Inspection of fabrics is a major consideration in fabric manufacture, as well as in manufacture of garments and other fabric-based goods. In this research, a computer-based system for objective assessment of fabric defects was designed with emphasis placed on fabric defects occurring in the Sri Lankan industry. Image processing techniques were used to analyse scanned images of the test fabric, compare it with an ideal sample, and identify defects according to pre-learnt rules. The information gathered was then used to grade the fabric, either by determining the frequency of defect occurrence or assigning points.
A new classification method for common defects was designed, thereby facilitating grading according to commonly used grading systems. A coding system for defects was also designed to help report defects to the user. The fabric defects were classified and stored according to the developed classification method and coding system.
