10/22/2016

IndustrialSewingMachineNeedlesReplacementPolicy|AutoGarment

IndustrialSewingMachineNeedles:
All industrial sewing machine needles or parts of damaged/broken needles are controlled effectively and
accountedforduringtheproductionprocessandthroughoutthewholemanufacturingunit.Thismeansthatwhen
a new needle is issued it is cross referenced with stock levels of the particular needle and size to ensure full
traceability at all times. This includes janome sewing machine needles (machine and hand sewing), and any
ticketing or kimbal/tag gun needles and the policy is covering all areas of manufacturing e.g. the sample
room,embroideryandappliqumachines,machinesthatarepositionedoutofthemainflowofmanufactureand
operationsthatareperformedoutsidethefactorypremises.Youcanvisitmoreaboutdifferenttypesofneedles
mechanism.
The sample room is keeping a separate needle record, rather than having the record amalgamated with the
productionarea.
Allrecordsarekeepingawayfromtheproductionfloortoavoidcontamination.Oldrecordsarebeingdestroyed
safelyandoffthefactorypremises.

IndustrialSewingMachineNeedlesSuppliesGuideline
Forguidelinesonhowlongtokeepcertainrecordspleaseseeindividualsectionsbelow.
Apersonisnominatedtoholdarestrictedsupplyofapredeterminednumberofneedlesinapermanently
locked & clearly marked facility. This facility is only be accessed by the nominated person responsible for
managingthetotalprocess.
Replacement is only be issued if the store officer returns the equivalent number of used needles to the
relevantmanager/section(e.g.store).
Stockofindustrialsewingmachineneedlesisbeingcontrolledbyadesignatedmemberofthemanagement
(e.g.productionmanager,warehousemanageretc.).Thegoodneedlereleasingquantityisfullytraceable
according to the One in/one out policy in the sewing workshop, i.e. needle stock match needle balance
record.
Spareneedlesarebeingstoredinasecureandlockedpositionawayfromtheproductionfloor.
Thereisarecordedneedleinventory,sothattheamountofneedlescomingintothefactoryisaccounted
forwiththerecordskeptforneedledistributionandbrokenneedlerecords.

Controlofsewingneedlesinuse:
Workersarenotbeingallowedtohaveanyspareneedlesintheirpossession.
Apersonnominatedassafetyofficere.g.responsibleforhealth&safetyandinternalauditingischecking
compliancetothispolicyonaregularbasisbycarryingoutauditsandrandomchecks.
Newneedlesarebeingdistributedbyastoreofficer.
Thenominatedpersontoexchangeneedles,isensuringthattheyreceiveallpartsoftheoldneedlebefore
issuinganewone.Anewneedlecanonlybeissuedifallpartsoftheoldonehavebeenreturned.
New industrial sewing machine needles are keeping in a secure, locked, clearly marked and safe
environment with restricted access. The key to the storage place is held by the authorized person at all
timesandarenotbeingavailabletomachineoperators.
The needle record is kept for all types of needles and are include the bend or broken needle fragments
tapedtotherecord.
To identify trends of breakage the broken needle record is reviewed on a daily basis which will lead the
factorytobeproactiveinpreventingexcessive
Needlebreakage.Wornout,outofalignmentmachinepartsoroperatorhandlingmaycausebreakage.

Changeofaneedleduringproduction:
Toavoidneedlebreakage,damagedorwornpoints,needles&theirpointsisbeingcheckedonadailybasis.The
checksandanyneedlechangesarerecordedmentioningtheneedleref.thatneedlegotexchanged.
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10/22/2016

