quality
Control Manager/Supervisor , inspectors
·
In-process: auditing/corrective
Action
·
Final Auditing: Corrective Action
·
Reporting: Plan forms to be used/Distribution of reports
Planning
Piece Goods, Cutting, and in-Process Auditing
Specific plans for auditing during the manufacturing process should
include the following:
Number
of inspectors needed
System and
procedure for auditing
Sampling plans
establishing the number of items to audit
Record keeping and
distribution
Line of authority
for taking corrective action and training of inspectors
Explanation to
production people of the purpose and need for in-process auditing
Necessary tools
and work stations
Planning
Final Statistical Auditing
Specific plans for a final statistical audit of finished product should
include the following:
·
Number of inspectors needed
·
System and procedure for auditing
·
Determination of an “identifiable lot” as the
unit to be audited
·
Sampling plan establishing the number of items
to audit
·
Record keeping and distribution
·
Line of authority for taking corrective action
and training of inspectors
·
Explanation to production people of the purpose
and need for final auditing
·
Necessary tools and work stations
Study the balance of these guidelines before planning a quality control
program.
Page
-5 of 27
CUTTING DEPARTMENT
QUALITY CONTROL
Good sewing begins
with cutting
Bad cutting will
result in sewing defects, excessive repairs, and slowed production.
Staff for Cutting
Inspection
The Quality Control Inspector’s
responsibilities include assisting the Cutting Foreman or Supervisor to
identify cutting problems and take corrective action. Unless the cutting
department staff is unusually large, one inspector is usually adequate for
cutting inspection responsibilities. Smaller suppliers may split an inspector’s
time between cutting and other inspection function. Provided both departments
are near each other.
Procedures for Cutting Inspection
The in-process sample
inspection procedures used in the cutting room are similar to those used
In the sewing room
however, some cutting operations (such as spreading) must be audited during the
actual operation. The frequency of sampling for each operation should be based
on the possibilities of problems. Inspect the work of new people or identified
problem people more often.
Random Sampling
Effective inspection
requires random examination of cutting operations. An inspector should not
establish a routine, such as auditing in the cutting rooms in the mornings and
in the sewing rooms in the afternoon. Make every effort to get a fair
representation of the cutting production by making random checks.
Page
-6 of 27
Cutting Inspector’s
Instructions – Spreader
The Quality Control Inspector checks the work of each Spreader for following:
Maker Placement check that
the maker is placed on the spread with the edge parallel to the
Selvage of the piece goods verify that all cut pieces will be
complete.
Shading Check for shading.
Unless all parts are ply marked, it is essential to have a system to control
shading.
Table marks Check for table
marks as the “table” is marked, allow no minus tolerance for the splices.
Markers Ensure that no
markers are creased, damaged, or have overlapped parts.
Splices After completion of
the spread, check splice laps to see that both plies extend past the
Marked splice by no less then ½ inch and no more than 1 inch.
Narrow Goods After
completion of the spread, check the “far edge” of the spread to see that all
plies extend beyond the marker line.
Tension Check tension
during spreading. This is very important on knit fabrics.
Count Check the count after
completion of spreading. And before Cutting Count all plies at both
Ends There are no tolerance.
Leaning Check carefully to
ensure that one edge of the fabric is square to table top visually inspect the
alignment of the edge with the table top.
Record spreading defects by the quantity of defects found for each
checkpoint. Calculate the defect rate for Spreader by dividing the number of
defects found by the ply height.
Cutting Inspector’s
Instructions – Cutter
The Quality Control inspector should check Cutter at 2.5 Acceptable
Quality Level (AQL) based on the number of parts being cut. The Quality Control
Inspector should check for:
Miscut Check for miscut, or
the failure of the Cutter to “split” the line.” Tolerance is + 1/16”report all
defects for miscut to the Cutting Supervisor.
Matching plies Check the
top ply with the bottom ply. Compare both to a hard pattern or the paper
marker. Comparison to a hard pattern is best. Tolerance is +1/8”, report each
defect found to the Cutting Supervisor.
Ragged Cutting Check for
ragged cutting according to the standards for your product. This is a judgment
defect. It is more important on critical parts. If the part has to be recut, it
is a defect.
Notches Check the notch
location by placing the pattern over the top ply. Tolerance is + 1/8”.if the
notch is more than 1/8” off, contact Cutting Supervisor.
Pattern check Compare the
pattern to maker paper to ensure that the maker was correct.
Record cutting defect on a Cutting Quality Control form along with the
number of bundles examined. To calculate the defect rate for cutting, divided
the total defects found by the number of bundles checked.
Often changes are made to patterns to adjust for production problems.
Some suppliers note such changes on the pattern and/or marker for the Cutter to
correct. Do not allow such a policy. Preventive
Measures are the best control for quality; make a new pattern with the
correction.
Page
-7 of 27
IN-PROCESS QUALITY CONTROL
One of the keys to producing good quality merchandise is an in-process
quality control program.
Although it is possible to control your outgoing quality with only a
good final audit, it is not
Recommended that you use this approach unless you install an effective
in-process quality
Control program, your cost of excessive seconds and repairs will be
high. It is far more effective to correct the problem at the Operator level,
than after the garment is completely assembled,
Pressed, packaged, and prepared for shipping.
