INTRODUCTION
The Quality Control Guidelines for Manufacturing of Apparel and Soft Home Furnishings manual explains the purpose, design, and operation of the JCPenney Quality Control Program for suppliers. 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 and soft home furnishing. For purposes of illustration, references are made throughout this manual to garments, bundles, and other elements of apparel manufacturing. Naturally, the same principles apply to the manufacture of soft home furnishings such as bedspreads, draperies, and similar items.
PURPOSE OF QUALITY CONTROL
It is a long-standing JCPenney tradition to offer our customers first-quality merchandise. The purpose of the JCPenney Quality Control Program is to assist manufacturers in meeting our high standards.
In addiction, the JCPenney Quality Control Program can help our suppliers with their operations.
Quality control programs not only help spot and reject defective items, but more importantly theypinpoint production operations that need special attention, thereby reducing the number of defectsin future production. This type of quality control provides a basis for management decisions 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 saleability of the product.
- It will affect the serviceability of the product.
- It is significantly different from the specification.
- It is understood that all performance and legal requirements must be followed to the letter, with no deviation allowed, including (but not limited to) requirements for the following:
Flammability
Refurbishing (cleaning)
Labeling
A manufacturer 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, quality is maintained
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM
Management Leadership
Through the years, the JCPenney Quality Control Department has helped many of its major suppliers with the installation of quality control programs. Experience has proven that the key to effective quality control is management's leadership in the program. If top management wants good quality and 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.
JCPenney 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
"Inspectors" 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 or once every two weeks, 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 our recommendations for an effective quality control program.
Final Statistical Auditing
The most crucial part of any quality control process is the final inspection. Our experience has shown that unless the supplier uses the same inspection method that JCPenney uses to inspect incoming shipments, we may experience excessive quality problems.
The inspection method used at JCPenney 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, JCPenney requires that the final statistical audit be performed on all JCPenney production. Adopting the JCPenney statistical
auditing method and recording the results will enable you to institute the following quality control procedures:
Evaluate your piece goods 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.
Evaluate your contract shops, identify bad production and take corrective action.
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 simple, basic items. However, the details explained in this manual may not exactly fit your method of manufacturing. It would be impossible for us to develop one specific program for all suppliers. You may want to add to the suggestions or change them to fit your product line.
JCPenney requires all merchandise manufactured for JCPenney 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. JCPenney will work with suppliers to ensure the quality control program provides first quality merchandise for our customers.
Help From JCPenney
If we can help you in any way with procedures described in this manual, please contact our West
Domestic Inspection Evaluation Manager at 972-431-8143 or the East Domestic Inspection Evaluation Manager at 972-431-8145.
GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT
Management plays a critical role in quality control. The following guidelines for management reflect recommendations 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 depending on the size and staff of the manufacturer.
Quality problems found in the final audit may require important decisions, 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 that the merchandise fails to meet the established quality level.
Such decisions 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 control systems, procedures, and directions. All Quality Inspectors report to this person. The Quality Control Manager should report to 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 the 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.
If you need help in determining your staffing requirements, the JCPenney Quality Control
Department will be glad to help.
PLANNING OVERVIEW
Although there are many important elements 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 merchandise 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.
PIECE GOODS QUALITY CONTROL
Quality softline products require quality piece goods. Even the most outstanding manufacturing methods cannot compensate for defective materials. This section provides recombinations to help you create an aggressive piece goods quality control program and thereby eliminate many quality-related problems before the manufacturing process begins.
PIECE GOODS INSPECTION GUIDELINES
Inspect piece goods upon receipt. In most cases, it is not necessary for Inspectors to 100% inspect piece goods. If you are a Supplier who uses very expensive fabrics, you probably inspect 100% to avoid producing "seconds" because of price-goods defects. However, if you do not fit this category, we recommend that you install a system of sample inspection. JCPenney recommends a minimum 10% inspection of all piece goods prior to spreading. Three inspection systems are explained later in Sections 321, 322, and 323.
Many suppliers attempt to inspect while spreading. However, our experience has shown that it unrealistic to depend on the Spreader to control fabric problems. The Spreader is paid to spread, not to inspect, and efficient production of merchandise, not quality of fabric, is typically the Spreader's first priority. Postponing piece goods inspection until the fabric is on the cutting table also increases your risk of accepting substandard shipments at the receiving dock, which will delay and disrupt operations and increase costs. Therefore, the most effective approach is to have Piece Goods Inspectors inspect piece goods upon receipt.
For an effective piece goods program, train Piece Goods Inspectors as you train other Quality Inspectors. Consider piece goods inspections important. Unless you offer pay and incentives to retain qualified inspectors, your entire program will suffer.
PIECE GOODS INSPECTION SYSTEMS
Establish a workable system for inspecting and evaluating piece goods shipments. Unfortunately, there is no single widely accepted system for measuring the quality of fabrics, but some of the more commonly used systems are described in this section.
Ten-Point System
In 1955, the Ten-Point System for piece goods evaluation was approved and adopted by the Textile Distributor's Institute and National Federation of Textiles. This system assigns penalty points to each defect, depending on its length. The Ten-Point System is somewhat complicated because points-per-length vary for warp and filling defects. Table 1 that follows shows a breakdown of the points:
Table 1: Ten-Point System
Warp Defects Penalty Filling Defects Penalty
10-36 inches 10 points Full width 10 points
5-10 inches 5 points 5 inches - 1/2 the
1-5 inches 3 points width of goods 5 points
Up to 1 inch 1 point 1-5 inches 3 points
Up to 1 inch 1 point
Under the Ten-Point System, a piece is graded a "first" if the total penalty points do not exceed the total yardage of the piece. A piece is graded a "second" if the total penalty points exceed the total yardage of the piece. For example, if you had 100 points or less in a 100 yard piece, it would be a "first." If you had 101 points or more, it would be a "second." (This system does not allow for various widths being inspected,)
Dallas System
This system was published in 1971 and approved by the Dallas Apparel Manufacturers Association. The system was developed specifically for knits. Its purpose is to determine whether a piece of knitted fabric is to be classified as first quality or second quality.
According to the Dallas system, a defect is any condition that, if found on a finished garment, would cause the garment to be termed a "second". This system defines "second" as "more than one defect per ten linear yards, calculated to the nearest ten yards." For example, one piece 64.3 yards long would be allowed six defects.
Four-Point System
The Four-Point System has received the widest acceptance in both the textile and needle trades because it is the most lenient. It is simple and easy to understand. Since it is the most widely used, the Four-Point System is the system JCPenney recommends for suppliers instituting new piece goods inspection procedures.
.01 Amount to Inspect Inspect at least 10% of the total rolls in the shipment.
.02 Selection of Rolls Select at least one roll of each color. If more than one roll per color must be inspected, then select the number of additional rolls in proportion to the total rolls per color received.
.03 Defect Classification The Four-Point System classifies defects as shown in
Table 2:
Table 2 Four-Point System
Size of Defect Penalty
3 inches or less 1 point
Over 3, but not over 6 inches 2 points
Over 6, but not over 9 inches 3 points
Over 9 inches 4 points
A maximum of four points is charged to one linear yard.
The length of the defect is used to determine the penalty point. Only major defects are considered. (A major defect is any defect that, if found in a finished garment, would classify that garment as a second.) No penalty points are recorded or assigned for minor defects (see Major And Minor Defects).
