Commitment To Quality

Commitment To Quality From Avondales various beginnings more than a century ago to the
present, a commitment to quality has guided the company. Quality is achieved by using the finest
raw materials, machinery and equipment, and keeps customer satisfaction at a high level.Early on,
the company involved its associates in a proactive implementation of quality assurance. The Zero
Defects Program, introduced in 1966, encouraged the associates to suggest ways to improve quality,
safety, customer service, maintenance and efficiency.Quality control is vital as Avondale
modernizes operations in each of its mills. Keeping up with the latest developments in
quality-monitoring technology, the company is using state-of-the-art equipment in every phase of
its manufacturing processes.  24/7 On-Line MonitoringRecent upgrades at Alexander City, Coosa
and Pell City include the latest Uster quality-monitoring software and equipment to provide a
comprehensive real time picture of the entire operation. Twenty-four hour quality monitoring allows
us to know what goes on at all points of yarn manufacturing, said Josh Morton, quality assurance
manager, Alexander City Yarns. Whereas before we were checking random samples daily, now we are
able to check samples every second of the day. At Alexander City, Usters Sliver Expert
monitors the carding process. Ring Expert, installed on the spinning frames to monitor production
and efficiency, records the number of ends down and pounds produced. Cone Expert and Quantum
Clearer at each winding position ensure final yarn package quality, detecting and cutting out
foreign matter, unevenness or hairiness in the yarn prior to winding.Finally, physical testing in
the lab is accomplished using Usters Lab Expert. The system includes UT4 to test for evenness,
Tenso Jet to test for strength and elongation, and the AFIS fiber information system.

At Alexander City, 12 30-position and 13 38-position Savio Orion 1 winders accomodate various
yarn counts. The Cone Expert system examines every winding position with Quantum Clearer monitoring
devices to ensure the highest quality. Coosa Plant also is using the Ring Expert and Cone
Expert systems, and Pell City is using Cone Expert in its winding operation.Usters Rotor Expert
system is installed at Tifton. Walhalla and Burnsville have added newquality-monitoring technology
to existing equipment. Improved monitoring in Avondales spinning operations helps detect
misperforming spindles and rotors and correct all problems before shipping of the final product. As
the company quips, One bad rotor can make a lot of bad yarn.Avondale says improved yarn quality has
led to dramatic improvements in fabric quality. Investments in greige mill quality have brought
point counts to an all-time low, and improved yarn strength has helped bring weaving efficiencies
to the highest levels ever.Investments at Gregg Plant are yielding consistently higher volumes of
first-quality fabric. Bigger barrels on A frames have reduced creases. Dye ranges are equipped to
reduce the amount of lint, thereby reducing spots on finished fabric. In the cloth room, cameras
mounted on machinery film every inch of fabric for on-line viewing and assignment of point
values.As Avondale pursues its commitment to invest in the most advanced machinery and equipment to
ensure quality in the manufacturing process, it is honing its competitive edge to succeed into the
next century and beyond.
June 2002

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