Metal Detection Procedure

 

1.0     Purpose

 The purpose of the Needle Detection Procedure is to help factory set up in-line procedures to control broken needle or other metal contamination in a finished garment. The aim is to prevent used or broken needle or other metal contamination embedded in the garment being sold to customers, causing bodily harm to them.

 

 

2.0   Scope

To be done in finishing before the garment is ready for packing.

Types of Garments Which Are Needle Detected:

·         Finished Garments

·         Unfinished garments or cut parts that’s are related to broken needle

·         Embroidery Parts

·         Sample Garments

·         Inspection Goods

·         All trims & accessories

 

Types of Needle Detector Machine:

 

·         Conveyor Belt Type

·          Hand Held Needle Detector

 

      

Responsibility

 

3.1   Production officer–Finishing, Finishing In-charge, Quality Controller/Auditor, Quality Executive/officer/In-charge, Production Manager/Asst. Manager/In-charge, Quality Manager/Asst. Manager/In-Charge, Product Safety Officer.

 

4.0   Basic requirement

 

4.1   Needle/magnetic detectors should have sensitivity according to customer requirement.

4.2   Switch board of the machine should be locked thus only authorize person is allow to maintenance it.

4.3   Metal detection machine should be conveyor tunnel type with automatic reverse and alarm function.

 

5.0 Method

 

Ø  9 point calibration

Ø  24 point calibration

 

6.0   Procedure:

·         Needle Detector Calibration Procedure.

·         Needle Detector Maintenance procedure.

·         Hand held metal Detector

·         Quarantine area management

·         Metal Contamination Goods Disposal

 

6.1  Needle Detector Calibration Procedure:

6.1.1 The calibration check should be carried out hourly using the 1.2 mm (as per buyer requirement) ferrous card. The card should be mounted onto a non-detectable plastic stand and 24-point system method must be followed. Calibration should be recorded.

6.1.2        If the detector fails a calibration check, all product that passed through since the previous calibration (Last hour) must be re-checked after the detector is rectified and calibration ok

6.2        Needle Detector Maintenance Procedure:

 

6.2.1        Needle Detector machine must be well cleaned and dust free always.

6.2.2 All persons involved with the use of Needle detector machine must be well trained by the Supplier’s technician to understand the metal detection system, the operation procedures and how to make or correct necessary adjustments for calibration check.

6.2.3        Details of authorized operator of the Needle detector need to be displayed near the machine.

6.2.4        Details of Internal Technician(s) who are trained and authorized to do day to day machine maintenance and adjustments must be displayed near the machine.   

6.2.5        The Needle detector must be calibrated and serviced daily & monthly according to the preventive maintenance calendar.

6.2.6        All maintenance records must be preserved in order for review during any audit.

6.2.7        It is critical that the operator try to adjust the machine unless he is authorized and trained to do so. All the adjustments of the machine must be carried out by the Technician of the machine supplier & trained up technician.

6.2.8        Before performing the needle detection check, the machine must be calibrated and should be in proper working condition.

6.2.9        The main Key of the machine must always remain under the custody of Maintenance in-charge & a copy will be with product safety officer. Operator is not authorized to keep the key with him.

6.2.10    Whenever necessary like during hourly machine calibration, if machine stopped due to a contaminated product, Operator must call maintenance in-charge for the machine Key and re-start the machine under their supervision only.

 

6.3      Hand held metal Detector:

 

6.3.1        First, turn on the Machine by forwarding ON key on the left side of the machine.

 

6.3.2        This ensures that the machine is in operating condition.

6.3.3 Now, slowly swipe the device above the 1.0/1.2 mm (according to buyer’s requirements) ferrous test card for calibration.

6.3.4        When the machine identifies presence of metal, it will make beeping sound and the Red Light will blink.

6.3.5        Doing so, it assures that the machine is now ready for operation.

6.3.6        Now, lay the garments/component that need to be checked on plastic table located at “Hand Held Metal Detector Station” very cautiously, touch the surface of the garments with the Hand Held Metal Detector.

6.3.7        Now slowly, move the Metal Detector across the surface of the garments. Do not miss any area/seam of the garments/component and check all over.