In addition, being able to deliver your merchandise on time is
important Good in-process controls assure that the final audit allows timely
delivery.
Purpose of In-Process Auditing
The primary purpose of in-process auditing is to identify problems
early in the production process. A problem may be caused by the Operator, the
machine, cutting, or other factors, in-process auditing
Helps you find specific problems in production and concentrate on
correcting them.
In-process Auditing Inspectors
The number of Inspectors needed for in-process auditing depends on the
level of quality projected for
The final audit, A tool that you can use to project the quality level
of your final production is to have a
Qualified Inspector audit all outgoing merchandise, after its final
inspection, for one to two weeks this
Data will usually establish the quality level of in-process production
and will identify problems in
Operations
The desired ratio of inspectors is one Inspector to every 30
Operators. Provided the outgoing
Quality is within the established Acceptable quality level (AQL), the
ratio of Inspectors to operators
Can be decreased It is recommended that all Operators be audited a
minimum of twice each day.
Another factor that will affect the ratio is the turnover rate of your
Operators. All sewing Trainees
Should be closely monitored until audits assure that they meet your
quality level
In-Process Auditing Tools
Below is a suggested list of tools that the in-process Inspector will
need:
·
Forms to record data.
·
Sampling plan with allowable defects.
·
Work station to perform the inspection.
(According to the particular plant, the Inspector
May inspect at a
given station or in the aisle near the Operator) it is very important that the
Inspection areas have
good lighting.
·
Written quality standards.
·
Visual examples on the sewing floor to
illustrate how the product should be made.
·
Tape measure (soft, such as
fiberglass-reinforced cloth for apparel.
·
Measurement specifications for critical
operations.
·
Design Appraisal Report or sew guide and minimum
construction specifications details.
·
¼ inch masking tape or other obvious marker to
identify defects.
Page -8 of 27
Page -8 of 27
SAMPLING PLAN FOR
IN-PROCESS AUDITING
A sampling plan
contains the statistically calculated number of sample items to inspect and the
Number of defects
allowed. The following is the
recommended sampling plan for in-process auditing that specifies number of
sample items to inspect and number of defective units allowed.
·
Number of items to inspect-the RMG Sampling Plan
for in-process auditing requires the inspection of seven sample items per
bundle (up to 180 units).
·
Acceptable Quality Level – the Acceptable
Quality Level, or AQL, is the percentage of defective units that RMG has
established as acceptable for the product being inspected. The RMG AQL for
in-process auditing is 1.5 for all operations. However, the supplier’s
in-process audit uses a lower AQL than the final audit; otherwise, the final
audits could fail because of the high rate of defects accepted during
in-process auditing.
Therefore, any time
the in-process Inspector finds one defective unit out of seven inspected. The
bundle must be 100% inspected.
Table 3: sampling Plan for
In-process Auditing
Units in Bundle Units to be Inspected Defective Units Allowed
Up to 180 7 0
Do not have the in-process Inspector do the 100% inspection on
rejected bundles.
If reduce the
number of bundles audited each day.
For product that is not in bundle form, it is recommended that a
statistical inspection based on a 1.5 AQL is performed on a constantly
controlled quality of production.
Page
-9 of 27
PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR IN-PROCESS AUDITING
The following is the recommended procedure for auditing in-process
sample units:
·
The Inspector should audit completed finished
bundles. Do not allow the Inspector to stand behind the Operator and inspect
units as the Operator sews.
·
The Inspector must select units at random from
within a bundle.
·
The Inspector must inspect exactly the number of
units called for on the sampling plan, no more, no less.
·
Depending on your operation (floor space, size
of bundle, weight of bundle, lighting condition), the location for the
inspection process will vary. You should establish with your Inspector a fully
equipped and well-lighted work station. It may be preferable that this station
be portable.
·
The Inspector must rove the floor. This means that
they should not establish a routing. The Operators should not be able to guess
which bundles of work will be audited.
·
If you have more than one Inspector, rotate them
so that the same Inspector does not inspect the same Operators
for too long. A suggested practice is to change
Inspectors every week. This provides you with a method for evaluating
Inspectors, by comparing one Inspector to another with regard to the same
Operator. Quality levels for an Operator should not fluctuate due to a change
of Inspector.
If the Inspector finds a defective unit, the following corrective
action should be taken:
·
If the Inspector finds a defective unit, he or
she must tie a red ticket to the bundle
Containing it and
identify the defective unit with red tape or pins so that the sewing supervisor
and the Operator can find it easily.
·
The Inspector gives all rejected bundles to the
Sewing Supervisor.
·
The Sewing Supervisor gives each rejected bundle
to the Operator who produced it, and explains what caused the defects, and how
to repair them. The Operator must be shown how to sew the item correctly. The
Operator must inspect all units in the rejected bundle and repair all defects.
·
To ensure that the problem has been corrected,
the Inspector re-audits the corrected bundle by inspecting seven units at
random from the entire bundle. Some suppliers allow the Supervisor to do the
re-audit, to provide a teamwork attitude between the Supervisor and the Inspector.