Major defects are classified as follows:
Major woven fabric defects are slubs, hole, missing yarn, conspicuous yarn variation, end out, soiled yarn, wrong yarn.
Major knitted fabric defects are mixed yarn, yarn variation, runner, needle line,
barre, slub, hole, press off.
Major dye or printing defects are out of register, dye spots, machine stop, color out, color smear, or shading.
Suppliers using the Four-Point System should obtain examples of major defects and minor defects, and make them available as visual aids for the Inspectors.
.04 Acceptance Point-Count Most suppliers use 40 points per 100 yards as the acceptable defect rate. However, you should establish your acceptance point-count based on your product and its end use.
.05 Acceptance Criteria There are two methods of determining whether a shipment is acceptable. You must decide which method will fit your product. The methods available are as follows:
One method of acceptance uses a projection of total defects based on the number of defects found during inspection of a sample. Here is an example using this method:
Total yardage received: 2,400 yards
Acceptance point-count: 40 per 100 yards
Total yards inspected: 240 yards
Total penalty points found in the sample inspection: 148 points 148 / 240 X 100 = 61.7 points per 100 yards. (Allowance is 40 points per 100 yards.)
Action: Shipment would fail.
A second method is acceptance of 10% bad rolls. Here is an example of the method:
Total yardage received: 2,400 yards
Acceptance point count: 40 per 100 yards
Total yards inspected: 7 (10 % rolls)
Number of rolls rejected: 2
2 / 7 = 29% rolls rejected.
Action: As 29% of rolls inspected were inspected were rejected, the shipment would be held for a decision.
You must decide whether to reject the entire shipment and return it to the piece goods source, or whether to 100% inspect the balance of the rolls. Management must make this decision; do not leave such decisions to the Inspector or Quality Control Supervisor. If you need production from the good rolls, it may be to your advantage to 100% inspect.
.06 Inspection Procedure This procedure shows the steps necessary to ensure an effective piece goods quality control program:
Determine the amount to inspect
Select the rolls to inspect
Put the rolls on the inspection machine or other viewing device.
Cut off a 6-inch piece across the width of the goods. Mark this piece so that the
Inspector will know the right and left sides of the fabric. Use the strip to check for shading side-to-side and end-to-end by checking it at least once against the middle of the roll and once at the other end.
Inspect for visual defects at a speed slow enough to find the defects.
Check that the roll contains the yardage as stated by the piece goods source.
Check for skewed, biased, and bowed fabric. Predetermine the tolerance you will allow; this will depend on your product.
Example: Width of Fabric Tolerance
(In Inches) (In Inches)
45-50 1
50-60 1 1/2
Weigh the roll of fabric to determine yield: Yards/Weight = Yield
Example: Weight of roll = 35 pounds
Yards in roll = 59.5 yards
59.5 / 35 = 1.70 yield.
If major defects are not cut out of the fabric by the Inspector, mark them on the
selvage (for example with colored threads). Should you later want to review the
defects with the piece goods representative, the defects can be easily located on
the inspection machine. In addition, the defects can be easily noted by the
Spreader so that they can be cut out.
Record the defects on a report form. (See the suggested Piece Goods Quality
Control Inspection Report form on the following page. Please note that this is
only a suggested report form. Since report forms can require a variety of detailed
information, make sure that your report form contains all the information you
need. The original version of our suggested form is enclosed at the back of this
manual for duplication purposes.)
Do not require data on the form that you will not use. Recording data is a labor
cost, so keep your form simple.
.07 Possible Considerations for Rejection In addition to excessive defects, the following
are common reasons for rejecting fabric rolls:
No roll with a length of less than 25 yards should be accepted as first quality. You
may want to specify this on your purchase order.
No roll containing more than one splice should be accepted as first quality.
No roll containing a splice part less than XX* yards should be accepted as first
quality. (You may not want to receive rolls with a splice near the beginning or end
of the roll.)
* This number should be based on fabric and particular usage.
PIECE GOODS QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTION REPORT
FABRIC SUPPLIER ___________________ TOTAL ROLLS RECV'D
DATE OF INSPECTION________________ TOTAL YARDS INSP REJECT SHIPMENT
PURCHASE ORDER #_________________ TOTAL PENALTY POINTS ACCEPT SHIPMENT
STYLE#_____________________________ POINTS PER 100 yds.
W IDTH LENGTH COLOR SHADE PENALTY POINTS POINT
ROLL ACTUAL ON DYE DEF. FAB. TOTAL PER REJ. COMMENTS
NUMBER COLOR ORDERED MIN. MAX. ROLL ACTUAL YARDS YARDS HOLE SOIL DEF. POINTS 100YD. (x)
IDENTIFICATION OF FABRIC DEFECTS
Often Inspectors are given the responsibility of inspecting finished garments without adequate
training in fabric defects and their causes. The ultimate solution, of course, is to provide actual
examples or photographs of both major and minor defects. This section provides a list of defects
and explanations and simplifies the language and the judgments used in making visual fabric
evaluations. The Quality Control Manager can provide this list to inspectors as a practical tool for
achieving uniform inspection decisions.
Major And Minor Defects
The following definitions are central to fabric inspection:
Major Defect A defect that, if conspicuous on the finished product, would cause the item to be a
second. (A "second" is a garment with a conspicuous defect that affects the saleability or
serviceability of the item.)
Minor Defect A defect that would not cause the product to be termed a second either because of
severity or location. When inspecting piece goods prior to cutting, it is necessary to rate
questionable defects as major, since the Inspector will not know where the defect may
occur on the item.
Woven Fabric Defects
Defect Explanation Severity
Burl Mark When a slub or extra piece of yarn is woven Major
into the fabric, it is often removed by a "burling tool".
This will usually leave an open place in the fabric.
Drawbacks Caused by excessive loom tension gradually Major
applied by some abnormal restriction. When the
restriction is removed the excess slack is woven
into the fabric. Usually the ends are broken.
Dropped Pick Caused by the filling insertion mechanism on a Major
shuttleless loom not holding the filling yarn, causing
the filling yarn to be woven without tension. The
filling yarn appears as "kinky". There will also be
areas of "end out".
End Out Caused by yarn breaking and loom continuing to Major
run. The defect will appear as a thin line.
Fly Usually caused by the spinning process; small Usually a Minor
fibers spun into yarn of another stock. Often defect, but severe
caused by lack of precautions to prevent size and color
contamination. contamination
could make it
Major.
Harness Caused by the harness straps breaking on a Major
Breakdown conventional loom. There will be a definite pattern
change in the weave.
Jerk-In Caused by an extra piece of filling yarn being Major or
jerked part way into the fabric by the shuttle. Minor depending
The defect will appear at the selvage. on how close the
patterns are cut
to the selvage
edge.
Knots Caused by tying spools of yarn together Usually Minor
Mixed End Yarn of a different fiber blend used on the warp Usually Major
(Yarn) frame, resulting in a streak in the fabric.
Mixed Filling Caused by bobbin of lightweight yarn or different Major
fiber blend used in filling. Will appear as a distinct
shade change.
Open Reed Results from a bent reed wire causing warp ends to Major
be held apart, exposing the filling yarn. Will be
conspicuous on fabrics that use different colored
yarns on wrap and shuttle.
Slub Usually caused by an extra piece of yarn that is Major or Minor
woven into fabric. It can also be caused by thick
places in the yarn. Often is caused by fly waste
being spun in yarn in the spinning process.
