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become more flexible and more productive – and it’s this future. We recognize that and want to enable
essential to improve quality. those future structures in the mill. That’s why we Quality management
Cover Story TEXtalks: How do you believe this could best be aspect to be managed. It is tightly connected to 24/7 – issues Cover Story
continually state that quality is not a one-dimensional

achieved?
every other aspect. You can’t make a better quality
Sivakumar Narayanan: We see that structurally mills
yarn just by using good machines and equipment.
will consolidate and become larger and more vertical.
You also need better raw material, with a laydown
With fewer people and less experience, the only
successful path forward is more automation. These
quality of the fiber and the machine settings to be
solutions are decision support tools that save time that matches end-user requirements. You need the and improvement
and yet enable better decisions and shortest matched. You need waste levels adapted to the
possible reaction times. expected quality. And you need production to be
adapted to quality needs.
TEXtalks: What changes will come with a higher potential
level of automation in mills? So quality is tied to every key decision: raw material
Sivakumar Narayanan: If some early adopters are
any indication, operators will become more skilled in choices, speeds, waste, machine settings to be used
future. The traditionally limited role of the operator – etc. This complex understanding of data points helps
primarily related to productivity targets – will shift. us to build the future and help the modern mills to Spinner shares experiences
Operators will have to become more empowered, shape their future. towards significant profitability gains. With the new
learning and becoming capable of handling tools. with Uster Quality Expert and standalone version, a relatively small investment
TEXtalks: So innovations must focus on how making means cotton spinners can quickly optimize quality
Such tools attract educated staff, as they offer more the right decisions? and profitability at the same time.
challenging tasks and make work more interesting. In Sivakumar Narayanan: The innovation part is to its Alarm Center
other words, they take on more responsibilities from
the supervisor roles. Meanwhile the supervisors have produce fact-based decisions and practical advice Alerts – negative, positive and customized
to step up as well to manage the process. from data – through smart analysis combined with Muhammad Ashraf. General Manager. Sangzor, Uzbekistan Mobile Alerts shows critical issues and the Alarm
application intelligence. Uster Quality Expert is Center provides negative alarms as well as positive
For some years, Uster has recognized that advancing further in that direction every year. Just A push notification appears on Muhammad Ashraf’s Modules included with Uster Quality Expert. The ones. That means it points out quality issues but also
management structures will become more fluid and look at the progress we made in the past 12 months, mobile phone. It reports that there is a variation in the Alarm Center prompts early intervention in quality suggests potential improvements. Ashraf says: “I
people will have multiple roles to manage, rather than despite the Covid disruption. CVm level at his mill. Ashraf calls his foreman to issues. Key processes are monitored, and very much appreciate the positive information, as
the traditional silos. This applies equally to all levels inform him, so he can take immediate action. The performance is displayed on a dashboard. It allows improvement is part of the game. If you don’t
in the mill. The Uster News Bulletin No. 50, titled problem is quickly identified and fixed – thanks to the spinners to recognize problems at a glance, enabling improve you will stay behind.” With the latest release
`Managing a spinning mill with quality in mind´, TEXtalks: What are your future plans? Alarm Center function with Uster Quality Expert. It immediate reactions. of Uster Quality Expert, alarms and improvements are
emphasized this trend. Sivakumar Narayanan: Uster wants to stand gives round-the-clock monitoring of vital processes in listed separately for fast focus on serious issues –
alongside our textile industry colleagues. We want to the mill, and keeps management constantly informed Smart algorithms and in-built Uster Application and for making quality managers easily aware of so
TEXtalks: So where does that leave innovators like learn from them, and apply that learning to enable of any issues. Intelligence ensure reliable alerting. The Application far unnoticed improvement possibilities.
Uster? textile managers to make the right quality-based Intelligence embedded in Assistant Q can
Sivakumar Narayanan: We have to actually create decisions through automated tools. In the case outlined here, the fault was rapidly immediately recognize issues, with no need for The mill for which Ashraf is responsible started
pinpointed to a mix-up of bobbins at the Sangzor configuration by the spinner. Users receive operation 14 months ago with almost all new
spinning mills in Uzbekistan, where Ashraf is General problem-solving suggestions, and can also expand machines. He’s sure that the Mobile Alerts app will
Manager. Ashraf has been using the Uster Mobile the knowledge base with actions they enter become even more important to him over time, as Problem-solving guidance is also another popular
Alerts app for three months. Sangzor exports yarns to themselves. The learning system grows according to parts begin to show the first signs of wear. But he is feature, as the app proves its worth across different
Pakistan, Turkey, Russia and China, and all its customer needs and ensures that relevant know-how already feeling the benefit of the app, especially for staff groups, such as lab personnel, maintenance
customers naturally expect to receive exactly the is retained in mills. its performance, design and user-friendliness. managers and all who share responsibility for
quality they specified. Ashraf knows the value of professional quality supervision.
Uster believes that quality is a mindset which needs to be well established quality in keeping customers satisfied. It’s a top The Alarm Center is also available on a mobile app, The facility to preselect which alarms to receive is
across all mill functions, enabling preventive rather than corrective actions. priority, so he likes to be informed of any deviations – for quality management that is independent of time another well-appreciated feature of Quality Expert. “Thanks to Uster quality assurance systems, textile
Access the knowledge and download your free copy of the Uster News whether at his desktop in the mill or on his mobile and location. There is no limit to the number of app
Sivakumar Narayanan, Executive Vice President Sivakumar Narayanan: A challenge and a key Bulletin No. 50 about `Managing a spinning mill with quality in mind´ under Users can customize and activate or deactivate the spinning gradually becomes easier,” Ashraf says. “I
within Uster Technologies, talks about the current constraint is the reducing availability of experienced www.uster.com/unb50. phone when he’s out. users with one Quality Expert system. Mobile Alerts kind of alarms, or the area of events, they want to get enjoy Uster Quality Expert. It gathers and analyzes
state of the industry and its needs. He sees textile managers. Margins are also truly challenging, The value of staying connected can be used by as many staff as required, to suit the as push messages. our online and offline results and keeps sending
automation as a key solution and assesses the due to overcapacity or matching demand. Spinners around the world share a combination of mill’s organization of processes and responsibilities. quality alerts and exceptions with possible root
impact of future changes on spinning mills requirements: controlling quality through immediate Since the launch of the standalone version of Uster Make it a better life for spinners causes displayed graphically on my mobile phone
TEXtalks: What would be your advice to cope with Quality Expert, the community of Uster Mobile Alerts Before the introduction of Uster Mobile Alerts, it was 24/7 – and it’s good news that Uster Quality Expert
TEXtalks: Which do you see as the key future these challenges? actions, while improving productivity and minimizing app users has grown more rapidly. Uster Quality more difficult for spinners to see alarms. Now, quality expands its insightful analytics with valuable
challenges in spinning? Sivakumar Narayanan: The industry is compelled to waste. Uster understands this need – and has Expert Standalone connects Uster quality testing and management has become both safer and easier, as intelligence as each additional instrument is
responded with the Alarm Center, one of five Value monitoring instruments and leverages their value issues can be identified and located immediately. connected.”

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