6.3.8        Check the entire surface of the garments piece.

6.3.9        When a metal is detected, as stated before, the device will make beeping sound and the Red Light will start blinking.

6.3.10    Slowly and carefully look for the metal fragment; look at both the top and the inside for the metal fragment. While doing so, turn or move the garment with extreme caution.

6.3.11    When the metal fragment is found, take it off from the garment very carefully and put it in the “Broken Needle Carrying Pot”.

6.3.12    If the metal fragment is stuck inside joints/seams, call a supervisor to open the stitch carefully and look for the fragment.

6.3.13    Once the Needle/Metal fragment is recovered,

6.3.13.1  In Line Garments Components during Stitching: Collect the broken needle fragment and hand over the complete broken needle to the Needle Controller and receive a new needle. 

6.3.13.2 Complete Garments at Finishing: Attach the Needle/Metal fragment to the “Metal detection record for broken needle (Finished Goods)” by adhesive tape and record all necessary details.

6.3.14    Now, run the garment or component through Needle Detector Machine again. Perform the scanning three times before the garment / component is either sent for packing or rectification.

6.3.15    If the Needle Detector still identifies presence of metal in the garment / component and unable to locate the metal fragment; reject the garment / component as a Metal Contaminated product and pack in a sealed poly bag, mention all required details on the packet and put in the “Rejected Goods Box”. Maintain necessary records in the register/log.

 

6.4         Quarantine Area Management:

6.4.1 Quarantine area is an authorized zone inside the metal free zone where garments are kept on hold until the next hour metal detection calibration is done & passed and must be clearly marked/ identified by color sticker to avoid mixing these products with others.

6.4.2        Each garment which is passed through the Metal Detector shall be hold and kept 01 hours ‘time.

6.4.3        Once the next hour machine calibration test is passed, the operator shall release the goods kept on hold at quarantine area from the last hour for next production process.

6.4.4        In case of the failure of Hourly Metal Detector Machine calibration test …the whole lot of garments which kept on hold at the Quarantine area from the previous hour shall be taken back out and re-checked once again after rectification of the machine. These goods shall be once again kept on hold at the Quarantine area until the following hour machine calibration is done.

6.4.5        Every day the last hour’s Production must be kept on hold at Quarantine area until the machine passes the calibration test on next day 1^st hour.

6.4.6        Hourly pass garment quantity should be recorded and record must be match with quarantined garments.

6.5        Metal Contaminated Goods Disposal

6.5.1 If any garment is rejected by the metal detection machine, it must again be checked by the hand-held detector.

6.5.2        If the contaminated part is found, it must be taken off and the garment need to be gone through needle detection procedure again. If this time the same garments is found to be okay, it must go to the next procedure. With all the details, the contaminated part must be attached in the “Broken Needle Log Sheet”.

6.5.3        If a finished product is continuously being rejected by the needle detector and still no broken needle fragment/metal contamination is found by the needle detector or hand-held detector, the product will be rejected completely.

6.5.4        In that case the particular garment must be put inside the poly and all the details such as Buyer, Style, Order, Color, Date, Time etc. must be pasted on the top of the poly and the lock and key inside the “Contaminated Garments Destroy Box”. Keep record of the rejected garment on the “Metal Detection Disposal Box Log Sheet” and preserve those rejected garments and records for as per buyer requirements or 12 months

6.5.5        After the interval of every three months, Product Safety team will open the reject box, and after meeting all different buyers’ cooling period, will destroy all the contaminated garments keeping photo evidence and record.

 

Metal detection flow chart.

7.0       Reference

 

Metal Detection Calibration Record (FO/MTSL/Fin/04/01)

 

Hourly Metal Detection Pass Record (FO/MTSL/Fin/03/01)

 

Metal Detection Disposal box Log Sheet (FGML-PRD-FO-144)

 

Metal Detection Record For Broken Needle (FGML/PRD/FO/143)

 

Hand Held Metal Detection Machine Calibration Record (FGML/PRD-145)

 

Hend Held Metal Detector Battery Change Record (FGML/PRD/FO/142)

 

Needle Detector Reset Key Records (FGML/PRD/FO/147)

 

 

8.0 Definition