Evidence shows that this makes the Supervisors feel a part of the total quality
control program. Other Suppliers prefer that the Inspector do the re-audit.
The important thing is that, no matter whom does it, the re-audit be
does well.
·
Once a bundle has been rejected, the Inspector
must continue to audit every bundle produced by the Operator until three
bundles in succession are audited and passed. After passing the third bundle,
the Operator returns to routing auditing. The purpose of in- process auditing
is to direct attention to the identified problem.
·
Use feedback from the final statistical audits
to decide the frequency of in-process auditing. When the Quality Control
Supervisor identifies a problem, he or she should try to determine the cause. Is
the in-process Inspector unable to find the defect? Or is the problem due to
not enough audits on certain operations or Operators? Page – 10 of 27
Handling Rejected Bundles
when the inspector rejects a bundle, he or she initiates a five-part rejection ticket. Some factories use red hard paper for each identification and perforate the form for tearing apart. On the ticket marked “QC Stub,” the Inspector enters the cut number, bundle number, operator’s name or operation umber, time, and date. The Inspector tears off the stub ticket and keeps it.
when the inspector rejects a bundle, he or she initiates a five-part rejection ticket. Some factories use red hard paper for each identification and perforate the form for tearing apart. On the ticket marked “QC Stub,” the Inspector enters the cut number, bundle number, operator’s name or operation umber, time, and date. The Inspector tears off the stub ticket and keeps it.
The Inspector enters the
Operator’s name on the other four tickets, places these tickets with the
rejected bundle, and takes the bundle to the Sewing Supervisor for review.
The Sewing Supervisor explains
the problem to the Operator, shows the operator how to repair or correct the
problem, and instructs the Operator to 100% inspect the entire bundle, making
all necessary repairs before starting to work on another bundle. It is very
important that the Operator correct the rejected bundle immediately; otherwise,
the Operator may allow the rejected bundle to lie at the machines for hours or
days. After the bundle is inspected and repaired, the Operator attaches the
“Re-inspect “ticket to the bundle for delivery to the Quality Control Inspector
for re-auditing.
The Operator retains the other
three tickets and attaches the 1st Follow Up, 2nd Follow
Up 3rd Follow Up tickets to the next three bundles produced for
delivery to the Sewing Supervisor if excessive time was taken to correct a
rejected bundle or submit the next three bundles produced.
After clearing the Operator for
normal auditing, the Inspector destroys the tickets used. However, should any
one of the three follow-up bundles fail, the Operator is given another set of
three follow-up tickets.
Page-11 of 27
Record Keeping for In-Process Auditing
90% of factory defects are caused by only 10% of the
Operators. An effective in-process program finds, fixes through training or
removing these poor performing operators.
You must maintain a record or report form for each individual Operator
that shows following data:
·
Operator name and time-clock number.
·
Operator and/or operation number.
·
Sewing Supervisor and line number.
·
Daily log of audits showing units inspected and
units found defective, with details of each defect
·
Weekly summery to show total units inspected,
total defects found, and percent defective.
What you are doing is creating an Operator’s individual OQL. This can
compared to the line’s OQL
And/or to the factories in-process OQL The format of the report is up
to you. Some suppliers find it easier to keep the individual report at the
operator station so that management and the Quality Control Supervisor can
review it as they walk the sewing floor. Others have Quality Control inspector
carry the reports in a folder or on a clipboard. Some suppliers have their
Quality Control inspector total previous day’s audits at the beginning of each
work day. Others perform the calculations at regular, but less frequent
intervals. Another record-keeping suggestion is to summarize each week’s data onto
an annual form.
Page -12 of 27
Final 100% Inspection
Final inspection should be done after all sewing and finishing
operations are complete, but prior to bagging or packaging. It is important
that all sewing defect are traceable back to the Operator who performed the operation.
This is possible since at this stage of the process, piece rate or bundle
tickets should still be attached to the bundles.
The following are recommended action for an effective final inspection
program:
·
All sewing operators should make their own
sewing repairs.
·
The inside/outside of the garment should be 100%
inspected. It may be preferable to perform
This inspection prior
to pressing
·
Critical measurements should be spot-checked.
·
Thread trimming should be separated from final
inspection.
For the purpose of corrective action, records of defects, by Operator,
should be kept. Communications to the sewing line Supervisor and in-Process
inspector need to be made promptly when repetitive are identified.
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FINAL STATISTICAL AUDITING – MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
The final
statistical audit is one of the most important functions of a quality control
program. The final audit serves these purposes:
·
It enables the supplier to evaluate his or her
in-process controls.
·
It is the supplier’s last chance to find
problems before shipping.
·
It provides the supplier with information on his
or her outgoing quality level.
Understanding the Basics of Statistical Auditing
One of the problems with statistical auditing is that
some mangers are not aware of the probabilities or risk involved. It is
important that everyone who makes final decisions regarding corrective action
have some knowledge of statistical auditing and of the risks involved.
When you inspect a sample from a lot (if the units
selected are a true representation of the whole),
The sample will give you an accurate projection of
the true condition of the lot.