Smash Caused by a number of ruptured warp ends that Major
have been repaired.
Soiled Filling Dirty, oily looking spots on the warp or filling Major
or End yarns, or on package-dyed yarn.
Spot Mark When the loom is stopped, the yarn elongates Can be Major
under tension; when loom starts again, the slack is or Minor
woven into the fabric.
Thin Place Often caused by the filling yarn breaking and the Major
loom continuing to run until the operator notices
the problem.
Knitting Defects
Defect Explanation Severity
Barre Occurs circular knit. Caused by mixing yarn on Usually Major
feed into machine. Fabric will appear to have
horizontal streaks.
Birdseye Caused by unintentional tucking from Major or Minor
malfunctioning needle. Usually two small distorted depending on
stitches, side by side. severity.
Broken Color Usually caused by colored yarn out of place on Major
Pattern frame.
Drop Stitches Results from malfunctioning needle or jack. Will Major
appear as holes or missing stitches.
End Out Occurs in Warp knit. Results from knitting machine Usually Major
continuing to run with missing end.
Hole Caused by broken needle. Major
Missing Yarn Occurs in Circular knit. Caused by one end of yarn Major
missing from feed and machine continuing to run.
Mixed Yarn Occurs in Warp knit. Results from wrong fiber Major
yarn (or wrong size yarn) placed on warp. Fabric
could appear as thick end or different color if fibers
have different affinity for dye.
Needle Line Caused by bent needle forming distorted stitches. Major or Minor
Usually a vertical line.
Press-Off Results when all or some of the needles on Major
circular knitting fail to function and fabric either
falls off the machine or design is completely
disrupted or destroyed. Many knitting needles
are broken and have to be replaced when bad
press-off occurs. Bad press-offs usually start a
new roll of fabric.
Runner Caused by broken needle. Will appear as vertical Major
line. (Most machines have a stopping device to
stop machine when a needle breaks.)
Slub Usually caused by a thick or heavy place in yarn, Major or Minor
or by lint getting onto yarn feeds.
Straying End Warp knit. Caused when an end of yarn breaks Major
and the loose end strays and is knit irregularly into
another area.
Dyeing Or Finishing Defects
Defect Explanation Severity
Askewed Condition where filling yarns are not square with Major or Minor
or Bias wrap yarns on woven fabrics or where courses are depending on
not square with wale lines on knits. severity
Back Fabric Seam Backing fabric is often used to cushion fabric being Major
Impression printed. If there is a joining seam in the backing
fabric, an impression will result on a printed fabric
Bowing Usually caused by finishing. Woven filling yarns lie Major or Minor
in an arc across fabric width; in knits the course
lines lie in an arch across width of goods. Establish
standards of acceptance. Critical on stripes or
patterns; not as critical on solid color fabrics.
Color Out The result of color running low in reservoir on Major
printing machine.
Color Smear The result of color being smeared during printing. Major or Minor
Crease Mark Differs from crease streak in that streak will Major
probably appear for entire roll. Crease mark
appears where creases are caused by fabric folds
in the finishing process. On napped fabric final
pressing may not be able to restore fabric or
original condition. Often discoloration is a problem.
Crease Streak Occurs in Tubular knits. Results from creased fabric Major or Minor
passing through squeeze rollers in dyeing process. depending on
product; usually
Major for fashion
outerwear, Minor
for underwear.
Dye Steak Results from a damaged doctor blade or a blade not Major
In Printing cleaned properly. Usually a long streak until the
operator notices the problem.
Mottled Color applied unevenly during printing. Major or Minor
Pin Holes Holes along selvage caused by pins holding Major, if pin
fabric while it processes through tenter frame. holes extend
into body of
fabric far enough
to be visible in
the finished
product.
Printer Machine Dye smudged along width of fabric as a result of Major
Stop the printing machine stopping.
Print Out Caused by print rollers not being synchronized Major or Minor
of Register properly; results in various colors of the design not
printed in proper position
Puckered Selvage Usually caused by selvage being stretched in Minor or Major
finishing or by uneven wetting out in sanforization
process.
Sanforize Pucker Results from uneven wetting out on sanforize; Major or Minor
usually caused by defective spray heads. Fabric
will appear wavy or puckering when spread on
cutting table. Difficult to detect while inspecting on
inspection machine with fabric under roller tension.
Scrimp The result of fabric being folded or creased when Major
passing through print machine. There will be areas
not printed.
Selvage Torn Usually caused by excessive tension while Major
processing through tenter frames.
Water Spots Usually caused by wet fabric being allowed to Major
remain too long before drying; color migrates
leaving blotchy spots.
SOFT HOME FURNISHING COLOR CONTROL PROGRAM
Suppliers of soft home furnishings merchandise to JCPenney are required to evaluate all
production for color acceptability to assure conformance with the approved standard. Suppliers
are instructed to color-code and ship to JCPenney only that merchandise that falls within the
established limits of tolerance established by the color-coding system.
A reference manual describing the methods, procedures and requirements of the JCPenney
Color-Code Program has been prepared especially for use by all participating suppliers. For a
copy of the Color Code Program for Catalog Soft Home Furnishings Merchandise manual, contact
the Senior Engineer for Home and Leisure at (972) 431-9835.
CUTTING DEPARTMENT QUALITY CONTROL
Rev 0993
Good sewing begins with good 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 functions,
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. (A description of these procedures is given in Section 500 of this manual.)
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.
Cutting Inspector's Instructions
Please note that some tolerances listed below may not apply to your product; modify them
according to your needs.
.01 Spreader The Quality Control Inspector should check the work of each Spreader for the
following:
Marker Placement Check that the marker 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 plymarked, 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 than 1/2 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 is 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. (See a
sample of the suggested Spreading Quality Control form below. The original version of
the form is enclosed at the back of a hard copy of this manual for duplication purposes.
For fabric utilization purposes, the sample form includes columns for edging, ends, and
remnants.)
Calculate the defect rate for the Spreader by dividing the number of defects found by the
ply height.
Spreading Quality Control (sample form):
SPREADING QUALITY CONTROL
SPREADER______________________________MONTH_____________YEAR____________
D E F E C T S
DATE
CUT
NUMBER
PLY
HEIGHT
TABLE
MARKING
MARKER
PLACING
ENDS
SPLICES
NARROW
GOODS
LEANING
TENSION
COUNTS
REMNANT
S
FABRIC
FLAWS
TOTAL
DEFECTS
DEFECT
RATE
.02 Cutting The Quality Control Inspector should check each Cutter at a 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 Foreman (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 Foreman (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 the Cutting Foreman (Supervisor).
Pattern Check Compare the pattern to maker paper to ensure that the maker was
correct.
Record cutting defects on a Cutting Quality Control form along with the number of bundles
examined. (See a sample of a suggested Cutting Quality Control Form on the following
page. The original version of the form is enclosed at the back of this manual for
duplication purposes).
To calculate the defect rate for cutting, divide 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.
Cutting Quality Control (sample form):
CUTTING QUALITY CONTROL
CUTTER_______________________________ MONTH_____________ YEAR____________
D E F E C T S
DATE
CUT
NUMBER
BUNDLES
INSPECTE
D
MISCUT
MATCHING
PLIES
RAGGED
CUTTING
NOTCHES
PATTERN
CHECK
TOTAL
DEFECTS
DEFECT
RATE
CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR CUTTING DEFECTS
Any defective work found by the Inspector must be corrected. The Cutting Room Supervisor and
the Quality Control Supervisor must work together on such problems. If they cannot agree on the
corrective action, then top management must make the final decision.