IndustrialSewingMachineNeedlesReplacementPolicy|AutoGarment

Machinesincludingtheirneedlesarecheckedonadailybasisinthemorningpriortoworkcommencingby
theworker.
AnydamagetotheneedlesandchangesarerecordedonaReplacementNeedleRecord.
IfanyinlineorfinalQCinspectorsfindanyneedledamage,therelevantmachineischeckedimmediately
andneedleschanged.
Allbrokenorbentneedlesaresecurelyattachedtotheneedlereplacementformwithaclearadhesivetape
andallpartsneedtobeaccountedfor.Storeofficerisresponsiblefortherecordkeeping.
Anyold/bluntneedlesarecollectedbythemechanic/s,recorded,keptinasealedcontainerinaseparate
areafromthesewingfloorandsentexternallyforrecycling.
Broken needle/calibration records is keeping for a minimum of 06 years from shipment date for auditing
purposesanddisposedoffsafelythereafter.
Atnotimesarerecordsbeingstorednearthefactoryfloorasthiscanbecausepossiblecontamination.
Abrokenordamagedneedlearebeingalwaysbereplacedwithabrandnewneedleandallpartsoftheold
oneisaccountedfor.Sotheexchangeisonaoneforonebasis.
Mechanics are ensuring that no needles are left behind on the machines after any needle
maintenanceworkcarriedout.
Unused/sparemachinesarehavingtheindustrialsewingmachineneedlesremoved.

Requirementsforbrokenneedlecontrol:
When a needle breaks the worker call the line supervisor for the process and find all fragments of the broken
needleandhandoverthemtothestoreofficer.
The needle or needle pieces are being placed in a small sealed container, in order to reduce risk of loss
andtakentotheneedlecontrolareawherethenewneedlesarebeingissued.
Ideallythisisasmallselfcontainedsubstoreontheproductionflooronefulltimeemployeesituatedinside,
whoonlyhasaccess.
Storeofficeriskeepingtheneedlelogischeckthatallpieceshavebeensubmitted,byaligningthepieces
andcomparingthemtoanintactneedleofthesamplechartwiththefollowingcolumns:
All pieces of the broken/bent needle are then be taped to the needle replacement form by sticky tape
ensuring that all parts are securely kept in place. Broken needles are not be disposed of in any other
manner.
Thisrecordarekeptforaminimumof06yearsasproofofduediligenceincaseofanylegalclaims.
Ifanypartsofthebrokenneedlecannotbefound,themachineoperatorwiththesupervisorpresentsearch
theareaaroundthemachine,includinglookingintheoilbedinsidethemachinethroatplate,feeddogsand
bobbincase.
Thebundlesthattheworkerwasworkingonaswellasanybundlesinsurroundingareasoftheworkstation
(within2metres)isbeingisolated,movedtoaseparatelocationinawoodencontainerclearlylabeledand
checkedwithametaldetector(conveyorbelt).
If all the parts of the broken needle cannot be found, all work in progress at the workstation should be
removedtoaspecificallydesignatedmetalfreeareaandcheckedthoroughlywithametaldetector.
Aspersystem,onebundleofpreviousoperationandonebundleofnextoperationhavetobeinspectedby
metaldetectorincaseofanyoccurrenceofbrokenneedle.
Aftercheckingthegarmentisclear,itshouldbeprocessedasnormal.Ifhowever,metalisdetecteditmust
be found and removed before the garment is processed. But if metal detected and cannot be found, the
garmentmustbedestroyed.
TheOperatorwillapproachthenominatedpersonwithallthepartsofthebrokenneedles.
Theconcernedpersonshouldnotifytheproductioninchargeandmechanic.
Checkthegarmentorpanelsbeingstitched.
Uncoverthemachinesoiltanksbymechanicsforchecking
Check the working area with a magnet to ensure that broken fragments are not fallen into the ready
garments/panels.
If the broken fragments are still not found after the said searching procedure, the in charge is allowed to
writeontothereportsthatconfirmgarmentsarefreefromneedlefragments
Onlythenominated/authorizedpersonsshouldreissuethenewneedletotheoperator.

