General View Of Quality

The topics discussed in this chapter are only in the view of general
ideas. These are not hard and fast rules. These may be different in
different systems, organizations and regions. Pattern of quality and
terms of quality have been explained for common parameters.

Definitions of Quality
There are different definitions of quality as under:
Most common and general definition is “general acceptance level of
a buyer is called quality”
(Phil Crosby) says that "conforming to specifications" is called
quality.
Quality means "fitness for use" in the view of (Joseph Juran).
We need never ending improvement to establish better economy.
Quality makes it possible (W. Edward Deming).
Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of an intelligent
effort. (John Ruskin).

Quality Assurance
In developing products and services, Quality Assurance is any
systematic process of checking to see whether a product or service
being developed is meeting specified requirements. Many
companies have a separate department devoted to Quality
Assurance. A Quality Assurance system is said to increase customer
confidence and a company's credibility, to improve work processes
and efficiency, and to enable a company to better compete with
others. Quality Assurance was initially introduced in World War II
when munitions were inspected and tested for defects after they
were made. Today's Quality Assurance systems emphasize catching
defects before they get into the final product.

A program for the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the

various aspects of a project, service, or facility to ensure that
standards of quality are being met. This is a part of Quality
Management focused on providing confidence that quality
requirements will be fulfilled.
 Quality Control
Quality control (QC) is a procedure or set of procedures intended to
ensure that a manufactured product or performed service adheres
to a defined set of quality criteria or meets the requirements of the
client or customer. QC is similar to, but not identical with, Quality
Assurance (QA). It is part of Quality Management focused on
fulfilling quality requirements.

Importance of Quality
Quality Control and Quality Assurance activities of an organization
are essential to produce top quality products. Customers do not
buy goods and services; but they want solutions to problems &
fulfillment of needs and wants which is not possible without quality.
Management is responsible for 94% of quality problems, and it is
management's task to help people work smarter not harder.

Quality Management
Coordinated activities to direct and control an organization
regarding to quality are called Quality Management.

Quality System
Organizational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes,
and resources needed to implement quality management are called
quality system. A quality system is a means of applying common
sense to your business operations in order to get consistent results.

Quality Policy
"The overall intentions and directions of an organization as regards
quality as formally expressed by top management”
"General directions and goals of the organization referring to
quality being officially published by the management”

Quality Audit
"A systematic and independent examination to determine whether
quality activities and related results comply with planned
arrangements and whether these arrangements are implemented
effectively and are suitable to achieve objectives”
"The systematic examination and evaluation of all activities related
to the quality of a product or service to determine the suitability
and effectiveness of the activities to meet quality goals”

SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)

Standard Operating Procedure is a written procedure for operations
that are performed repeatedly. Standard Operating Procedure is a
sum of documents that describe a specific method of accomplishing
a task that is to be followed precisely the same way every time.

Quality Parameters
Quality Parameters are a sum of elements that are essential to
check during the production. Quality parameters are defined by the
quality management or higher management of an organization.

1. Knitting Quality
Knitting quality is the most important element in quality inspection.
If this section is controlled in better way, a lot of problems and
quality complications can be avoided. A summary of knitting quality
inspection activities is given below with comprehensive details.

1.1. Inspection Method of Socks in Knitting

a. Pick a piece from the Knitting machine. First of all examine
entire surface of the sock apparently to find whether there is no
such kind of major defect is running in sock which make the sock
B-Grade. If you found any major defect in sock and this defect is
continuously occurring in all socks on the machine. Immediately
stop the machine and hang a red tag on it, which indicates that this
machine is faulty and stopped by quality inspector. Inform the
knitting mechanic about the fault with a faulty piece as a sample. If
you do not found any major defect in sock so carry on the further
inspection.
b. Now check the top part of the socks first, which is welt.
Verify the construction of the welt (1x1, 2x1, and 3x1),
construction of elastic at welt (every course/every other course),
and type of elastic (nylon cover/polyester cover/Lycra cover), count
the courses of welt (welt in and welt out), count the courses of
welt tip and welt motif according to the knitting trim card. Check
the welt motif or any other pattern as per master knitting sample
(Trim Card). Verify the yarn (main yarn, plaiting yarn, pattern yarn,
shade of pattern yarn) of the welt. If there is any welt crowns are
being made, confirm the height of the crowns as per sample
provided or standard provided. In the end measure the welt Length
(Height), Width and Stretch of the welt as per knitting specification
sheet. Welt must be made ok at all costs.

c. Afterward tie down comes. It is also called folding. Verify the

yarn of the tie down/folding (nylon, polyester or cotton) as it is
required. Sometimes socks to be dyed and plaiting yarn nylon is
used in the body of the socks. In such kind of socks if polyester is
used as tie down yarn. These socks will be rejected after dyeing
because polyester will not be dyed with nylon dyeing recipe. So tie
down yarn verification is essential to avoid such kind of rejection.
One broken stitch of the tie down can be passed at risk. Two or
more than two broken stitches can never be passed in tie down to
assure the tie down/folding quality. Folding should be neat and
clean. Neither shagged folding nor long loose floating stitches
allowed in the tie down/folding.

d. After tie down/folding inspection, now check the rib part of

the socks. Confirm the construction of the rib (1x1, 2x1, 3x1…),
construction of the elastic (every course/every other course), and
type of the elastic (nylon cover/polyester cover/Lycra Cover)
according to the knitting trim card. Check the rib motif or any other
pattern as per master knitting sample (Trim Card). Verify the yarn
(main yarn, plaiting yarn, pattern yarn, shade of pattern yarn) of
the rib. In the end measure the rib Length, Width and Stretch of
the rib as per knitting specification sheet. Also count the courses of
the rib and motif of the rib to maintain the size of the rib & size of
rib motif. Ribs must me prominent other than flat ribs. Also check
the needle division for the distance of the motif. Sometimes in one
side the needles are less and in other side of the motif the needles
are excess. This unbalanced division of the needles makes the
motif not in centre.