IN-PROCESS QUALITY CONTROL
Rev 0993
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 to your customers. 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 area 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. A retractable metal
tape can be used on some soft home furnishing items such as king size bedspreads).
Measurement specifications for critical operations.
Apparel Design Appraisal Report (ADAR) and minimum construction specifications (for
JCPenney production).
1/4 inch masking tape or other obvious marker to identify defects.
The report forms and specification documents on this list are discussed in detail in Section 800 of
this manual.
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 the number of sample items to inspect and the number of defective units
allowed.
Number of items to inspect - The JCPenney Sampling Plan for in-process
auditing requires the inspection of seven sample items per bundle (up to 180 units). (See
Table 3 below and Section 800 later in this manual for further discussion of Sampling
Plans.)
Acceptable Quality Level - The Acceptable Quality Level, or AQL, is the
percentage of defective units that JCPenney has established as acceptable for the
product being tested. The JCPenney AQL for in-process auditing is 2.5 for all operations.
All JCPenney final audits for soft lines use an AQL of either 4.0 or 6.5. 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. It
reduces 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 2.5 AQL be performed on a constantly controlled quantity of production.
PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR IN-PROCESS AUDITING
The following is the recommended procedure for auditing 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
conditions), 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 he or she should not establish a
routine. 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 steps 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 who does it, the re-audit be done 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 routine auditing. The purpose of inprocess
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?
HANDLING REJECTED BUNDLES
When the Inspector rejects a bundle, he or she initiates a five-part rejection ticket. Some suppliers
use red hard paper for each identification, and perforate the form for tearing apart. The sample
below, which you may modify to fit your individual needs, offers a suggested outline.
On the ticket marked "QC Stub," the Inspector enters the cut number, bundle number, Operator's
name or operation number, 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 reauditing.
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.
The Sewing Supervisor is responsible for seeing that the rejected bundles and the next three
bundles produced are submitted to the Inspector. The Inspector advises the Supervisor if
excessive time was taken to correct a rejected bundle or to 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.
RECORD KEEPING FOR IN-PROCESS AUDITING
You must maintain a record or report form for each individual Operator that shows the following
data:
Operator name and time-clock number.
Operation 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 summary to show total units inspected, total defects found, and percent defective.
The format of the report is up to you. The sample shown on the following page is a suggested
form to keep for each Operator. The original version of the form is enclosed at the back of the
manual for duplication purposes. 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 the 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. See
the following sample Annual In-Process Quality Control Summary. The original version of this
form is enclosed at the back of the manual for duplication purposes.
Some suppliers have successfully used an incentive-pay system to give bonus-pay rate to an
Operator who defect percentages are below a fixed amount and who is making production. The
remark often heard in the textile field is: "People aren't like they used to be; they don't care about
producing good work." Have you really tried to change attitudes by methods other than the threat
of dismissal? It is a proven fact that management's attitude is a powerful factor in influencing
change.
Work in Progress Inspection Record (sample form):
WORK IN PROGRESS INSPECTION RECORD
NAME OPERATION TIME
AQL 1.5
INSPECT - 7
REJECT FOR
1 DEFECT
PLACE "J" FOR
EACH
PASSING
BUNDLE
THREE
CONSECUTIV
E REQUIRED
RESERVED
FOR FOLLOW
UP BUNDLE
THAT FAILED
DESCRIPTION OF
DEFECTS AND REASONS
FOR REJECTIONS
DATE_____________________________
INSPECTOR________________________
SUPERVISOR_______________________
X - FOR REJECTED BUNDLE
O-FOR PASSED BUNDLE
Annual In-Process Quality Control Summary(sample form):
ANNUAL IN-PROCESS QUALITY CONTROL SUMMARY
OPERATOR ______________________________ CLOCK NO. ______________ YEAR _________
OPERATION ______________________________ SUPERVISOR ___________________________
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
WEEK 1
GMT INSP.
# DEF.
% DEF.
WEEK 2
GMT INSP.
# DEF.
% DEF.
WEEK 3
GMT INSP.
# DEF.
% DEF.
WEEK 4
GMT INSP.
# DEF.
% DEF.
WEEK 5
GMT INSP.
# DEF.
% DEF.
MONTHLY % ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
FINAL INSPECTION
Rev 0993
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 defects 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 actions for
an effective final inspection program:
All sewing operators should make their own sewing repairs.
The inside 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 purposes of corrective action, records of defects, by Operator, should be kept.
FINAL STATISTICAL AUDITING - MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
Rev 0296
The final statistical audit is one of the most important functions of a quality control program. The
JCPenney Company requires that every production lot of merchandise produced for JCPenney
passes a final statistical audit.
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 managers are not aware of the
probabilities or risks involved. The concept of statistical auditing is new to many people in the
apparel and soft home industry. 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 of merchandise (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 plans 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.
Consider an example:
We have 96 white balls and 4 black balls.
Put all 100 balls in to a sack and mix them up.
Put your hands into the sack and take out 20 balls.
What are the chances of taking 4 black balls?
Highly unlikely....but could happen.
Realistically, how many black balls can we expect from the 20 random balls picked?
NRS OF MIXED BALL(S) BLACK BALL(S)
20 1
20 0
20 2
20 0
20 1
100 4 (%)
This graph gives you a rough idea about how the statistical sampling plan is derived.
If someone has already completed 100% inspecting 100 units, we do not need to 100% inspect
again.
We only need to random sample 20 units and if we find less than 2 units (maximum limit)
defective, this means that the defective within the 100 pcs will be under 4% (AQL 4.0).
If there are now 80 white balls and 20 black balls (instead of 96 white and 4 black). And we use
the same sampling plan of 20/2. What is the probability of blacks?
Very likely it will be more than 2 blacks out of the 20 balls random. Probable 3 or 4 black balls.
This means that the entire quantity (100 units) will have more than 4% of black balls. If black balls
represent defective, the entire lot will be rejected.
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: 1 major mathematics 7.7%
20 units accept: 2 major mathematics 10%
50 units accept: 5 major mathematics 10%
125 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.
The mathematical 4% level should be sample 20 units and accept 0.8 unit defect.
Since statistical auditing is based on taking one random sample to give a reading, it build in the
benefit of doubt and allows the upper limit to be 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%.
This is the principle of statistical auditing. The statistical projections from a relatively small sample
are accurate enough to serve as a workable standard for a large number of instances. It is
important for you to know that, used correctly, the system will work and is far superior to the so
called 100% inspection method.
IMPLEMENTING THE FINAL STATISTICAL AUDIT
The following guidelines may help you plan and implement statistical auditing:
.01 Determine at what stage of final production you will perform the final statistical
audit. When products (such as dress shirts and underwear) 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 audits should be made of packaged stock, to check on
packaging problems. The units inspected for packaging need not be opened and
inspected for workmanship.
.02 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 case 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 failed audit.
Some suppliers 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 FINAL 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
JCPenney/Manufacturer Specifications (for JCPenney production). Such
specifications must include specific fiber content tags/labels and care labeling.
Graphic, detailed instructions of how the product should be made
JCPenney Apparel Design Appraisal Report (ADA) and minimum construction (for
JCPenney production) specifications
Tape measure
Body forms (if available)
inch masking tape or other obvious marker to identify defects
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 (see Section 830).
