Preventive Maintenance of Industrial Sewing Machine

Last Updated on 12/01/2021

Preventive Maintenance of Industrial Sewing Machine

R.S. Balakumar
Associate Professor
Dept of Fashion Design & Arts
Hindustan University, Chennai, India
Email: rsbalakumar1953@gmail.com

Industrial Sewing Machine
Good sewing of garments are achieved through quality of the sewing machine. A good garment is made on good sewing machine. So, the maintenance of the industrial sewing machine is always good enough to provide good quality oriented seams. In Apparel industries are mostly used imported sewing machines. The reason is to gain defect free seams and stitches. so, the preventive maintenance of industrial sewing machine is considered to be very much important.

Fig: Maintenance of Industrial Sewing Machine

The following points are to be checked:

Cleaning
Lubrication
Periodical service

1. CLEANING:
The following area to be cleaned; Spoolstand, Machine head top complete Hook set area completely.

SN	Description	Schedule	Recommended mode of cleaning	Remarks
1	Spool stand	Everyday	Cotton	Ensure that there is no pins, labels, buttons other than the thread cone on the spool.
2	Machine head	Everyday	Cotton	Remove the complete dust from the entire areas including bobbin winding area, knee lifter connecting areas, backside of the machine arm etc..,
3	Hook shuttle	Twice a week	Soft Brush	Unscrew the needle plate and remove the dust and threads and clean the feed dog, trimming mechanism, hook set areas, feed bar areas, feed bar areas etc.,
4	Oil tank	Everyday	Brush Tweser / Magnet	Where the flap and thread etc., Will accumulate.
5	Bottom oil tank	Once in a week	Blower	Check there is no pins, bits of cloth and bits of thread , labels etc., in the oil tank and edge of the oil tank.

2. LUBRICATION:
Use the exact specified oil as per sample. (How to identify? Check with laboratory. Oil to be purchased along with the laboratory test report.

Apply oil in the manually applied areas (red house) Please check in the respective manual.

OIL TANK:
Every 420 hours of machine running, oil to be completely drained gauge. Check twice a week.

IMPORTANT CHECKING POINTS

Make sure the oil flow- check the oil gauge window every day. If oil doesn’t flow through the window, please stop the machine and check the entire lubrication device.
Make sure the hook set lubrication –(refer the technician). In case the oil flow is more or less adjust the oil regulating screw located bottom of the machine.
Check all the wick lubrication areas; whether the oil flow is proper (refer to manual).

3. PERIODICAL SERVICE: (Make sure to use proper tools)
Once in 1280 machine running hours complete overhauling to be done, according to the model / condition of the machine. Check the condition of moving parts (refer service manual), If necessary the following parts to be replaced such as needle bar, needle bar bushing, Take up lever , Hook set, feed bar, Trimmers, defective screws, spring etc.,. Whenever the compressed air is used, make sure the air system is regulated properly and moisture free air to be used.

TRIMMER: SHOULD BE CHECKED WEEKLY TWICE.

PROPER STITCH:
In order to produce proper stitch the following parts to be checked;

Needle
Thread
Thread Stand
Thread Cone
Thread Guide Hoies
Thread Check Spring
Needle Tension
Bobbin Thread Tension
Hook/Looper Timing
Presser Foot/Feed/ Dog/ Needle Plate
Presser

Table: Maintenance schedule

SN	Description	Schedule	Remarks
1	Needle	Daily	A. Check type of the needle B. Check size of the needle C. Check position of the needle D. Check needle point of the needle (suitable to the fabric) E. If the needle is bent/broken/ blund , please replace the needle.
2	Thread	Daily	Make sure the thread is suitable to the fabric and sizes of the needle.
3	Thread stand	Daily	In order to release the thread freely match the angle of spool-holder and thread hanger assembly.
4	Thread cone	Daily frequently once in 15 days	Should be kept vertically on the thread spool.
5	Thread guide holes	According to thread to be replaced 800 t0 1200 M/C	Thread guides/Tension disk/spring to be change if grooved damaged.
6	Thread check spring	Running house depending on the condition of the spring	The spring to be adjusted according to the thread and the fabric
7	Needle thread tension	Daily	A. Check threading: Threading should be done properly (should pass through every holes of thread guides) B. Tension shoulder be kept as light as possible.
8	Bobbin thread tension	Daily	Check the bobbin condition, if damaged/ bent to be replaced. A. Bobbin winding: Make sure the bobbin is evenly wind with even tension. B. Bobbin thread tension: To be adjusted according to the fabric and the thread.
9	Hook/Looper timing	Every 15 days	Check the timing of hook/looper and needle (refer to the service manual) A.Check hook/looper point daily whether it is damaged. Make it smooth or replace it. B.Check the needle plate hole daily whether it is damaged. Make it smooth or replace it.
10	Pressurefoot feeddog/ Needle plate	Every 15 days	Use the correct types of the needle plate/pressure foot/feed dog according to the fabric and operations.
11	Pressure	Every 15 days	Pressure should be adjusted according to type of fabric and operation.

The above mentioned tips are more useful to the sewing room personnel. Sewing mechanics are must be able to prevent the sewing defects by maintaining the care of the industrial sewing machines. Defect free seam and stitches of garments are always having the value-added products and gain more profitable. Seams quality must be obtained through the preventive maintenance of the industrial sewing machines respectively.

References:

Technology of Clothing Manufacture-Carr.
An Introduction to Garment Manufacture- Gerry Cooklin.
The Sewing Machine Master Guide: From Basic to Expert by Clifford L. Blodget

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