INTRODUCTION

Indian apparel sector is still starving for Right First Time quality perspective. Substantial developments have taken place in field of Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Engineering & MIS but Quality remains by and large underdeveloped. Majority of time and effort of the quality control personnel is still devoted in inspecting the already produced merchandise than preventing the defects from arising. Defects per 100 units (DHU) level have never been stable due to large variety of styles handled by Indian garment units.

The ASQC Quality Cost Committee classifies Cost of Quality into four categories namely: Prevention Cost, Appraisal Cost, Internal Failure Cost and External Failure Cost. A brief description of these costs is given below:

1. Prevention costs. The costs associated with personnel engaged in designing, implementing, and maintaining the quality system. Maintaining the quality system includes auditing the system.

2. Appraisal costs. The costs associated with measuring, evaluating, or auditing of products, components, and purchased materials to assure conformance with quality standards and performance requirements.

3. Internal failure costs. The costs associated with defective products, components, and materials that fail to meet quality requirements and results in manufacturing losses.

4. External failure costs. The costs generated when defective products are shipped to customers.

Read Full Article

About the Authors:

Mr. Kushagra Prakash is Assistant Professor (Fashion) in NITRA, Ghaziabad. He is basically B.Text (Textile Tech.) & M.F.Tech (Apparel Prodn.) from NIFT, New Delhi.

Mr. Vivek Agarwal is co-author of this paper & he is Assistant Director & Dean (Management) in NITRA, Ghaziabad.