While specific sampling planes differ, the fundamental
statistical auditing process is based on taking one random sample and using the
results of that sample either accept or reject an entire lot. If the defective
units found in the random sample are within the allowed amount shown on the
sampling plan, you may accept the lot, If the defective units found in the
samples exceed the allowed number, you must reject the lot, even though is
fails by only one unit.
Do not
increase the samples size or take another audit—follow the plan.
The sample, if randomly selected. Should represent
the actual quality level of the lot in question
How reliable is this statistical sampling plan? It is
highly reliable when complied with the following:
·
The lot size must be identifiable.
·
QC inspector must randomly select the sample
quantity in accordance to color/size ratio from an identifiable lot.
·
QC inspector must know how to inspect (inside
and outside).
·
QC inspector must have the standard of major
defects.
Is the AQL 4.0 statistical sampling plan a fair
method to determine the acceptance or rejection of the entire production lot?
Let us look at the AQL 4.0 sampling plan.
13 units accept:
1major mathematics 7.7%
20 units accept:
2major mathematics 10%
50 units accept:
5 major mathematics 10%
25 units accept:
10 major mathematics 8%
Mathematically, we are accepting more than 4%
defective even though we are saying we allow 4% defects. Let us consider the
following. Since statistical auditing is based on taking one random sample to
give a reading, it builds in the benefit of doubt and allows the upper limit
used as the standard. Sample 20 units/allow 2 (10%). It is hoped that if
continued on a cumulative basis the defect rate should be within 4%
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Implementing the Final Statistical Audit
The Following guidelines may help plan and implement statistical
auditing:
Determine at what stage of final production you will perform the final
statistical audit. When products
Require detailed packaging, the final audit should be made before
packaging. If the sample audit fails,
The merchandise can be inspected without destroying packaging material
and labor. When this audit is completed, regular audit should be made of
packaged stock, to check on packaging problems. The units inspected for
packaging need not be opened and inspected for workmanship.
Determine an “Identifiable Lot” An identifiable lot has two
conditions:
·
It must be composed of the same items.
·
You must know which specific items the lot
consists of, so they can be located after a sample inspection in corrective
action is necessary.
This means that merchandise must be held in a holding area until the
sample inspection is completed, before it is mixed with other merchandise.
Locating space for the holding area is usually the most difficult part of
planning for the final audit. We encourage you to keep the identifiable lot
small. Small lots reduce the holding space needed and enable faster feedback to
production on problems. Should a sample audit fail the number of units that
require 100% inspection is small? Using large lots (such as one day’s
production) causes a large number of units to require 100% inspection in the
case of a filed audit.
Some factories use the cut number as an identifiable lot. Other, that
produce the same item continuously, accumulate by time period (one hour, two
hours) for an identifiable lot.
Tools for Statistical Audits
Below is a suggested list of tools that the Final Statistical Audit
Inspector will need:
·
Forms to record data
·
Sampling plan with allowable defective units
·
Work space with table and proper lighting for
inspection and measuring
·
Written quality standards
·
Manufacturer Specifications. Such specification
must include specific fiber content
Tags/labels and care labeling.
·
Graphic, detailed instructions of how the
product should be made
·
Size Specifications and detailed minimum
constriction
·
Tape measure
·
Body forms (if available)
·
Inch masking tape or other obvious QC
sticker/marker to identify defects
Page-15/27
FINAL STATISTICAL AUDIT INSPECTOR-BASIC FUNCTION
The Final Statistical Audit Inspector is responsible for conducting a
thorough inspection to predict the quality level of the whole lot. This
inspection is performed on a given number of randomly selected items from an
identifiable lot.
Specific Duties
The duties of the Final Statistical Audit Inspector are enumerated
below. The Final Statistical
Audit Inspector performs the following duties:
Selects the correct number of items from an identifiable lot to
inspect
·
Determines the number of items to select for
inspection by referring to sampling plan.
·
Selects completed after production, but before
they are packaged and/or put in the warehouse or selects packaged merchandise
from the warehouse.
·
Selects the required number of items at random
from the entire identifiable lot.
Inspects ease of the selected items carefully and thoroughly
·
Uses RMG manufacturing
specifications/confirmation sample as the inspection guide.
·
Identifies all defects as classified in Quality
Standards for ease item inspected.
·
Marks major defects with adhesive label, pin or
other prescribed method as an aid to
·
The Supervisor who reviews inspected items.
·
Set aside items with any major defect
Enters all defects found on the Merchandise Quality Audit report (QAR)
·
Fills in headings of the Merchandise Quality
Audit report.
·
Records each defect as soon as identified.
·
Identifies the operation.
·
Enters a brief description of the defect.
·
Enters defect code number from the Quality
Standard
·
Keeps a stroke count and enters the total for
each type of defect.
·
Prepares remainder of the Merchandise Quality
Audit report as required.
Notifies the Quality Control Management immediately when inspection
exposes more major defective units than are acceptable obtains corrective
action from the Quality Control Manager and/or sr. Management. Sees that
feedback of quality problems gets to production quickly
Maintains a neat and orderly work place
·
Separates the inspected items from those that
have not been inspected.
