Maharashtra SSC Apparel Sewing Machine Operator Pre-Voc/NSQF flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Lockout/tagout before maintenance

Switching off and unplugging a sewing machine and applying a lock or tag before threading, needle change or cleaning prevents accidental start-up and hand or needle injury.

PPE for sewing machine operator

Closed-toe footwear, hair tied back, no loose sleeves or jewellery, and safety glasses when trimming or punching are standard protections near needles, belts and cutting tools.

Electrical fire extinguisher

CO2 or dry-powder extinguishers are used on electrical fires because water conducts electricity; isolate the power first and never spray water on a live machine.

Ergonomic sewing workstation

Chair height set so elbows are near 90 degrees, feet flat, back supported, and work at eye level; short breaks every 45-60 minutes reduce neck and back strain.

DBx1 needle

Standard household lockstitch needle with a flat shank; insert flat side to the back and push up until it stops, then tighten the screw.

Threading with presser foot up

Raising the presser foot opens the tension discs so thread seats between them; threading with the foot down leaves the thread outside the discs and causes loose stitches.

Stitch length for medium woven

A setting of about 2.5 to 3 mm, giving 10-12 stitches per inch, suits medium-weight woven fabric; finer fabric uses 1.5-2 mm and denim 3-4 mm.

Skipped stitch causes

Common causes are a blunt or bent needle, wrong needle size or point for the fabric, incorrect needle position, and timing fault; replace the needle first and retest.

Bias grain

The 45-degree diagonal between warp and weft; bias has the greatest stretch and is used for bias tape, cowl necks and curves that must mould to the body.

Ticket number thread

A thread numbering system where a higher ticket number means a finer thread; for example, ticket 120 is finer than ticket 40, which is stronger and thicker.

Ballpoint needle use

A needle with a rounded point that pushes between knit loops instead of cutting them; used on jersey, interlock and other stretch fabrics to prevent laddering and holes.

Selvedge

The tightly woven finished edge along the lengthwise grain of fabric; it does not fray and marks the straight grain, but is usually cut off because it puckers when sewn.

Lockstitch class 300

A two-thread stitch formed by a needle thread and bobbin thread interlocking inside the fabric; stitch type 301 is the common straight stitch on domestic and industrial machines.

Overlock stitch 504

A three-thread overedge stitch that wraps the fabric edge and joins seams in one pass; it stretches, prevents ravelling and is standard on knits and lightweight wovens.

French seam

A seam where the raw edges are enclosed inside a second row of stitching; suitable for sheer and fine fabrics, it is sewn wrong sides together first, then turned and stitched.

Flat-fell seam

A strong seam with both raw edges folded inside and two visible rows of stitching; used on denim, workwear and shirt side seams because it is durable and neat.

Dart stitching rule

Stitch from the wide end toward the point, shorten stitch length near the tip, tie threads instead of backstitching, and press the dart over a curved surface to avoid a dimple.

Sleeve setting

Run two easing rows along the cap, match notches and underarm seams, distribute ease evenly, then stitch with the sleeve on top so the feed dogs help ease the fabric.

Invisible zipper

A zipper sewn with a special foot so the coil sits behind the fold and is hidden; stitch close to the teeth, close the bottom, and press without touching the coil.

Topstitching

A row of straight stitching on the right side, usually 2-3 mm from the seam, using topstitching thread and a longer stitch; it flattens seams and adds decoration.

Hip measurement

Measure around the fullest part of the hips, usually 18-20 cm below the natural waist, keeping the tape parallel to the floor and not pulling it tight.

Lengthwise grain layout

Pattern pieces are placed with the grain arrow parallel to the selvedge; cutting off-grain causes garments to twist and hang unevenly after washing.

Seam allowance standard

A 1 cm or 3/8 inch allowance is common for most seams; side seams may use 1.5 cm and hems 2.5 cm, and the allowance is marked on the pattern.

Straightening fabric grain

Clip the selvedge and pull a crosswise thread across the width; cut along the pulled thread to get a true crosswise edge before folding or laying the pattern.

Four-point fabric inspection

Fabric defects are scored 1 point for up to 3 inches, 2 for 3-6 inches, 3 for 6-9 inches and 4 for over 9 inches, with a maximum of 4 points per piece.

AQL 2.5

Acceptable Quality Limit of 2.5 percent is a common sampling standard for major defects in garment final inspection; it defines the maximum defect rate accepted in a lot.

Puckering defect

Wrinkled fabric along a seam caused by tight tension, incorrect feed dog height, a blunt needle or stretching the fabric while stitching; correct the tension and feed before rework.

DHU

Defects per Hundred Units; calculated as number of defects divided by number of garments inspected multiplied by 100, used to track line quality daily.

SAM

Standard Allowed Minutes is the time a trained operator needs to complete one operation at normal pace including allowances; used for costing, line balancing and efficiency calculation.

Takt time

Available production time divided by customer demand; it sets the pace each workstation must meet so the line delivers the required quantity on time.

5S workplace

Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain; a housekeeping method that keeps tools and materials in fixed places, reduces search time and improves safety.

Line balancing

Distributing operations so each workstation's cycle time is close to takt time; a balanced line reduces waiting, work-in-progress and overtime caused by bottleneck operations.