CTE 4443 Final Exam Study Guide Introduction Textile Quality Assurance The process of designing producing evaluating and assessing products to determine that they meet the desired equity level for a company s target market Many perceive quality assurance as quality control which is a post production approach testing after the product is made Holistic perspective Quality is not the same for all things but is inherent in all objects and actions That which belongs to something and makes or helps to make it what it is Must address contemporary business issues In the case of textile products includes the components that contribute to quality Engineering quality into a product Measuring a product s quality Improving quality of a product or process Product quality is represented by a total of a set of precise and measurable characteristics or components of a finished product Product perspective Producer perspective Consistent conformance to specifications and standards Quality is achieved when products consistently fall within a range of acceptable measures for all dimensions of quality Products that meet this level of quality are assumed to produce the greatest income and profit for the company Customer perspective Customer could be the next level of manufacture of the final consumer Quality reflects an ever changing marketplace and satisfies the ever changing needs of the customer in the market Companies must respond to changes in expectations and needs by maintaining contact with their customers Textile testing Testing is the analysis and evaluation of a material or product to assess its characteristics quality or performance The product may be tested in its original condition or may be subjected to procedures such as laundry abrasion etc before and or after testing Many consumers want to know what will happen after washing it Purpose for testing Assessment of Product Performance Research and Development Quality Control Comparative Testing Analyze Product Failure Meet Government Regulations Who does the testing Suppliers the company that supplies the product to the retailer In house the company that produces the product Independent or contract a separate business organization that specifically tests materials and products for other companies Usually at the factory level A few retailers have their own testing JC Penney Textile Testing Organizations AATCC chemical properties of textiles shrinkage color ASTM physical mechanical properties International Organization for Standardization ISO Based in Geneva Switzerland Has a member from each country the member from the US is ANSI see Serves member organizations throughout the world next slide The ISO coordinates efforts among different countries to develop standard test methods that can be applied internationally American Society for Quality ASQ Organization of professionals who work to improve the quality of manufactured goods services and related factors Developed code of ethics publishes a newsletter ON Q that includes articles American Apparel and Footwear Association AAFA National organization that deals with issues of interest to the sewn products related to quality industry As the national trade association representing apparel footwear sewn products companies and their suppliers AAFA promotes and seeks to enhance members companies competitiveness productivity and profitability in the global marketplace American National Standards Institute ANSI Represents the US member body in the ISO The purpose of ANSI is to coordinate voluntary standards development and use in the US and to serve as liaison between US standards organizations and other countries Testing textile materials Can be done in a laboratory or by wear testing Textile testing Advantages Laboratory Evaluating characteristics or performance of materials using standard procedures in a specialized facility Quick results Environment is controlled Uses specialized equipment Uses trained specialists Disadvantage many not be true to actual conditions of use Wear testing is conducted over a long period of time and simulates actual use Advantages More realistic Simulates actual use Disadvantages Long term commitment Expensive Conditions not controlled End Use Performance Textiles are determined to be of good quality if they satisfy end use This means that the fabric as a whole from fiber to finish color must be performance requirements suitable for the purpose Standard Testing Conditions 70 2o F 21 1oC 65 2 RH relative humidity Quality Complex to define Companies and their employees need to understand how quality affects organizations standard practices within organizations consumer behavior and market competition Standard A set of characteristics or procedures that provide a basis for resource and production decisions Something that is established by authority custom or general consent Specification A precise statement of a set of requirements to be satisfied by a material product system or service that indicates the procedures for determining whether each of the requirements is satisfied Description Everything about the material end product how it gets there manufacturing testing Procedure making sure anything required is satisfied Ex Amount of shrinkage Focus on measurable characteristics Reflect company standards costs and customer expectations Describe the product in detailed terms that produce consistent products Are used to negotiate contracts and bids Are used to purchase materials Are used to communicate production requirements to production workers Are used by suppliers to advertise their product lines Performance specifications Specifications are measurable The statement of how a textile must perform in a particular end use Company standard may be that the shirt has to be washable Parts of a performance specification Test method name and number Characteristics what you are testing for Requirements expected test results How standards and specifications impact costs High level of performance often requires materials that would meet these requirements Higher fabric count more twist in yarns more labor etc Lower levels may decrease costs but may also decrease quality Something about manufacturer has to be on the label usually put Anatomy of a test method Test Name and Number Scope and Purpose Definition of Terms Safety Precautions Apparatus and Materials Procedure Evaluation and calculation of results Report Precision and bias Notes Standard test methods Widely accepted