·
Maintains a supply of necessary forms.
·
Keeps measuring instruments, quality standards,
and other work items in good condition.
page-16/27
Re-Inspection for
Corrective Action
Whenever a lot fails
the factory must 100% inspect to eliminate all classifications of defects?
We suggest the
following process:
After 20%of the lot
has been 100% inspected, pause and review the data. At this point, combine the
sample audit data with the 20% inspection data. If the projection is still
running more than the AQL, then the 100% inspection must be continued. If it is
running less than AQL, you can cease the 100% inspection.
Corrective Action on 1,000 Units
with AQL 4.0
Process Action Units
Inspection Units Defective
Sample Audit 32 5
20% Inspection 200 22
Total 232 27
Defective Units (27)/ total Units
Inspected (232) = Audit percent (11.6%)
Continue 100%
inspection
Do not use the Final Statistical
Audit Inspector(s) to do the 100% inspection. It slows down the final audit
process.
Once 100% inspection is complete and
defective units removed/repaired a new Statistical Final Audit must be
performed. If non-repairable units are removed from original audit lot size the
new Final Audit should reflect the reduced amount.
page-17/27
FINAL STATISTICAL AUDIT–INPECTOR’S
INSTRUCTION
The final
statistical audit that the Quality Control Inspector performs is very important
for your
Company and equally
important for RMG each audit has two functions:
·
To determine whether the specific lot inspected
is acceptable, or must be rejected with corrective action necessary to improve
the lot the acceptable level.
·
To establish a means of evaluating your
company’s in-process quality control system and its ability to control quality.
Quality Control
Inspectors must be carefully selected and trained to do this important job
Elements of the
Final Audit
There are three
elements of the final audit. All three elements must be checked on each lot,
and anyone can cause the lot to fail.
Verification
You must verify that
the item produced is in fact the item contracted by RGM. This may be done by
either of two methods:
·
Comparing the stock produced to the confirmation
sample (approved sample from RMG).
·
Comparing the stock produced to the RMG
manufacturing specifications.
You must also verify the accuracy of care labeling.
Inspection for Workmanship Defects
You must thoroughly inspect a statistically determined number of units
from the lot to evaluate the manufacturing quality of the stock.
Inspection for Size Problems
You must measure a minimum 3 per size of the units you have inspected.
A review of the data will determine whether a size problem exists.
RMG Documents Used in Final Audits
Before going through the steps of the audit the Inspector
must understand the relevant documents.
Manufacturing Specification
RMG manufacturing specifications are used during the
verification stage of the final audit. The specifications describe the item;
list the findings and construction of the item, the equipment to be used for
each operation, the sewing thread to be used, the fabric to be used, weight and
dimensional requirements, etc. the specifications also state the labels, tags,
fiber content, and care instructions. Detailed packaging instructions may also
be specified.
The products your particular company makes for RMG
may not include all of these specifications. As an Inspector, it is your
responsibility to see that your stock meets the specifications required. If you
read statement in the specification that you do not understand, ask RMG
Technical Design group to explain it to you. Do not assume that the stock is
correct; ask questions.
Confirmation Sample
On fashion merchandise, we may not have time to
produce detailed merchandise specifications. In such cases, the Supplier submits
a confirmation sample to the Buyer. This sample becomes the “specification” for
the item. If your company uses confirmation samples to serve as specifications,
than you should see that you have sample exactly like the one that the Buyer
has. By visually comparing the confirmation sample to the stock, you can confirm
that the stock meets RMG requirements for construction. Minor construction
changes approved by the Technical Designer may be noted. Also, a swatch of each
color bought should be attached for you to check. Do not assume that because
the lot you are inspecting is a repeated lot, mistakes in manufacturing did not
happen (wrong fabric, wrong labels).
Follow the same routine on every lot.
Basic Quality Defect Code List
The Quality Inspection Standards tables are used
during visual inspection for workmanship. They help the Inspector identify and
evaluate problems. The Quality Inspection Standards contain listings of
specific major defects that render merchandise less than first quality. In the
heading of the Quality Inspection Standard, you will find the following
definitions of a major defect:
“A major defect is any defect that is sufficient to
render the garment second quality or unacceptable because it is conspicuous
and/or may affect salability or serviceability, and/or is a significant
deviation from specification.”
Whenever possible, the Quality Inspection Standards
try to explain just how serious a defect must be to be classified as major. You
will note that some cases use a tolerance as a guide to determining major
defects. Of course, evaluating some defects require judgment. For example, in
fabric defects, the location of the defect must be considered. Just about any
defect located on the collar and upper front of a shirt is considered a major
defect. However, the same defect located under the arm or on the lower back
where it will be inside the pants when the garment is worn, may not be major.
In certain colors, a fabric defect may not be noticeable or conspicuous. Make
certain that you understand every one of the defects listed on your Quality
Inspection Standard. In statistical auditing, it is very important that you and
other Inspectors, both Final Auditors and In-process Auditors, be uniform in
the evaluation of defects.
page-19/27
FINAL AUDIT PROCEDURES
The following
sections explain in detail how you are to perform the final statistical audit.