e. Hence you have inspected the rib, now start the inspection
of the foot (terry) from the boot area. Verify the yarn of the foot.
Measure the boot area according to the specs. Verify the heel type
(pouch, real, Y type, plain heel) as per requirement. Check the
quality of the heel it must not be loosed. If the loose heel is made
it will be opened on the press frame and may be socks will be
rejected. Needles of the heel must be prominent other than the
body of the socks. If the heel and toe are made in contrast then it
should be of same size. Check the terry type of the foot, as it is
required. Measure the length of the arch support/foot elastic band
as per requirement. Ensure the construction of the band. Foot
pattern or any motif in the foot should be confirmed. Check the
foot width, foot length and foot stretch. If the foot is made in half
cushion then ensure that half cushion and full cushion portions are
equal. Variation in cushion area may cause problem in stitching and
pressing. If any bar or patti is made on toe, the size of this bar or
patti must be equal. Check the foot knitting quality; it should be in
fine condition. Loose or bad knitting is not acceptable. Confirm the
bottom/sole pattern yarn and reinforced/splicing yarn if required.
Also ensure the shade of cones of foot to avoid lining in foot or
shade variation in foot.

f. Now come to clip area. It is also very important in quality of

socks. Stitching quality of the toe depends upon the quality of the
clip. Check that clip is not too tight or too loose. It must be in
medium condition. The length of the clip should be one centimeter.
Rejected yarn should be used in clip because it is to cut after the
toe closing. If the socks are to stitch on rosso machine then in
knitting a rosso of two courses will be made prior to clip. More than
two courses are not allowed in rosso to get better results in toe
closing. During the inspection also check that the knitting operators
do not reverse the socks from toe side. It will loosen the clip and
toe will not be closed properly at stitching. This may cause tumer
problem in pressing.

g. Check the weight of the socks as per requirements.

Important: If a style is running on ten machines then take one

piece from a machine. Get it ok as per specs and compare with all
other machines to ensure the variation in welt tip, heel & toe,
motif, rib length, welt length, foot length and total length of socks.

Sometimes plaiting yarn comes over the main yarn. When we will
dye these socks it will be prominent on the surface of the socks. It
is also called sun proof out. Socks with sun proof out will be
rejected. To control this fault run the black polyester cones in place
of plaiting yarn on knitting machines. It will show the sun proof out
on the spot. This problem occurs only in dyed socks

1.2. Knitting Inspection Parameters

a. Knitting Plan Matching.
b. Specification Sheets/Cards Inspection.
c. Yarn Inspection.
d. Trim Card Matching.
e. Welt Inspection.
f. Rib Inspection.
g. Booth/Ankle Inspection.
h. Terry Inspection.
i. Change Over Inspection.
j. Heel & Toe Inspection.
k. Half Cushion & Full Cushion Inspection.
l. Splicing/Reinforced Part Inspection.
m. Sole Part Inspection.
n. Rosso Inspection.
o. Clip Inspection.
p. Terry Type Inspection.
q. Loose/Tight Knitting Inspection.
r. Stretch Checking.
 s. Weight Checking.
t. Production Inspection.
u. Size/Measurements Checking.

1.3. SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) Knitting

♦ Take the charge of the shift from the Inspector who is already
on duty in previous shift and discuss main problems of his shift.
After taking the charge get all the machines ok. Here the word
ok means to check the following things on the machines one by
one.
♦ Check the specification sheets on the machines, either they are
hanged on the machines or not. If specification sheets are not
hanged on the machines then immediately fulfill this
requirement.
♦ Match the knitting plan and trim card with the production of all
the machines. If found any variation immediately inform the
knitting shift supervisor about it.

♦ Check the yarn on the machines as per requirement. If found

any different yarn immediately stop the machine and change the
yarn. Hold the production with wrong yarn and raise the NCR
(Non Conformity Report). Inform the knitting supervisor about it.
Machine must be stopped until the corrective action is taken.

♦ Check (03 or 04 or 06) pieces on each machine according to the

inspection method of socks. If found any major fault on any
machine check further two dozen on that machine. If found five
pieces from two-dozen production inspection raise the NCR.
Prepare the inspection report of all the machines.

♦ If you stop any machine due to any quality reason/or defect,

always prepare the machine stoppage report to avoid
complication with knitting mechanics and production staff.

♦ Inspect all the machines allotted to inspector at least two times

in his shift. Prepare the inspection report of both the rounds.
♦ Select any six machines of his row/section and inspect three
dozen of each machine. Sort out the faulty pieces from this
production and prepare the report of this inspection. Paste the
stickers on the faults and submit all faulty pieces found from
production to quality in-charge of the knitting section.

♦ Before giving charge to next shift, again match the trim card
with production of all machines.
♦ Consult your seniors or section heads in case of any confusion.
♦ When a new style is started on the knitting machines. Take the
first two pairs of the production of each machine and give it to
the processing department for required process. After processing
press the socks and check the finish specs of the socks. If there
are some discrepancies, inform the concerned person and take
corrective action. Check new style each time in this way in his
shift.

1.4. Knitting Quality Reports

1.4.1. Daily Knitting Inspection Report.
1.4.2. Daily Knitting Inspection Report1.
1.4.3. Machine Wise Production Inspection Report.
1.4.4. Machine Stoppage Report.
1.4.5. Non Conformity Report.
1.4.6. Specification Sheet