Specific Duties
The duties of the Final Statistical Audit Inspector are enumerated below. The explanation of
inspection duties assumes that JCPenney merchandise is being inspected. The Final Statistical
Audit Inspector performs the following duties:
.01 Selects the correct number of items from an identifiable lot to inspect.
Determines the number of items to select for inspection by referring to the sampling
plan.
Selects completed items after production, but before they are packaged and/or put in
the warehouse, or selects packaged merchandise from the warehouse (as
appropriate for your company).
Selects the required number of items at random from the entire identifiable lot.
.02 Inspects each of the selected items carefully and thoroughly.
Uses JCPenney's manufacturing specifications or confirmation sample as the
inspection guide.
Identifies all defects as classified in Quality Standards for each 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 defects
.03 Enters all defects found on the Merchandise Quality Audit form.
Fills in headings of the Merchandise Quality Audit form.
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 (if used).
- Keeps a stroke count and enters the total for each type of defect.
Prepares remainder of the Merchandise Quality Audit form, as required by the Quality
Control Supervisor.
.04 Notifies the Quality Control Supervisor immediately when inspection exposes more major
defective units than are acceptable. Obtains corrective action from the Quality Control
Supervisor and/or management.
.05 Sees that feedback of quality problems gets to production quickly.
.06 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.
.07 Performs other assigned work when not doing statistical audit inspections.
.08 Maintains Supplier Self-Audit Summary (JCP-7017).
RE-INSPECTION FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION
Whenever a lot fails you 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 the AQL, you can
cease the 100% inspection.
Table 4: Corrective Action on 1,000 Units with AQL 4.0
Process Action Units Inspected Units Defective
Sample Audit 32 05
20% Inspection 200 22
Total 232 27
Defective Units (27)/ Total Units Inspected (232) = Audit percent (11.6%)
Action: Continue 100% inspection
Do not use the Final Statistical Audit Inspector(s) to do the 100% inspection. It slows down the
final audit process.
FINAL AUDITING OF SUBCONTRACT SHOPS AND/OR IMPORT MERCHANDISE
All merchandise you purchase for JCPenney through contractors or importers must be finalaudited
in the same way as your own production. Because you do not have direct control of an
outsider's production in the way that you do your own in-process system, you must audit all
shipments of merchandise that JCPenney uses.
We recommend that you set up a record form by contractor to evaluate each contractor's quality.
For example, see the following JCPenney Supplier Inspection Record (JCP-7343). While this
form is designed for JCPenney's use in JCPenney Distribution Centers, you can use it to evaluate
your contract shops or import suppliers. The original version of the form is enclosed at the back
of the manual for duplication purposes.
The numbered paragraphs below correspond to the circled numbers on the sample JCPenney
Supplier Inspection Record shown below:
.01 Supplier Self-explanatory. When a supplier uses this form to record his own data, it is
best to record by each manufacturing plant. If the supplier subcontracts, we strongly
recommend that data on individual contractors is retained.
.02 Department JCPenney Department or Subdivision. Many suppliers are diversified and
the data should be kept separate. For example, a supplier may make men's shirts and
men's suits. Use two separate forms to record the data.
.03 Distribution Center Location of the Distribution Center making the audits. Or in the
case of a supplier, the point at which the audit is performed.
.04 Year By showing the year at this point, it is not necessary to repeat it for the date, item 5.
.05 Date Date (month and day) of the specific audit.
.06 JCP Style Lot number or catalog number.
.07 Pass This can be filled in after the audit is completed or the 100% inspection is
completed. There are three occasions when an audit can result in "Pass."
A. Sample Audit: If the number of defective units does not exceed the number
allowed on the Sampling Plan.
B. 20% Inspection: If the sample audit fails, you must 100% inspect the stock.
However, it is possible that the sample selected may not be representative of the
entire lot. Therefore, after an additional 20% has been inspected, stop and
compute whether or not to continue 100% inspection. For example, if your lot
size is 1,000, the AQL is 6.5%, you sample 50 units and find 8 defective units, the
20% additional would require you to inspect 200 more units. If you did this and
you found 5 defectives:
Total Inspected = 250
Total Defective = 13
13/250 = .052
The 5.2 is less than the 6.5 AQL, so you would discontinue the 100% inspection.
This would be a Pass.
C. 100% Inspection: After the 100% inspection, if the result is less than the
Acceptable Quality Level, you would check Pass.
.08 Fail Check Fail if the 100% inspection reflects a higher number than the AQL. There
may be an occasion where the sample audit is so bad that the Buyer will elect to return
the entire shipment to the Supplier. Of course, this would also result in a Fail.
.09 C/S Available Check if the confirmation sample is available to verify with a stock sample.
.10 Verification For Catalog use, verification of shipment or bin stock to catalog illustration
and copy description.
.11 Hold-Verification Check if shipment was held for verification.
.12 Units Received Total units in the lot audited.
.13 Audit-Unit Insp. Number of units sample-inspected.
.14 Audit-Unit Reject Number of defective units in the sample audit.
.15 20% Inspection - Unit Insp. Number of units inspected in the additional 20%. (Only to
be used when the sample audit fails.) Do not add the sample audit inspected figure to
this figure.
.16 20% Inspection - Unit Reject Number of units found defective in the additional 20%
inspected. Keep the data for the 20% inspection separate from the sample audit.
.17 100% Inspection - Unit Insp. Number of Units 100% inspected. Usually the total units
received must be 100% inspected. However, there are occasions when the sample audit
finds the problem to be in one size, color, or cut number. When that happens, only the lot
identified as bad needs to be 100% inspected. At any rate, the number shown here will
include the total inspected.
Example:
Units Received 1,000
Sample Inspected 50
20% Inspected 200
100% Inspected 1,000
Sometimes the Examiner will write in 750 units 100% inspected so that the 750 + 200 +
50 = 1000 units, but this is wrong. The units shown here must be the total inspected.
Whenever the figure shown here is not the same as the "Units Received," there must be
an explanation in item 20, such as "only inspected size 12."
.18 100% Inspection - Unit Reject Show the total units rejected. The same principle
applies here that was explained in item 17 above.
.19 Total Units Returned Usually this figure will be the same as the total rejected. However,
there are situations when some or all units were corrected and put into stock.
Whenever the total returned differs from the "Unit Reject," an explanation must be given
in item 20.
.20 Verification Problems and Action Use for general comments. If the lot was 100%
inspected, do not waste time to write in "100% inspected," the data will show this.
Example:
"Wrong size on poly bag"
"Wrong stock number on poly bag"
"Fiber content tags corrected"
"Care labels added"
.21 Examiner The employee number of the Examiner that made the sample audit. Do not
include the 100% inspection; often a number of Examiners are used to do the 100%
inspection.
.22 Chargeback Number For JCPenney, we would show the chargeback number used to
return the defective units to the Supplier.
.23 Pass There are entries for 10 audits in the space above this field. Indicate the amount of
the 10 audits that passed.
.24 Fail Indicate the number of audits that failed. In JCPenney Distribution Centers, 3 fails
out of 10 creates a "Corrective Action Request" (CAR). The CAR data is sent to Dallas
Office Quality Control and Supplier is visited to determine the cause of the problems.
