Making the best even better…

Sagar is convinced of the benefits from the full FiberQ package, taking advantage of the new annual subscription format, which includes the software solution plus valuable advisory services from Uster expert technologists. Renewing the subscription is proof of Sagar’s faith in FiberQ.

After one year using FiberQ, A.K. Saini, Chief General Manager Operations at Sagar Manufacturers Pvt. Ltd., reported: “We have seen better fiber utilization, significantly improved yarn quality consistency and elimination of seldom-occurring faults such as white specks and barré. The overall outstanding results convinced our management about the value of FiberQ and we confirmed the renewal of the subscription services of FiberQ and the 360Q platform.” 

High and higher…

Expectations were high, as Sagar insists on consistently high standards in yarn quality and performance. The company wanted to go even further, by optimizing its manufacturing operations and achieving maximum fiber yield. “Uster FiberQ is a game-changer in terms of high-quality consistency with minimal production cost,” says Saini.

Sagar Manufacturers Pvt. is renowned for excellence, in both its home country of India and the global textile marketplace, as a producer and supplier of top-class cotton yarns and knitted greige fabric. Saini says: “Our strategic focus is on integrating advanced technology and eco-friendly practices, for creative solutions which drive excellence in manufacturing performance and ensure customer satisfaction.”

Before FiberQ, the company was already proud of the excellent raw material management processes in its spinning operation. It was a determination to improve still further in both production efficiency and consistent quality which led to the decision to implement the Uster FiberQ raw material management solution.

Sagar has always embraced new technologies – especially those focused on innovation and automation – and it was naturally one of the first adopters of the FiberQ raw material management solution. FiberQ combines advanced technology and textile expertise to automate many tasks previously done manually. So it became a very interesting value proposition for progressive spinners like Sagar.

The automated, intelligent, reliable and easy-to-use system minimized manual efforts but also provided consistent results. “I can safely say that FiberQ has ticked all the boxes! We have seen an improvement in quality consistency and a reduction in important quality characteristics such as yarn imperfections, Classimat faults and yarn alarms,” Saini says. “At the same time, we have achieved zero quality complaints from our customers.” Uster’s end-to-end solution also offers access to continuous improvements such as supplier statistics and fiber-to-yarn correlation, which will add even more value in future.

Impact on production – and more

Sagar figures show that yarn realization has increased by 0.3% to 0.5% on average and it has eliminated the need for ‘cut and creel’ – a big advantage in terms of efficiency and fewer changes in production. During the year, FiberQ generated more than 2,000 laydowns for all production units in a very efficient, fast and easy way. Another plus was the easily accessible laydown history and the visibility of the impact of different cotton lots in use.

Customer feedback has also been strong. Sagar’s improved quality consistency was said to have resulted in better fabric appearance. And since Sagar can now provide customers with bigger yarn lot sizes with the same quality and color properties, they can produce larger, uniform batches of knitted and dyed fabrics and save manufacturing costs. 

Advisory service benefits

FiberQ is not only a software solution. It comes with advisory services from expert Uster textile technologists. “The advisory services have been extremely beneficial. We have gained insights from best practices, proven in mills worldwide, for greater optimization opportunities,” says Saini. 

The FiberQ advisory services ensure there is always a textile engineer with mill experience and deep knowledge available to support the spinners. As well as taking care of all aspects of installation, there are periodic assessments to track quality status from fiber to yarn, which is a unique competence of Uster and a highly appreciated element of the service. 

FiberQ is offered as a yearly subscription service. For the industry, the idea of subscribing to a software service for raw material management is quite new, although it has been established for many years in other fields. “At Sagar, we are convinced that the value we get from this solution completely justifies the recurring investment,” states Saini. For Sagar, the opportunities presented by Uster FiberQ and 360Q were clear – and quickly proven in practice.