Any found fragments are being added to the needle2/4

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10/22/2016

IndustrialSewingMachineNeedlesReplacementPolicy|AutoGarment

Any found fragments are being added to the needle

replacementform:
Ifanypartsofthebrokenneedlestillcannotbefound,thenthesebundlesareplacedinalockedcontainerand
later on destroyed after authorization has been obtained by the production or factory manager. Records of the
complete procedure are being kept for a minimum of 06 years after production to be available for auditing
purposes.
UnderNOcircumstancestheproductbeingreturnedtostock.
Ifallpartshavebeenfoundthecomponents/garmentsarebeingreturnedtotheworkstation.
Onlyoncethejanomesewingmachineneedlesreplacementformhasbeenfullycompletedthemachinistis
beingissuedwithanewneedle.

UtilizationforNeedle:
Knittingneedles(circularknittingmachineneedles,sewingmachineneedlescross)
Medicalneedle(surgery,minimallyinvasivesurgicalneedles,acupuncture,medicalAmerica)
Instrumentwithaneedle(flute,saxophonewithaneedle)
Electronicsemiconductorwithaneedle(airfilters,dischargeneedle,probe)
Nonwoven(needles)
Andfinishingwithaneedle
Handstitches
Needlearts(ceramics,quilting)
Bur
Computerizedembroidery
Schifflilacewithaneedle
Costumewithaneedle(underwear,jeans,knitted)
Leather(footwear)withaneedle
Bindingswithaneedle

NeedlePolicy
Needlesstockshouldbeplacedinthemaintenancestoresandlockedaway.
Smallstockofneedleswouldbetransferredtoproductionfloortoadesignatedpersonincharge.
Allrecordsmustbemaintainedfor01monthandrecordsof06monthsarekeptpackedinstockedboxes.
Boxescarryingneedlesshouldbekeptinlockandkey.
AlloperatorsmustcarrybrokenneedlepartsindesignatedNeedlecarryboxesprovidedineachline.
Personinchargeofneedlesprocedures(productionfloor)shouldcarriedaninventorycardidentifyingthe
stock.
Movement in and out per type of needle. The in process stock locked in all timeIn charge of needles
procedures (production floor) should have in possession one file per production line that contains the
followinginformation
Inchargeshouldcarryalldamageneedlesinatransparentboxsimilartothebox
Oftheneedlesinordertotransportthedamagedorreplacedneedletothepersoninchargeoftheneedles
procedure
Inchargeofneedlesprocedures(productionfloor)shouldhaveinpossessiononefileperproductionline
thatcontainsthefollowinginformation
1.Samplesofeachtypeofneedle
2.Copyofneedlesprocedures
3.Reportidentifyingthetime,andtheemployeerequiredthenewneedle
Oraneedlereplacementandthereasonsignedbytheincharge.

Kimbal/Tagjanomesewingmachineneedlescontrolpolicy:
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10/22/2016

IndustrialSewingMachineNeedlesReplacementPolicy|AutoGarment

All janome sewing machine needles are being accounted for in each factory: this means when a new needle is
issueditcrossreferenceswithstocklevelsoftheparticularneedleandsizeisensuringfulltraceabilityatalltimes.
Kimbal/taggunneedlesareholdingbythenominatedpersoninalockedcupboard,whichisonlyaccessible
bythepersonresponsibleforissuingnewneedles.
One in, one out distribution system All kimbal/tag guns are being handed out to the workers by a
nominatedpersonatthebeginningofeachshiftandarebeingcollectedattheendofeachshift.
This distribution system is being recorded (s. attached daily in/out log), detailing workers names and
numbers of kimbal/tag guns issued/returned and records are being kept for a minimum of 3 years from
shipmentdateincaseofalegalclaim.
Thenumberofworkerswithaccesstokimbal/taggunsarelimited.
Allkimbal/taggunsarebeingkeptoncordsecuredtotheworkstationtable.
Theprocedureaswellasrecordkeepingforanybroken/bend/lostkimbal/taggunneedlesisthesameas
describedaboveformachinesewingneedles.
Kimbal/Taggunlogsaswellaskimbal/taggunneedlecontrollogsarefullycompletedeachtimebeforethe
new janome sewing machine needles are issued and records are being kept for 03 year as proof of due
diligenceincasetheyarerequiredforanylegalclaims.
Product are not being kimballed in the metal free zone, after passing through the tunnel conveyor belt
detector.

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