.25 Although we do not show this on the form, the total of the sample audit data can be used
to establish the quality level for the supplier, plant, etc. A total of at least 20 audits should
provide a good evaluation of the Supplier's quality level.
REPORTING FINAL AUDITS
All supplier audits (including initial audits and re-audits) on JCPenney merchandise must be
recapped by product type using the Supplier Self-Audit Summary (JCP-7017) form. This is done
monthly and calculated on a cumulative basis. Any questions in completing the form should be
forwarded to the JCPenney Field Inspector. Copies should be sent to the JCPenney Field
Inspector monthly. See the Supplier Self-Audit Summary form on the following pages.
Supplier Self Audit Summary (sample form):
JCPenney
Supplier Self Audit Summary
Quality Control Program
Buyer: Subdivision: Quality Standard: Productive:
Supplier: Location: Supplier QC Contact Phone #:
Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Total
No. of units inspected
Cumulative Units Inspected
Number of Audits Conducted
Cumulative Audits Conducted
Defected Units Reported
Cumulative Defective Units
Reported
% Defective
Process Average (%)
1. To determine % defective, divide Number Units Inspected into Total Defective Units Reported and multiply answer by 100.
2. To determine Process Average, divide Cumulative Units Inspected into Cumulative Defected Units Reported and multiply by 100.
LISTING OF MAJOR DEFECTS BY CODE
CODE:
*SEE APPLICABLE QUALITY STANDARD FOR CODE NUMBERS
JCP 7017
FINAL STATISTICAL AUDITING - INSPECTOR'S INSTRUCTION
Rev 0797
The final statistical audit that the Quality Control Inspector performs is very important for your
company and equally important for JCPenney. 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 to 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
any one can cause the lot to fail.
.01 Verification You must verify that the item produced is in fact the item contracted by
JCPenney. This may be done by either of two methods:
Comparing the stock produced to the confirmation sample (which is an approved
sample purchased by JCPenney).
Comparing the stock produced to the JCPenney manufacturing specifications.
You must also verify the accuracy of care labeling.
.02 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.
.03 Inspection for Size Problems You must measure a few of each size of the units you
have inspected. A review of the data will determine whether a size problem exists.
JCPENNEY DOCUMENTS USED IN FINAL AUDITS
Before going through the steps of the audit, the Inspector must understand the relevant
documents.
Manufacturing Specification
JCPenney 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 JCPenney 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 a statement in the specification that you do not understand, ask your Supervisor to explain it
to you. Do not assume that the stock is correct; ask questions.
You will be supplied with manufacturing specifications for the specific product being made. For
core (staple) merchandise, a construction specification is provided to cover detailed
manufacturing requirements for the product. (For fashion merchandise, the JCPenney Apparel
Design Appraisal Report (ADAR) and confirmation sample become the manufacturing
specifications. See Sections 824 and 832.)
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, then you should see that you have a 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 JCPenney requirements for construction. Minor construction changes approved by the
Technical Designer and Buyer may be noted on a string tag attached to the sample. 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.
Confirmation Sample Guidelines
Confirmation Sample Guidelines are issued by JCPenney to establish the measurements for
samples submitted to us for confirmation. These guidelines are intended to assist suppliers in
preparing samples. You should be familiar with these forms; however, you must be aware that
they are not final sizing specifications and should not be used in the final statistical audit.
The following "Confirmation Sample Guideline" is intended as an illustration and example
only. It may not apply to your product line, nor be the current issue for the product line
stated on the standard.
If you have any questions about the use of the ADAR and Grading Guidelines, please contact the
JCPenney Apparel Inspection Manager at (972) 431-8337.
Guideline # 3003-2890
Supplier # ________
JCPenney Company Men's Division
CONFIRMATION SAMPLE GUIDELINE FOR
SHORT SLEEVE AND LONG SLEEVE TRADITIONAL (PlQUE)
(A) THIS IS NOT A SIZE SPECIFICATION. These guidelines are intended solely for use by
suppliers in determining the measurements for confirmation samples submitted to the
Quality Control Department. These samples will then be evaluated and sizing
specifications assigned via the Apparel Design Appraisal Report (ADAR) and a complete
grading specification will be issued for each item by the Quality Control Programmable
Calculator (PRO-CAL).
(B) When making confirmation samples, fabric characteristics such as stretch or shrinkage
must be considered. Styling can also affect the dimensions of the sample.
(C) All measurements must be taken in accordance with the JCPenney "How to Measure".
The Measurement numbers listed below are exactly the same as those in the 'How to
Measure".
(D) NO MARKERS ARE TO BE MADE FOR PRODUCTION GARMENTS UNTIL
APPROVED ADAR (signed by Quality Control Designer) IS RECEIVED.
(E) For grading increments from size to size see grade rule. 4002-0690
SAMPLE SIZES
Meas. # Point of Measurement 38-40 Medium
209 Bust/Chest 44
210 Waist 44
213 Sweep 44
102 Across Shoulder 19
205 Upper Arm 16
207 Relaxed Knit Cuff 12
115 L/S 34
115 S/S 19
101 C.B. Length 30
122 N.P.S. 31
207 Cuff 15
176 Armhole Dept. 9 1/2
APPAREL DESIGN APPRAISAL REPORT - (ADAR)
The Apparel Design Appraisal Report or ADAR is issued by the Quality Control Designer at the
time a confirmation-sample garment is confirmed. It represents the findings of the Quality Control
Designer relative to size and fit, construction, and verification of the style by the Buyer.
Only an ADAR signed by the JCPenney Quality Control Designer can be used to evaluate
finished stock. The designer's signature is in the lower right corner of the ADAR.
The ADAR or Apparel Design Appraisal Report is the report form that establishes the individual
measurements you will use to check your stock for sizing. The ADAR details the measurements
and garment size established for the confirmation sample. This information is entered into
JCPenney's computer, and the computer issues a printout of all sizes, their measurements, and
the tolerance allowed (grade sheet). The printout is mailed to the supplier.
If you receive an ADAR, it serves as a construction specification for the final inspection.
Remember, at present, not all styles use the ADAR. Usually all basic and long-run items have
detailed manufacturing specifications that include required measurements and tolerances.
Some suppliers will take the JCPenney ADAR and establish their own specification. However,
caution should be used to see that no errors are made in the reproduction of size specifications.
An example of the Apparel Design Appraisal Report appears on the next page.
The figures shown in the Sample Received column are the actual measurements taken on the
confirmation sample. The figures shown in the Should Measure column are the JCPenney size
specifications for the garment size of the confirmation sample. The Should Measure figures from
the ADAR are entered into the computer, which issues a printout of specifications for all sizes.
This same information is used in measuring finished garments by both the supplier and the
JCPenney inspectors to ensure adherence to sizing specifications. This information will be
supplied to you on the ADAR in the Grade Rule No. box. (See example on following page.) The
appropriate grading guideline will be entered in this space. The grading guidelines will show the
growth up or down as compared to the sample size.
BASIC QUALITY INSPECTION STANDARDS
The Quality Inspection Standards tables are used during the 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
saleability or serviceability, and/or is a significant deviation from a Buyer's 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 requires 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 dress 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. If you do not understand them, ask your Supervisor.
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.
FINAL AUDIT PROCEDURES
The following sections explain in detail how you are to perform the final statistical audit.
Definitions Of Key Terms
.01 Identifiable Lot The production lot that you will be auditing will be determined by
management. The 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 the
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.