Definitions of Key
Terms:
Identifiable Lot
The production lot
that you will be auditing will be determined by management. Production lot to
be audited becomes the “identifiable lot.” An identifiable lot has two
conditions:
·
It must be composed of the same items.
·
You must know which specific items it consists
of so they can be located after sample audit.
If the sample audit
passes, the identifiable lot can be accepted for shipping.
If the sample audit
fails, then the entire identifiable lot must receive corrective action.
Lot Size
The lot size is the
total units in the identifiable lot.
Acceptable Quality
Level
The Acceptable
Quality Level (AQL) is the maximum acceptable percentage of defective units
that RMG has established for the product being inspected.
Most of RMG
Customers demand a 4.0 AQL. To achieve this level RMG recommends all factory
final audits be conducted and passed at a 2.5 AQL level. This gives shipment
greatest chance to meet or exceed customers AQL requirements.
Selecting Samples
The first step in
the final audit is to determine how many units you must sample-inspect and
select the samples. The items for statistical sampling inspection must be
selected at random from an identifiable lot. You must know which items make up
the identifiable lot, because the entire lot must be inspected if the sample
contains more defective units than acceptable. The type of inspecting you will
do is called statistical sampling. The RMG Sampling Plan (see next page)
contains the “statistics” for the inspection. It tells how many items are to be
inspected and how many major defects are allowed. The RMG Sampling Plan is
based on the military standard MIL-STD-105e for normal inspection.
PAGE-20/27
RMG SAMPLING PLAN
Table A
|
Lot Size or
|
ACCEPTABLE
|
QUALITY
|
LEVELS
|
|
|
|
Quantity
|
1.5
|
2.5
|
4
|
6.5
|
|
|
Being Audited
|
inspect Accept
|
inspect Accept
|
inspect Accept
|
inspect Accept
|
|
|
Less Than 151
|
8 0
|
5 0
|
13 1
|
8 1
|
|
|
151-280
|
8 0
|
20
1
|
13 1
|
13 2
|
|
|
281-500
|
32 1
|
20 1
|
20 2
|
20 3
|
|
|
501-1,200
|
32 1
|
32
2
|
32 3
|
32 5
|
|
|
1,201-3,200
|
50 2
|
50 3
|
50 5
|
50 7
|
|
|
3,201-10,000
|
80 3
|
80 5
|
80 7
|
80 10
|
|
|
10,001-35,000
|
125 5
|
125 7
|
125 10
|
125 14
|
|
|
35,001-150,000
|
200 7
|
200 10
|
200 14
|
200 21
|
|
|
150,001-500,000
|
315 10
|
315 14
|
315 21
|
200 21
|
|
|
500,001-& over
|
500 14
|
500 21
|
315 21
|
200 21
|
|
Using the Sampling Plan follow the procedures below
Locate the appropriate lot size on the sampling plan
The lot size (identifiable lot) is the total number of units that you
start with, read down the “lot size” column of the Sampling Plan until you find
the range that includes the number of items in the lot you are inspecting.
For example: If your lot had 1,800 units,
you would use the “1201-3200” range to determine the number of units you should
inspect.
Determine the number of units to inspect
Look in the “Units of Inspect” column corresponding to your lot size
to locate the exact number of units you must inspect. Be sure to select the
number corresponding to the correct AQL for your merchandise.
Determine the number of defective units you may accept
On the Sampling Plan, the number of defective units allowed is listed
in the “Accept” column. One defective unit over the acceptable unit over the
acceptable amount is a lot audit failure.
For example: Suppose you are Inspecting a
lot size to 1,000 units. The quality standard for the product being audited is
2.5 AQL. Look at the Sampling Plan to determine how many units you would select
for your sample and how many defective units are allowed.
You will find the following
information:
32
Units to Inspect
2
defective Units Allowed
Suppose the lot size
has 5000 units. The quality standard is 2.5 AQL.
Looking at the
Sampling plan, you should find the following:
80 Units to Inspect
7 Defective Units Allowed
page-21/27
If you find the number of
defective units are allowed or less, the lot can be accepted. If you find more
defective units than allowed, the lot must be rejected. If rejected, the entire
lot must be 100% inspected and all defects corrected.
Assuring random sampling
Statistical auditing involves selecting a few units from the whole
lot, doing a very thorough inspection of those few, and making a projection
based on the results. Therefore, it is extremely important that the units be
selected by random sampling. Ideally, this means that you select your sample
from the entire lot. All units in the lot must be complete before you take your
sample. As a production cut or lot starts coming out of production, you cannot
take your sample from just the first 25-50% of the lot. You can take a few of
your samples from early production, but representative samples must also be
taken from the last part of the production.
With apparel merchandise, you have some assurance of getting random
sampling by selecting units in a ratio corresponding to the size and color
breakdown.
