High-Speed, Automated
Inspection for plain and patterned fabric

Increase Yield. Increase Profit.
Reduce Waste.

Shelton's WEBSPECTOR INSPECTION
Machine

Shelton Vision’s automated fabric inspection system (the Shelton WebSpector) offers high-speed, high-accuracy, real-time machine vision checking for all fabric types, including plain single colour and patterned fabric and other web materials. It features state of the art camera technology and proven, unrivalled software to detect all visible defects, ensuring product quality, increasing efficiency and reducing waste.

Additionally, the Shelton WebSpector is customisable and can be standalone or integrated seamlessly into production lines and fabric forming machines (e.g. looms and warp knitting machines). This system enhances efficiency, minimises customer complaints and maximises profitability for the whole value chain.

PATTERNED FABRIC INSPECTION

Inspect all fabric types including plain, yarn dye, printed, dobby pattern and jacquard at high speed or on your fabric forming machines.

How it works...

Shelton Vision’s systems employ advanced imaging technology, including high-resolution cameras and specialised software algorithms, to detect flaws or inconsistencies in the fabric pattern repeat. The system can quickly and accurately identify defects such as misprints, colour variations, streaks, or other imperfections that may affect the quality of the fabric.

By automating the patterned fabric inspection process, Shelton Vision’s technology allows textile manufacturers, printers and finishers to improve quality control, reduce waste and increase productivity. It allows for rapid and precise inspection of large volumes of fabric, ensuring that only flawless materials are used in production.

Learn More about Patterned fabric inspection

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The WebSPECTOR Four-Step Process

By delivering an ROI of six to eighteen months, this system excels through high-speed and accurate inspection. Furthermore, it offers a commercial review of auto-classified and graded defect maps and provides yield-optimised cut plan calculation and precise re-roll and cutting machine control.

01
Unrivalled Inspection Accuracy

For all fabric types:

Automated configuration for each fabric style.
Interactive electronic defect map that can be viewed and edited in a virtual form.
Video recording and playback of full surface area from each camera angle, especially useful for validation and long-term data record.
Real-time AI defect naming, classification and grading.

02
Digital Defect map Review

Instant inspection results:

Defect images are pre-classified and graded, eliminating all false positives.
A multi-screen review station then enables quick commercial checks of detected and filtered defects.
Defect grading can be defined per style and per customer.
Reports are created directly from the system data using AI sorting, eliminating false positives.

03
Optimised cut plan creation

Achieve optimal yield for any work order:

Multiple cut plans with varying tolerances and quality or yield biases can be run simultaneously to explore different optimisation strategies.
The optimised cut plan ensures maximum yield and can be used with a defect map alone or combined with a shade map, providing full traceability and reporting on waste causes.
The confirmed cut plan minimises short pieces, reduces waste in subsequent processes, and can be electronically sent to clients for pre-planning garment cutting.

04
reduce waste,
Increase yield & Profit

Turning the plan into reality:

The optimised data is transferred to the rolling, cutting and packing process to ensure precise execution.
The fabric is synchronised to the start of the cut plan, with distance markers in IR ink used to dynamically calculate the stretch factor.
This ensures the cut plan matches the actual fabric length during cutting, allowing for precise cut points, defect marking and label application, even with the re-roll and cutting machine running at high speed.

DECTACTABLE DEFECTS

Shelton Vision’s fabric inspection systems assess defects based on the type of fabric and according to specific customer standards. We use mathematical measures like size and contrast to determine the seriousness of each defect. This means we can categorise defects based on their impact, helping manufacturers prioritise and address issues accordingly.

Weaving Defects

Broken Ends/Picks: Yarn breakage in the warp (ends) or weft (picks).
Missing Ends/Picks: Absence of yarn in the warp or weft direction.
Floats: Loose warp or weft yarns that are not interwoven correctly.
Slubs: Thick or uneven yarn segments.
Snarls: Tangled or twisted yarns.
Misdraws: Incorrect threading of warp yarns through heddles.
Double Ends: Two warp yarns passing through a single dent.
Reed Marks: Parallel lines on the fabric caused by damaged or misaligned reed.
Selvage Defects: Irregularities at the fabric edge, such as loops or frays.
Weft Bars: Bands of weft yarns of different thickness or tension.

Knitting Defects

Dropped Stitches: Unintended gaps due to missed loops.
Needle Lines: Vertical lines caused by broken or defective needles.
Laddering: Runs or holes due to dropped stitches in knit fabrics.
Tucks: Accidental folds or pleats in the fabric.
Missed Loops: Absence of a loop in the knit structure.
Yarn Contamination: Presence of foreign fibers or materials.

Dyeing and Finishing Defects

Color Variation: Inconsistent color across the fabric length or width.
Streaks: Lines or stripes of varying color intensity.
Mottling: Irregular or patchy dye absorption.
Bleeding: Color runs or spreads during washing.
Crocking: Color transfer from the fabric to another surface due to friction.
Pilling: Formation of small balls of fibers on the fabric surface.
Uneven Dyeing: Irregular color application due to improper dyeing process.
Water Marks: Stains or discoloration caused by water droplets.
White Spots: Undyed areas on the fabric.
Shade Variation: Differences in color between different batches.

Printing Defects

Misprints: Incorrect or misaligned print patterns.
Color Smudges: Blurred or smeared colors.
Ghosting: Faint, unwanted duplication of print patterns.
Off-Register: Misalignment of multi-colored print designs.
Pin Holes: Small holes or gaps in the printed areas.

Structural Defects

Skewing: Distortion of fabric structure causing diagonal lines.
Bow: Curvature of weft yarns, making them non-parallel to the fabric edge.
Shrinkage: Reduction in fabric dimensions after washing.
Distortion: Irregular fabric texture or structure.
Hole: Puncture or tear in the fabric.
Seam Slippage: Loosening of yarns at the seams.
Creases: Permanent folds or wrinkles in the fabric.
Gumming: Adhesive residue on the fabric surface.

Surface Defects

Lint: Small fibers or fuzz on the fabric surface.
Oil Stains: Marks from machine oils or lubricants.
Rust Stains: Discoloration caused by metal rust.
Foreign Matter: Presence of contaminants like dust, dirt, or insects.
Hairiness: Excessive loose fibers on the fabric surface.
Burn Marks: Scorching or discoloration from heat exposure.

Specific Pattern Defects

Jacquard Defects: Misaligned or missing patterns in Jacquard fabrics.
Stripe/Check Deviation: Misalignment or irregularity in striped or checked patterns.
Geometric Pattern Distortion: Inaccurate shapes or alignment in geometric designs.

High-Speed, AutomatedInspection for plain and patterned fabric

Shelton's WEBSPECTOR INSPECTIONMachine