.02 Lot Size The lot size is the total units (not dozens) in the identifiable lot.
.03 Acceptable Quality Level The Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) is the maximum
acceptable percentage of defective units that the JCPenney Company has established for
the product being inspected. The Acceptable Quality Level can be found in the heading of
the JCPenney Quality Standard. For apparel items, the AQL will be either 4.0% or 6.5%
defective. For soft home furnishings, the AQL is 4.0% defective.
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 JCPenney Sampling Plan (see
the following sample) contains the "statistics" for the inspection. It tells how many items are to be
inspected and how many major defects are allowed. The JCPenney Sampling Plan is based on
the military standard MIL-STD-105E for normal inspection. The original version of the form is
enclosed at the back of this manual for duplication purposes.
To determine how many samples to select from the identifiable lot, refer to the JCPenney
Sampling Plan--Supplier Final Audit (see sample JCPenney Sampling Plan-Supplier Final Audit
which follows). The sampling plan contains the statistics for inspection.
JCPENNEY SAMPLING PLAN - SUPPLIER FINAL AUDIT
TABLE A
Lot Size A C C E P T A B L E Q U A L I T Y L E V E L S
or 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
.01 Using the Sampling Plan To use the JCPenney 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 JCPenney 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 to 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. (The AQL may be found in the heading of the Quality Standards for
your product.)
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. There are two "Accept" columns, one for an AQL of 4.0 and one for an AQL of
6.5.
Example: Suppose you are Inspecting a lot size to 1,000 units. The quality standard for
the product being audited is 4.0. 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
3 Defective Units Allowed
Suppose the lot size has 5000 units. The quality standard is 4.0. Looking at the Sampling
Plan, you should find the following:
80 Units to Inspect
7 Defective Units Allowed
If you find the number of defective units 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.
.02 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:
Table 5: Production Lot and Random Sampling
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 Colors 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 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 in a distribution center and the stock is received in cartons or as
prepackaged stock. You need to know how many cartons you must open to select your samples.
We recommend that you open at least 10% of the cartons. The cartons that you 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
.01 Verifying Merchandise Contracted You must verify the fact that the merchandise you
are auditing is the merchandise that JCPenney contracted. You only need to compare one
unit to one of the following (as appropriate to your production lot):
The JCPenney Merchandise Specification
An approved JCPenney 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 the
stock is like the previous production .
.02 Verifying Correct Labeling An important part of merchandise verification is checking all
labels to see that the proper ones are used. While various JCPenney labels 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. The
exhibits on the following pages provide some specific information that may help you.
However, see that your Supervisor provides you with a copy of 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. The
JCPenney Company requires that all items be identified in compliance with all
Federal Regulations, as well as with any additional JCPenney regulations
applicable.
Terms Implying Fiber Content
The following lists were prepared by the Bureau of Textiles and Furs of the Federal Trade
Commission. They use these lists in connection with their work in counseling industry about its
responsibilities under the Act. They are being released to the public in the interest of obtaining
voluntary compliance with the Act and Regulations.
The lists are not all-inclusive, and there are probably many more terms which imply fiber content.
There has been no official pronouncement by the Commission in respect to any of the terms
listed; whether or not any particular term implies fiber content would be a question to be
determined in each case by the Commission and/or the courts.
Generic Name Fiber Trademark
Acetate Acele Celaloft Chromspun
Celacloud Celaperm Estron
Celafil Celatow Type F
Celaire Celatress Type K
Acrylic Acrilan Creslan Orlon Syelle
Acrilan Spectran Orlon Zefran
Acrylast Orlon Cantrece
Anidex
Aramid
Azlon Vicara
Glass Fiberglass
Elastoneste
Lastrile
Metallic Lame
Lurex
Modacrylic Dynel
Fiber T
Verel
Novoloid
Nylon Antron Caprolan Nyloft
Blac de Blancs Cumuloft Nylon 22
Cadon IRC Nylon
Nytril Darvan
Olefin Prolene
PBI
Polyester Dacron Kodel
Fiberfill Vycron
Fortrel
Rayon * Avicron Dy-Lok Polynosic
(see note below) Avlin Englo Softglo
Avril Fibro Spun-Lo
AVron Dortisan Strawn
AV XL Kolorbon Super-Cordura
Briglo Minifil Super L
Civona Newbray Topel
Coloray Newlow Tufton
Cordura Ondelette Tyron
Corval Periglo Zantrel
Dul-Tone
Rubber
Saran Velon
Spandex Curel
Lycra
Vyrene
Sulfar
Triacetate Arnel
Vinal Vinylon
Vinyon Rhovyl
Note: 'Lyocell' as an alternative to the generic name 'rayon' for a specific subclass of rayon
fibers. 'Where the fiber is composed of cellulose precipitated from an organic solution in
which no substitution of the hydroxyl groups takes place and no chemical intermediates
are formed, the term lyocell may me used as a generic description of the fiber.'
FTC FIBER CONTENT LABELING TERMS
Terms Descriptive of Methods of Manufacture, Construction or Weave
Balbriggan Duck Peau deSoie
Balloon Cloth Dungaree Percale
Bandanna Faille Percaline
Batiste Flannel Pima
Bengal Flannelette Pique
Bengaline Fleece Plisse
Birdseye Gabardine Pongee
Broadcloth Georgette Poplin
Burlap Gingham Pure Dye
Butcher Habutai Sateen
Calico Homespun Satin
Cambric Honan Schappe
Canton Flannel Jean Seersucker
Canvas Jersey Serge
Chambray Lame (or Lamme) Shantung
Charmeuse Lawn Sharkskin
Cheesecloth Lisle Surah
Chenille Longcloth Synthetic
Chiffon Madras Taffeta
Chino Man-made Fiber Tarlatan
Chintz Marquisette Terry
Corduroy Matelasse Ticking
Cottonade Melton Tinsel Yarn
Covert Moire Tulle
Crepe Monk's Cloth Tussah
Crepe de Chine Mousseline de Soie Tweed
Cretonne Muslin Velour
Cuprammonium Nainsook Velvet
Damask Organdy Velveteen
Denim Organza Viscose
Diaper cloth Osnaburg Voile
Dimity Outing Worsted
Dotted Swiss Oxford Zibeline
Drill
(Any coined word or term would be deemed an implication of fiber content if it contains the generic
name or fiber trademark of any fiber, or if any syllable in the coined word or term is phonetically
similar to the fiber's generic name or fiber trademark or part thereof.)
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 JCPenney inspectors. Therefore, we suggest that you
follow the same system that we use.
.01 If the item is packaged, note the markings on the package:
Stock Number (Lot Number) or Catalog Number (7 digits)
Size
Color
SKU, if for catalog
.02 Open the package, and see that the ticket/label on the stock contains the same markings
as the package.
.03 Lay the garment face up on the inspection table in good light.
.04 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.
We start from the top and work down. Using a simple T-shirt as an 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.
.05 Turn the garment over and check the back in the same way you checked the front
(refer to .04 above).
If you follow the same procedure for every T-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. JCPenney Inspectors use this method for all incoming
softline merchandise. It is recommended that softline manufacturers providing
merchandise for JCPenney inspect in the same manner.
.06 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.
.07 If you find a major defect, mark it at once with a piece of tape or a pin, record it on the
Merchandise Quality Audit Report form (see Section 835), and continue the inspection of
the item. Although JCPenney 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.
.08 It is also 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, see your Supervisor.