Here is an example of how it could work:
Production Lot:
Lot Colors Lot Sizes
Lot Total by Color
8 10
12 14 16
Red 85 125 165 85
40
500
Blue 42 63
83 42 20 250
White 42
63 83 42 20 250
Total by Size 169 251 331 169 80 1000
Random Sampling:
Sample Color Sample Sizes Sample
Total by Color
8 10 12 14 16
Red 3 4
5 3 1 16
Blue 1 2
3 1 1
8
White 1
2 3 1
1
8
Total by Size 5 8
11 5 3 32
You do not
have to be this exact when you select your sample. You do not have to spend a
lot of time breaking the selection down mathematically. However, if one color
is 50% of the total units and the other two colors are 25% each, then your
total by color should somewhat represent this ratio, although the units
selected per size need not to be this exact. The point is that your sample
should be a close representation of the ratio of color and size breakdown.
Suppose you
are auditing and the stock is in cartons or as prepackaged stock. You need to
know how many cartons that you should open should include all sizes and colors
in the shipment.
At this
point, you have done the following:
Determined how many units to sample inspect
Selected
the units
Now you are ready to begin the actual audit, which is the next step.
VERIFICATION OF MERCHANDISE
Verifying Merchandise Contracted
You must verify the fact that the merchandise you are auditing is the
merchandise that RMG contracted. You only need to compare one unit to one of
the following:
The RMG
Merchandise Specification
A signed/certified RMG Confirmation Sample
You should see that the sample unit meets all the criteria on the
specification sheet and/or is identical with the confirmation sample. Do not
assume that stock is like the previous production.
Verifying Correct Labeling
An important part of merchandise verification is checking all labels
to see that the proper ones are used. While various RMG sewn in labels, UPC’s,
Pocket Flashers and hangtags look alike, the small wording may be incorrect.
According to federal regulations, the fiber content labeling must meet FTC
requirements, and the care instructions must be correct. See that your have
available the complete requirements.
The Federal Government determines the correct fiber content
labeling, as well as country of origin and other markings. We suggest that you
contact your legal representative to assure that all current labeling policies
are being followed. RMG Clothing Company requires that all items to be
identified in compliance with all Federal Regulations, as well as with any
additional RMG regulations applicable.
Verifying Correct Packaging
RMG distribution center, the CSC is a totally automated facility
requiring strict adherence to specific packaging materials, carton sizes,
weights, and outside labeling to be used.
This information is provided in the BOM or item notes and must be
reviewed to make sure shipment complies with all requirements. RMG requires a
Case Integrity Audit, separate from the product quality audit to make sure each
shipment meets the packaging requirements for each PO.
page-23/27
VISUAL INSPECTION FOR WORKMANSHIP
The secret to statistical sampling is to do a thorough visual
inspection on every unit in
the sample. This step will be one of the most difficult parts of the audit. All
steps are important, but this one is especially important. Do not assume after
inspecting a few units that the lot is good. It may turn out to be bad. On the
other hand, if the first few items have major defects, do not assume that the
lot is bad. You must inspect as thoroughly and accurately as our RMG
inspectors. Therefore, we suggest that you follow the same system that we use,
1)
If the item is packaged, note the markings on
the package:
·
Lot/Style number
·
Size
·
Color
·
SKU, if for catalog
2) Open
the package, and see that the ticket/label on e sock contains the same markings
as the package.
3) Lay
the garment face up on the inspection table in good light.
4) Inspect
the front side for soil and fabric defects. Then inspect every operation on the
garment individually. Establish a routine of operations and follow the same
routine on every garment. Below is guideline, specifics details are in how to
Inspect document.
Start from the top and work down,
using a simple shirt as example we take the following steps.
·
Inspect the collar operation.
·
Inspect the right shoulder seam.
·
Inspect the right armhole.
·
Inspect the right sleeve underarm seam.
·
Inspect the right sleeve hem.
·
Inspect the left shoulder seam.
·
Inspect the left armhole.
·
Inspect the left sleeve underarm seam.
·
Inspect the left sleeve hem.
·
Inspect the bottom hem.
Turn the garment over and check the back in the same
way you checked the front
In the example if you follow the same procedure for every shirt you
inspect, you will eliminate the possibility of overlooking an operation.
Inspect all seams by grasping the fabric on each side of the seam and applying
slight pressure to see into the seam. This method enables you to see needle
cuts, open seams, and broken sewing stitches. RMG inspectors use this method
for all incoming merchandise. It is recommended that apparel manufacturers
providing merchandise for RMG inspect in the same manner.
page-24/27
1)
It is also important that you inspect the inside
of the garment. Unless you inspect the inside of a chain stitch, you will not
find drop stitches (skip stitches). Since a chain stitch is not a lock stitch,
if there is just one drop stitch, the seam will ravel. When you see something
that looks unusual, consult the Quality Standard and determine whether it is a
major defect, a minor defect, or not a defect. If it falls in a questionable
category then ask if it will affect the service-ability or the sale-ability of
the garment.
2) If
you find a major defect, mark it at once with a piece of tape, defect sticker
and record it on the Quality Audit Report form. Continue the inspection of the
item. Although RMG acceptance is based on defective units, your final audit
also serves as a tool to evaluate your Company’s in-process inspection.
Therefore, record all defects found and identify the operation on the form.
