What is Single Head Single Needle Embroidery Machine?

Single Needle Embroidery Machine

There is only one head that is comprised of the needle. This single head single needle embroidery machine also can design computerized machine embroidery. A single needle embroidery machine has only one hoop attachment and often has smaller hoop capabilities than a multi needle machine. Its looks like a traditional sewing machine. Single needle embroidery machine is designed as flat bed bottom including a removable embroidery unit. When a single needle machine is embroidering, the needle stays stationary and the embroidery arm moves according to the digitized design. It can used for general sewing, creating decorative and utility stitches

Metal control of single needle embroidery machine environment

1. Metal stock should be placed in the trims stores and locked away.
2. Small stock of single needle would be transferred to production floor to a designated person in charge.
3. All records must be maintained for six months
4. 2 boxes are required one is for the needles accommodating up to 10 different types of needles, and one box for broken needles.
5. Those boxes should be locked and lock codes should be changed frequently every week.
6. Person in charge of needles procedures (production floor) should carried an inventory card identifying the stock movement in and out per type of single needle embroidery machine. The in process stock locked in all time.
7. Person in charge of needles procedures (production floor) should have in possession one file per production line that contains the following information:

1. Samples of each type of single needle embroidery machine
2. Copy of single needles procedures
3. Report identifying the time, and the employee required the new needle or a needle replacement and the reason signed by the supervisor.
4. Supervisor should carry all damage needles in a transparent box similar to the box of the needles in order to transport the damaged or replaced needle to the person in charge of the needles procedures.

Needle Replacement / Metal Contamination – General Guidelines and Procedures:

1. The supervisor or nomination person should hold all the spares in a secured location, and only he shall be permitted to allocate to the operators.
2. Mechanics must ensure that no double needles are left on the machines after servicing
3. The operator must not hold any spare double needles.
4. The issues of needles against broken should be one for one basis.
5. Old and multi needles should be disposed off securely in a sealed container.If a needle breaks, all parts  must be found or case defined ( in case part of the fragments cannot be found) before the work is allowed to continue. The supervisor must ensure that proper searches have been carried out if all the parts of the needle have not been located.
6. Person in charge of needles procedures (production floor), should compare the parts of the broken single needle vis-à-vis the original sample to avoid any piece left around the sewing machine in question.

In case of missing parts of the broken single needle, the person in charge of the needles procedures should scan the sewing machine area in a circle of 2 meters diameter using hand held scanner.

Factory must keep a record of broken record (for six months) in a secure location for auditing. Recommend to keep by machine type, single needle size, and by production line to establish a history so that trends can be recognised.

9. No operator should in any circumstances be in possession of any single needle other than those, which are in the machine carrying out the sewing operation.
10. Other metallic objects, i.e. pins, nails, tacks and staples must not be used in any production area such as: cutting, warehouse, laying up, making up, inspection, packaging or any other operations where garments or components are handled.

11. Fabrics, boxes, cartons, reels of elastics, lace, binding, etc., must not be secured by metallic objects.
12. If pins or hazardous tools are used, then this must be a controlled auditable procedure.

In Process Broken needles control procedure:

1. If all the parts of the broken multi needle cannot be found, all work in progress at the workstation should be removed to a specifically designated metal free area and checked thoroughly with a metal detector.
2. If after checking the garment is clear, it should be processed as normal. If however, metal is detected it must be found and removed before the garment is processed. But if metal detected and cannot be found, the garment must be destroyed.
3. The Operator will approach the nominated person with all the parts of the broken needles.

In Case of all parts of broken needle are not found –

1. The concerned person should notify the production supervisor and mechanic.
2. Depose the garment or panels being stitched.
3. Uncover the machines oil tanks by mechanics for checking
4. Check the working area with a needle detector to ensure that broken fragments are not fallen into the ready garments / panels.
5. If the broken fragments are still not found after the said searching procedure, the supervisor is allowed to rite onto the reports that “confirm garments are free from single needle fragments”
6. Only the nominated persons should reissue the single needle to the operator.

 Final Control at Packing Stage :

1. Needle detector machine should be provided to provide the final check of the garments.
2. The checked garments should be packed into the cartons immediately after passing through the needle detector machine so that garments are not susceptible to contamination.

Corrective actions when metal is found:

Following actions should be performed if any metal item is detected in the process of packing by the single needle detector :

1. Remove all the garments on the conveyor belt to a lockable storage zone.
2. Then the affected garments should be again passed through the needle detector machine one at a time and deemed safe if on rejected on that occasion.
3. Any item rejected for the second time should be physically checked for the contamination and located and removed.
4. After removal, such garment should be again passed through the needle detector machine. This garment can be accepted if found ok else it has to be destroyed.
5. Full records have to be made and kept for the last 12 months showing date. PO #, style #, inspected quality, results (contamination found or not), corrective action taken etc and it should be signed by the supervisor.

Calibration :

1. A report should be carried on the hand held scanner calibration, twice a day, mentioning the day and the time.
2. The hand held scanner should be tested before and after usage for battery failure.
3. Needles should be removed off the non-operated sewing machine and return to stock.
4. Needles used on Hand tagging gun should follow same procedures as per the needles of the sewing floor.
5. Supervisors and management must check all production areas on a regular basis for needles, pins, staples, etc, or any other metal fragments.

Disposal of Needles / Metals:

1. Collect the single needle embroidery machine parts for the Floor and past it in the card and sent to Stores.
2. Collected parts are kept in the Stores in transparent containers.
3. After 3 months, the container is buried underground with the cement layer both in top bottom of the container.
4. Record of the Burial is mentioned in the top part of the cement layer which is visible on the surface.

Other Points:

5. No operator should in any circumstances be in possession of any single needle embroidery machine other than those, which are in the machine carrying out the sewing operation.
6. Other metallic objects, i.e. pins, nails, tacks and staples must not be used in any production area such as: cutting, warehouse, laying up, making up, inspection, packaging or any other operations where garments or components are handled.
7. Fabrics, boxes, cartons, reels of elastics, lace, binding, etc., must not be secured by metallic objects.
8. If pins or hazardous tools are used, then this must be a controlled auditable procedure of single needle embroidery machine factory

Engr. Shimna Shekhi, Toshiba Needle Industry, Scotland.