AQL chart for Garments Quality Inspection

AQL Audit

AQL is Acceptable Quality Limit or Acceptable Quality Level (AQL), a sampling of quality audit or inspection system, use for quality audit or inspection process in the Garments industry. AQL sampling information shows in an AQL chart, QC is used in Quality Audit when 100% quality inspection is not possible.  AQL inspection is used in Fabrics roll sampling, trims inspection, cutting panel inspection, Sewing, Finishing, and Final Inspection.  Though there is 100% inspection also available in sewing and finishing AQL audit is done for checking the quality control process. There is various type of AQL sampling plan in the world, I gave the most commonly used 3 types of AQL chart.

Uses of AQL Audit in Garments Industry

1.      Fabrics Roll sampling for inspection

2.      Trims and Accessories inspection

3.      Cutting panel inspection

4.      Sewing Quality Audit

5.      Finishing Quality Audit

6.      Finishing inline inspection

7.      Pre-final Inspection

8.      Final inspection

AQL chart

AQL chart needs in Garments industry to do a quality inspection, lot by lot AQL Audit. AQL chart systems are like 1.0, 1.5, 2.5, 4.0.

AQL chart for Garments inspection

AQL-4.0

As per the above AQL chart, if the lot size is 4000 then the audit quantity will be 80 pcs. Major defects quantity among audit quantity 5 or less than 5 will be passed or more than 5 defects will be failed or rejected in Audit.

AQL-2.5

1. Suppose we follow AQL 2.5.  As per the above AQL chart, if the lot size is 4000 then the audit quantity will be 80 pcs. Major defects quantity among audit quantity 5 or less than 5 will be passed or more than 5 defects will be failed or rejected in Audit.
2. Suppose we follow AQL 2.5.  As per the above AQL chart, if the lot size is 12500 then the audit quantity will be 125 pcs. Major defects quantity among audit quantity 7 or less than 7 will be passed or more than 7 defects will be failed or rejected in Audit.

AQL-1.5

Suppose we follow AQL 1.5.  As per the above AQL chart, if the lot size is 4000 then the audit quantity will be 80 pcs. Major defects quantity among audit quantity 2 or less than 2 will be passed or more than 2 defects will be failed or rejected in Audit.

AQL Audit system in Garments industry

First of all check lot quantity. As per AQL Audit requirement, auditor pick audit/ sample quantity randomly from every lot, like a lottery. Then auditor checks garments from picked sample quantity and count defect. If defect quantity exceed acceptable limit, the audit result is “failed” or “rejected” that inspected lot.

Why do we need AQL Audit?

When you want to check quality inspected goods or you do not have time to check 100% of goods you can do an AQL audit. A final inspection is done in AQL Audit; factories have an internal AQL audit system. To check supplier’s fabrics and trim quality, you need an AQL audit in suppliers Raw materials. Sewing end line and operator bundle wise AQL audit also done in the apparel industry.