3) It
is very important that you classify defects correctly. The following examples
may help you understand the importance of classifying defects correctly. If you
are not sure about a defect, ask your manager.
·
A broken stitch may result in an open seam; is
normally classified as being an Operator-caused defect.
·
A broken stitch may be caused by the Operator,
the machine, or bad thread. If the sewing yarn is broken, call it a broken
stitch; do not try to determine who caused the problem or hoe it occurred at
this point. After the audit, if the problem is serious, your Manager will try
to determine the cause.
·
A needle cut will result in a hole. If small
holes appear near the seam, call the defect a needle cut, not a hole. A hole is
considered to be a hole in the fabric usually caused by knitting.
4)
Put all units with major defects to one side.
After all the sample units have been inspected, count the number of defective
units and record the figure on the report form. If the total of defective units
does not exceed the allowed amount, the lot can be approved for workmanship
quality. If the total of defective units exceeds the allowed mount, the lot
must be 100% inspected.
Summary
The visual sample inspection for workmanship includes the following
steps:
·
Inspecting items
·
Classifying defects
·
Recording defects
·
Marking the defect
·
Setting aside defective items
page-25/27
INSPECTION FOR SIZE AND FIT
Up to this step, you have performed two of the three elements of the
final audit:
·
Verification of Merchandise
·
Visual Inspection for Workmanship Defects
Now you must perform the last element: checking for size and fit.
Follow the procedures below:
1)
Selecting garments From the units you have
inspected, for apparel measure three garments of each size. On initial
production measure all three units for all measurements. On additional cuts,
measurements, including non-critical measurements noted on the size specification
sheets.
If any measurements, critical or
noncritical, falls outside of the specified tolerance shown on the RMG size
specification sheet you must measure a total of six total garments just for the
measurement that was out of tolerance. Draw a circle on the work sheet around
the measurement that is out of tolerance. This will help the person who is
reviewing the data to evaluate the report.
2)
Recording measurements. Note that the Point of
Measurement column has large numbers: 1, 2, 3. As you measure the first garment
of a size, place all measurements for that garment under column 1, place all
measurements for the second garment under column 2, and so on. This way
management can easily review corresponding data for various samples of the same
garment.
3)
Determining whether or not there is a measurement
problem There are many factors that must be considered in determining
measurement problems. Therefore, we cannot give you basic guidelines for when
and why you must take corrective action.
When you find a measurement problem, notify the
appropriate management.
Measurement
factors include the following:
·
Fabric—knit or woven
·
Style
·
Point of measurement and how critical it is to
fit
·
End-use
of product
·
Incorrect size ticket
4) Checking
fit There is another important check to make at this time. Try one or two
garments on solid body forms or live models for fit. Size and fit are distinct
problems; a garment can be the correct size and still not fit. In most cases
you will use body forms to check for fit. However, fit is best determined by
trying garments on live models. A live model can tell you tell you if a garment
binds or is tight. Size and fit problems occur more frequently among suppliers
who do not check the stock by measuring and trying on garments.
5) Using
the How To Measure Manual can help avert measurement-related problems.
Any measurement problems can be addressed
with the Technical Design area at RMG.
SUMMARY
Preparing for Quality Control Program
Management Responsibility
·
Establish who will make the final decisions
regarding quality problems.
·
Assign one person to be Quality Control
Manager/Supervisor.
Planning the Total Quality Control Program
·
Set up training programs for the Quality Control
Supervisor and Inspectors.
·
Establish procedures for piece-goods
inspections.
·
Establish procedures for in-process auditing.
·
Establish procedures for cutting inspections.
·
Establish procedures for final audit and
corrective action.
·
Design forms for reporting.
·
Plan for distribution of reports.
Implement a Quality Control Program
Piece-goods Quality Control
·
Provide staffing (Inspectors).
·
Inspect 100% upon receipt, before spreading.
·
Identify and evaluate fabric defects.
·
Initiate corrective action as necessary.
Cutting Department Quality Control
·
Provide staffing (Inspectors).
·
Set up in-process sampling for spreading and
cutting functions.
·
Take corrective action where necessary.
In-process Quality Control
·
Provide staffing (1 Inspector to 30 Operators),
tools, and well-lighted work space.
·
Establish a sampling plan.
·
Implement procedures for handling rejected
bundles.
·
Audit Operators a minimum of twice a day, new
Operators three times a day.
·
Audit at random from finished bundles at any
Operator’s station.
Inspect seven units; fail the
bundle on one defect.
·
Identify failed bundles; repair and re-audit
bundles, continue inspecting all bundles
§
From that Operator until three in succession
pass.
·
Keep records for each Operator until the final
audit has been completed.
Final Statistical Auditing
·
Decide at what stage of final production you
will perform the final statistical audit.
·
Determine an identifiable lot.
·
Provide staffing (Inspectors), tools, and
adequate working space.
·
Select a random sample according to the
statistical Sampling Plan.
·
Verify merchandise to contract; verify accuracy
in labeling.
·
Inspect visually for quality defects, complete
QAR Quality Audit Report.
·
Check for size problems, complete Sizing Work
Sheet.
page-27/27
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