Maharashtra SSC Apparel Sewing Machine Operator Pre-Voc/NSQF key terms

Clothing and equipment worn to reduce injury risk at work, such as finger guards, safety glasses, closed shoes and hair coverings. In a sewing room it also limits dust and lint exposure.

A fixed or hinged cover around moving parts such as belts, pulleys and the needle area. It stops fingers, loose clothing or hair from contacting the machine while it runs.

A safety procedure for maintenance where the power source is switched off, isolated and marked with a personal tag so nobody can restart the machine until the work is finished.

A large red button that cuts machine power instantly when pressed. Operators must know its location on every machine and never block access to it.

Adjusting the chair, table height, foot pedal and lighting so the operator's body works in a comfortable, neutral posture. Good ergonomics reduces fatigue, back pain and repetitive strain injuries.

A workplace organisation method with five steps: sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain. It keeps floors clear, tools in place and reduces fire and trip hazards.

The flat metal plate under the presser foot with a small hole for the needle. It supports the fabric, guides the needle, and its engraved lines help keep seam allowances even.

Toothed metal strips that rise through the needle plate slots and move the fabric forward by one stitch length each cycle. Worn or wrongly set feed dogs cause uneven stitching.

The metal foot that holds the fabric flat against the needle plate and feed dogs while stitching. Foot pressure must be adjusted to suit fabric thickness or the fabric will slip or pucker.

The small cup that holds the bobbin and controls lower thread tension inside the machine. Lint in the case or a wrong bobbin causes tangles, thread breaks and skipped stitches.

The lever on the machine front that pulls thread from the spool and tightens each stitch as the needle rises. Threading it wrongly causes thread breakage and loose stitches.

The dial or disc assembly that sets how tightly the upper thread is held. Balanced tension makes upper and lower threads meet inside the fabric; too tight or too loose causes puckering and loops.

A small attachment that winds thread evenly from the spool onto the bobbin. An unevenly wound or overfilled bobbin gives irregular stitches and can jam the bobbin case.

Applying the correct oil to marked oil points at the scheduled interval. Regular oiling reduces friction, heat and wear, but excess oil can stain fabric and attract lint.

A lever or button that reverses the feed so the machine sews backwards. It is used to back tack at the start and end of a seam to lock the threads.

A flexible marked tape, usually 150 cm long, used to take body and garment measurements. It must be held flat, not stretched, and checked against a ruler for accuracy.

A small hand tool with a sharp hook and point for cutting and removing stitches without damaging the fabric. The point is also used to open buttonholes.

Grams per square metre, the weight of a fabric per unit area. Higher GSM means a heavier, denser fabric; it guides needle, thread and machine setting choices.

The firmly woven edge running along both sides of a fabric roll. It does not fray and shows the fabric direction; it is usually cut off before garment panels are made.

The direction of the warp yarns, running parallel to the selvedge. Pattern pieces carry a grain line arrow that must be aligned with the fabric length for correct drape.

A stiffening fabric coated with heat-activated adhesive, bonded to garment parts with an iron or fusing press. It gives shape to collars, cuffs and plackets without visible stitching.

A number showing thread thickness, often on a metric ticket scale where a higher number means finer thread. It guides matching thread to fabric weight and needle size.

The most common stitch, formed when the needle thread loops around the bobbin thread and locks inside the fabric. It is strong, neat on both sides and easily unpicked.

A stitch made by an overlock machine using two needle threads and two looper threads. It joins and edge-finishes in one operation, preventing fraying on knits and woven seams.

Stitches per inch of seam, sometimes called stitch length in reverse. Too few stitches weaken the seam; too many can pucker light fabric and break fine thread.

The strip of fabric between the seam line and the raw edge, usually 1 cm to 1.5 cm in garments. It allows the seam to be joined, pressed and finished.

A seam where the raw edges are fully enclosed inside a folded tube of fabric, giving a clean finish on both sides. It is used on light, sheer fabrics and unlined garments.

A strong seam where both raw edges are folded inside and stitched down flat. It is typical on jeans and workwear because it hides the edges and resists abrasion.

Sewing a few stitches backwards and then forwards at the beginning and end of a seam. It locks the thread ends so the seam does not open during wear or washing.

Wrinkles or ridges along a seam caused by tight thread tension, too many stitches per inch, a blunt needle or feeding problems. It is a visible defect and needs correction.

The paper template of each garment part, cut in the correct shape and size with seam allowance and grain line marked. It is used to trace and cut fabric panels.

A long paper or digital plan showing pattern pieces laid out tightly on the fabric width to save material. Marker efficiency is the percentage of fabric actually used.

A small V-shaped cut or mark made on the edge of a cut panel to show where two pieces should be matched during stitching. Notches must be cut shallow so they do not weaken the seam.

The stack of fabric plies laid on the cutting table to the required length and number of layers. Even, tension-free spreading prevents distorted panels after cutting.

The maximum percentage of defective units allowed in a lot during sampling inspection. It gives buyer and factory an agreed benchmark for accepting or rejecting a shipment.

Repairing a garment that failed inspection by re-stitching, replacing a part or removing stains. High rework rates signal process problems and add cost and delay.

A method of asking why a defect happened until the underlying process fault, not just the symptom, is found. It leads to a permanent fix rather than repeated repair.

A document listing every operation in a garment style, its machine type, standard time and sequence. Supervisors use it to assign work and balance the sewing line.

Distributing operations among operators so each has a similar workload and no station becomes a bottleneck. A balanced line reduces waiting time and raises daily output.

The time a trained operator needs to complete one operation at normal pace, including allowances. It is used for costing, target setting and efficiency calculation.