Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) | Definition of AQL | AQL System | AQL Chart
What is AQL?
The term AQL stands for acceptable quality level or acceptance quality level. It is one of the most used terms in the readymade garments industry when it comes into consideration to quality. It should be noted here that, most of the acceptance decisions of garment export order shipments are made based on AQL based sampling plans. To ensure the right quality products, an AQL chart has to follow during an inspection of apparel which varies from product to product, process to process, and even buyer to buyer. Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) has great importance in the ready-made apparel business.
Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) refers to the maximum number of defective items that could be considered acceptable during the random sampling of and inspection. It is expressed in a percentage (%) number of average defective items where the average defective item is the multiple results of the total number of defective items found during the inspection and the total number of items inspected.
The faults or defects which are found during the inspection are mainly classified into four categories:
- Critical: Must be 100% accurate. There is no range.
- Major: Normally 2.5%
- Minor: Normally 4%
- Slight: Normally 6.5%
Types of AQL System Followed in Apparel Industry:
There are a total of six types of AQL system followed in the garment manufacturing industry which are pointed out below:
- AQL-1.0%,
- AQL-1.5%,
- AQL-2.5%,
- AQL-4.0%,
- AQL-6.5%,
- AQL-10%.
AQL Chart for Garment Industry:
An acceptable quality level (AQL) chart has been presented below to facilitate the easy understanding of the above discussion.
Lot or Batch Size | Sample Size Code Letter | Sample Size | Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) | |||||
2.5% | 4.0% | 6.5% | ||||||
Ac | Re | Ac | Re | Ac | Re | |||
2-8 | A | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
9-15 | B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
16-25 | C | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
26-50 | D | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
51-90 | E | 13 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
91-150 | F | 20 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
151-280 | G | 32 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
281-500 | H | 50 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
501-1200 | J | 80 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 |
1201-3200 | K | 125 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 15 |
3201-10000 | L | 200 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 21 | 22 |
10001-35000 | M | 315 | 14 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
350001-150000 | N | 500 | 16 | 18 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 25 |
150001-500000 | O | 800 | 18 | 20 | 25 | 28 | 25 | 27 |
500000 and over | P | 1250 | 20 | 22 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 30 |
-Written by
Mayedul Islam
Merchandiser at Fashion Xpress Buying House.
Badda, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Email: mayedul.islam66@gmail.com
Mayedul Islam is a Founder and Editor of Garments Merchandising. He is an Expert in Garments Merchandising. Writing is his passion. He loves to write articles about Apparel, Textile and Garment Washing specially on Merchandising. Mail him at mayedul.islam66@gmail.com
Could you please explain about 4 points system and what other parameters for Running length fabrics.
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Thanks for your valuable advise it will be help for daily work.
dear brother,can help me we are find out AQL chart – 2.5/4.0/6.5- pls add another AQL-1.0%,/AQL-1.5%,/AQL-10%.