Detection and Removal of Fabric Defects in Apparel Production

Defects in fabric have been and continue to be a major source of seconds in finished garments. These defects persist despite several visual inspections and intensive efforts to remove defective parts during sewing operations. The increased use of automation in assembly steps will intensify the problem of detection and removal of fabric defects in cut‐parts. Describes a workstation utilizing machine vision which has been designed and constructed to detect and remove defective cut‐parts prior to the initiation of assembly operations. The workstation employs two vision systems — an area camera and a line camera — to inspect parts on a conveyor belt both statically and dynamically. The colour of the parts is also determined and the area and perimeter are measured to detect improperly cut parts. The acceptable parts are then stacked in a manner suitable for input to an automated sewing station. The workstation should permit placing into the assembly operations a set of defect‐free, properly‐cut and colour‐matched parts. It is estimated that this cut‐part inspection system will reduce defects in finished garments by approximately 50 per cent and should greatly simplify the labour‐intensive and costly fabric defect control systems currently in place in most apparel plants.