A broken stitch may result in an open seam; however, we normally consider an open
seam as being an Operator-caused defect.
A broken stitch may be caused by the Operator, the machine, bad thread, or the
Presser. If the sewing yarn is broken, call it a broken stitch; do not try to determine
who caused the problem or how it occurred at this point. After the audit, if the problem
is serious, your Supervisor 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 (Code 505), not a hole (Code 115). A hole (Code 115) is considered to
be a hole in the fabric usually caused by knitting.
.09 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 amount, the lot
must be 100% inspected.
.10 Summary The visual sample inspection for workmanship includes the following steps:
Inspecting items
Classifying defects
Recording defects
Marking the defect
Setting aside defective items
See the following Section 835 for an explanation of the Merchandise Quality Audit Report
Form that is used to record defects during the inspection.
Completing The Merchandise Quality Audit Report Form
The purpose of the Merchandise Quality Audit Report is to record and retain the results of the
statistical quality audit for corrective action purposes. The original version of the form is enclosed
at the back of the manual for duplication purposes. The results of the statistical audit should be
recorded. The JCPenney Merchandise Quality Audit Report form may meet your needs as is, or
with minor revisions. Any questions in regard to this form should be addressed to the JCPenney
Field Inspector.
Merchandise Quality Audit Report (sample form):
JCPenney Merchandise Quality Audit Report
REVISED :
SUPPLIER # : CONTRACT # :
FACTORY # : PRIVATE BRAND # :
SUBDIVISION :
LOT NUMBER :
AUDIT DATE :
INSPECTOR # :
REAUDIT :
CATALOG/RETAIL :
AUDIT TYPE :
LOT SIZE :
SAMPLE SIZE :
DEFECTIVE UNITS :
STATUS :
OVERRIDE BY :
PAMR :
DISPOSITION :
1 2 3 4 5
PROBLEM CODE:
DO NOT SHIP LOT(S):
OK TO SHIP LOT(S):
BRAND/SUPPLIER LABEL:
STYLE #: CUT#/DATE CODE:
ITEM DESCRIPTION:
CONTACT DATE: NAME:
REVIEWED WITH SUPPLIER CONTACT/TITLE:
COMMENTS/MAJOR DEFECTS:
SIZING OK:
CORRECTIVE ACTION:
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.
.01 Selecting garments From the units you have inspected, for apparel measure three
garments of each size. On the pilot cut, measure all three units for all measurements. On
additional cuts, you need only measure three of each size for critical measurements and
one of each size for noncritical measurements. For soft home furnishings, all the units you
have inspected are to be measured.
The question is, "What are critical and noncritical measurements?" Critical measurements
may vary by style, fabric, and the end use of the product; therefore, we cannot give you a
listing. Whenever a JCPenney Designer or JCPenney Field Inspector visits your plant, he
or she can help you determine a critical measurement from a noncritical measurement.
Your Quality Control Supervisor can also help you.
If any measurement, critical or noncritical, falls outside of the specified tolerance shown
on the JCPenney ADAR (covered in Section 824), you must measure a total of six
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.
.02 Recording measurements Section 837 shows a copy of the report form that you should
use for all JCPenney apparel; it is called the Sizing Work Sheet. 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 we can easily review
corresponding data for various samples of the same garment. Section 837 also shows a
copy of the report form used for soft home furnishings; it is called the Domestic Size
Chart.
.03 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
.04 Checking fit There is another important check to make at this time. Try one or two
garments on solid body forms or line 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 if a garment binds or is tight. If you make adult garments, we suggest
that you use the dimensions listed in the JCPenney Catalog's measuring section and try
to find live models within your plant that meet the dimensions in our Catalog. Use these
models to check your first production samples for fit. If you make children's or infants'
garments, you can check first production samples for size and fit of garments by asking
parents within your company or plant to bring in their children as live models. Again, you
should use the JCPenney Catalog body measurements as your guidelines. This is what
we do before initiating a major Catalog: we hire models to try on stock merchandise.
In our experience, size and fit problems occur more frequently among suppliers who do
not check the stock by measuring and trying on garments. Our number one reason for
customer returns of Catalog merchandise is size and fit problems. If we find a problem
after the stock is in our distribution center or retail store, there is very little that we can do
to correct it. Resizing is seldom a wise decision. The best solution is for suppliers to
check the size and fit requirements before shipment, in the manner mentioned above, in
order to minimize markdowns and returns.
.05 Using the How To Measure Manual You can help us avert measurement-related
problems by using the JCPenney How To Measure Manual, 5th Printing. You may get a
copy of this manual by contacting your local JCPenney Field Inspector or the JCPenney
Inspection Manager at 972-431-8337. The numbers on our ADAR sheets are based on
measurements from points shown in this manual. You must measure exactly as our
JCPenney Designers and Inspectors do, or size checking on your part is useless.
.06 Recording results on the Sizing Work Sheet or Domestic Size Chart After you have
completed the audit, you must record the results of your audit on the Sizing Work Sheet
for apparel or the Domestic Size Chart for soft home furnishings. Copies of these forms
are included in the back of a hard copy of this manual for duplication purposes.
Completing The Sizing Work Sheet Or Domestic Size Chart
The purpose of the Sizing Work Sheet for apparel and the Domestic Size Chart for soft home
furnishings is to record the measurements taken during the check for size problems.
A copy of the "Sizing Work Sheet" or "Domestic Size Chart" must be attached to the
Merchandise Quality Audit Report form that is submitted to JCPenney.
Sample Sizing Work Sheet:
JCPENNEY SIZING SHEET - APPAREL
Supplier Number: _____________ Lot Number: _____________ Date: __________
POINT OF POINT OF POINT OF POINT OF POINT OF
MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT
# + - # + - # + - # + - # + -
SIZE SPEC 1 2 3 SPEC 1 2 3 SPEC 1 2 3 SPEC 1 2 3 SPEC 1 2 3
POINT OF POINT OF POINT OF POINT OF POINT OF
MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT
# + - # + - # + - # + - # + -
SIZE SPEC 1 2 3 SPEC 1 2 3 SPEC 1 2 3 SPEC 1 2 3 SPEC 1 2 3
Sample Sizing Work Sheet for Soft Home:
JCPENNEY SIZING SHEET - SOFT HOME FURNISHINGS
Supplier Number: _____________ Lot Number: _____________ Date: __________
LENGTH
COLOR # WIDTH PANEL 1 PANEL 2 HEADER ROD BOTTOM SIDE RUFFLE RUFFLE OVERLAP FLANGE TABLE
L R L R L R OR DROP POCKET HEM HEM FULLNESS ROUND
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
SUMMARY
Rev 0993
PREPARING FOR QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM
Management Responsibility
Establish who will make the final decisions regarding quality problems.
Assign one person to be Quality Control Supervisor.
Planning The Total Quality Control Program
Set up training programs for the Quality Control Supervisor and Inspectors.
Establish procedures for piece-goods inspection.
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.
IMPLEMENTING A QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM
Piece-Goods Quality Control
Provide staffing (Inspectors).
Inspect 10% 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 once a day (new Operators a minimum of 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 work space.
Select a random sample according to the statistical Sampling Plan.
Verify merchandise to contract; verify accuracy in labeling.
Inspect visually for quality defects (Merchandise Quality Audit Report form (JCP-7569).
Check for size problems (Sizing Work Sheet).
