Broken Needle Policy
Broken Needle Policy
Broken Needle Policy
LF 389 (AGI 3)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................3 NEEDLE REPLACEMENT/ METAL CONTAMINATION POLICY.....................................4 IN-PROCESS BROKEN NEEDLES CONTROL PROCEDURE...............................................5 RESPONSIBLE PERSONS...........................................................................................................................5 IN-PROCESS CONTROL AT SEWING PLANTS.........................................................................................5 FINAL CONTROL AT PACKING PLANTS.................................................................................................5 BROKEN NEEDLE RECORD .....................................................................................................................6 NEEDLE DETECTOR............................................................................................................................7 TYPES OF NEEDLE DETECTOR ...............................................................................................................7 CALIBRATION ...........................................................................................................................................7 BENCHMARK ............................................................................................................................................8
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I. Introduction
To enhance a Needle / Contamination Policy will help to protect the customers brand name. In view of the common policy that factories used, their broken needle procedure are just to having a logbook to keep the broken needle parts. There are no procedures or actions clearly documented for the operators / supervisors to follow. The following procedure is recommended to minimize or even to completely avoid metal / broken fragments contaminated problem. Li & Fung team should request factories to implement the Needle Policy to their production lines consistently. If the policy and the procedure are not in compliance to Li & Fung requirement, QA should report to their QA manager immediately, which could result to cancellation of order. This guideline is written for the QA team to assist the factory to set up a Needle / Contamination Policy efficiently
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d) e) f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
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Supervisor Signs
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IV.Needle Detector
Nearly all reputable customers have a mandatory needle detection security against needle and metal contamination, for baby and children wear. Therefore, it is worldwide recognized that garment manufacturer must have needle / metal detector to ensure their product safety level, in addition to the broken needle procedure taken place at the in-process stages. Types of various Metal Ferrous (nickel, staple, needle) Non-ferrous (tin, copper, alloy, bras, bronze, zinc, nickel-free) As a result, some customer will request to use nickel free non-ferrous accessories, let say zipper for example. Otherwise, there will have false alarm because of the regular zipper used when passing through the conveyor-type needle detector.
A. Types of Needle Detector Conveyor-type It is recommended to use the machine, which should be an
automatic system, with a conveyor and stop/alarm in the case of contamination being uncovered. Hand-held It can be useful in pin-pointing the precise location of a contaminant within a garment rejected by an automatic system, allowing it to be removed and the garment re-tested.
B. Calibration
Needle detector should be calibrated daily for high level of effective sensibility. Using the 1.2 mm diameter calibration card is generally required every two hours, with the provision that if the machine fails test, then all garments proceed since the previous test must be retrieved and re-checked. Written records need to be kept showing time, date and pass/fail.
Evening 18:00
Action Taken
Supervisor Signature
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C. Benchmark
Needle detector machine should be segregated to ensuring the accurate processing, i.e. false alarm. Case sharing Not mention to it will be affected by the watch for example of the operator when getting close to the detector, it will also be affected by the ceiling fan which is installed at the under-ground ceiling.
One-way processing feed the /packed garments from one dedicated entrance for the needle detecting while coming out from another exit. Then pack into carton and tape sealed immediately. It is to ensure there is no garment is being packed into cartoon without passing through the machine. Example
Gmt OUT
Gmt IN
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Japan Market Visiting nominated inspection centers of Kenpin in Shanghai and Fashion Suite in Shenzhen, noticed that each garment was passed through needle detector twice in each needle check. Usually Japanese brands were used such as APA6000 with the sensitive level set at 80 while Hashima set at 8 9. Therefore, garment factory is recommended to follow the process to have each garment passing through needle detector twice for Japan Market.
1st detector
3. The packed garments are being checked by 2nd detector and out from another exit.
2. Feeding the packed garments from one dedicated entrance and passing through the 1st detector.
OUT
IN
4. Packing the detected garments into cartons and tape sealed immediately.
1. Packed garments
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