Common Trouble Shooting

APRL 302

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Faults may be due to numerous
causes
§ In all cases,
§ it is necessary to check the machine for
the correct settings. In most cases
this will eliminate the fault

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3
 Remember the key..

Pre
handling process needle
Machine

fabric attachment speed

thread

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 1.Thread Breakage

One of the most

common problems on a
production floor

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Causes

§ Machine
§ Handling
§ Thread
§ Needle
§ Fabric
§ Speed
§
§
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Mechanical

1.Thread channels jagged: check and

polish all thread guiding parts. Check
for correct thread, run according to
operating instructions
2.Blunt, crooked or wrong needle type:
insert new needle

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Thread break- Causes

3.Needle hole too small or excessively

thick needle thread: fit throat plate
with larger diameter hole or re-
machine the needle hole. Use needle
thread according to specifications.
Observe relationship between needle
and the yarn
4.Badly worn hook, sharp edges: fit new
hook and adjust
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Thread break- Causes

5.Bobbin case tension too high, thread

catches. Tighten screws sufficiently-
if this creates an excessive tension,
slightly bend the check spring
6.Thread clearance between bobbin case
support and hook inadequate. The
clearance should be enough to allow
the thickest thread gauge to pass
through smoothly
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Thread break- Causes

7.Hook, bobbin case top and bottom

sections nicked by needle: polish or
use new parts.
8.Thread clearance insufficient between
hook bottom and bobbin case
bottom.
9.

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9.Needle hole nicked(damaged) by
needle: lightly trim the edges, polish
the needle hole. If necessary fit new
needle plate
10.Hook catches the needle loop too late
or too early: adjust hook or loop lift
§

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Handling by operator

1.Faulty threading: check thread run

according to operating instructions
2.Needle threaded from the wrong side:
always thread the needle from the
long groove side.
3.
§
§
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Thread break- Causes

3.Needle too high: adjust the needle

height
4.Needle too low-insert needle as far as it
will go: observe operating
instructions
5.Sewing without bobbin’ even break the
needle
§
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Thread break- Causes

5.Excessive tension: adjust tension

according to the material being
sewn. Observe operation instructions
6.Excessive bobbin thread tension: adjust
tension according to operating
instructions
7.Pulling fabric for fast feeding Train
operator
8. 14
Needle

1.Bent or damaged needle

2.Hot needle –use high grade needle/air
coolers
3.Liquefied lubricant jammed or clogged
needle hole
4.Wrong needle
5.
6.
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Thread

1.Wrong relationship between needle and

thread. Observe specifications and
only use good quality thread
2.Knotty or brittle thread: only use good
quality thread of specified thickness
and twist
3.Heat up and break due to Insufficient
lubricant
4.Low elastic thread 16

Fabric

1.Tightly woven fabric, jamming not

allowing stitch to form
2.Synthetic fabric sticky due to hot needle
does not allow thread to pass
3.Thick layer of fabric –too high friction

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Speed

§ Should not be a reason as speed

increases productivity
§ High speed increases friction hence
heat, weaken thread.
§ High SPCM

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2.Needle Breakage

1.Wrong hook setting: adjust hook

according to specifications.
2.The needle is bent and clears the hook
point: fit new needle.
3.Needle too small for the needle hole or
material.
4.Needle protection during its cycle.

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Needle break- Contd

5.Wrong needle to thread ratio: observe

specifications
6.Knotty or uneven thread: only use good
quality thread
7.Needle breaks on entering into the
material: feed wrong in relation to
needle position
8.Bobbin case incorrectly fitted: press in
bobbin case until it clicks into place
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Needle break- Contd

9.Throat plate incorrectly fitted: lightly

tighten throat plate set screws in a
diagonal sequence and then tighten
firmly
10.The material is pushed or pulled
during sewing: check needle seats,
guide more lightly

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Needle Break- Contd

11.Feeder too high: move material along

during its forward movement or back
feeding: adjust feed dog height
12.Feed dog timing incorrect: adjust feed
dog
13.Hook worn: fit new hook
14.Needle drops out during sewing: fit
new needle screw in needle bar

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Needle Break- Contd

15.Needle bar excessively worn: fit new

needle bar or bush
16.Excessive thread tension, needle
bends and is caught by the hook
point: set correct tension to suit
sewing material: see operating
instructions

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3.Slip Stitching

1. Needle wrong, bent

or incorrectly
fitted: fit new
needle. For
correct fitting
refer to operating
instructions

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Slip stitch- Contd

2.Faulty threading.
3.Observe thread run according to
operation instructions.
4.Faulty take up: adjust take up spring.
5.Wrong hook setting: set up properly.
6.Needle thread ratio incorrect: use
needle system.

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Slip stitch- Contd

7.Hook point damaged: polish or insert

new hook.
8.Needle hole is too large and material is
drawn in: use throat plate having a
smaller needle hole- observe
purpose of the machine.
9.Needle too low: fit needle as specified
in operation instructions.
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Slip Stitch- Contd

10.Needle too high: alter needle bar

height
11.Poor needle quality: use good grade
needles
12.Insufficient presser bar pressure - with
thick materials the needle raises the
material: adjust presser bar

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Slip Stitch- Contd

14.Right-hand twisted thread: left-hand

twisted thread should be used in
most machines.
15.Hook catches thread loop too early or
too late: adjust loop lift according to
instructions.
16.Insufficient or excessive tension:
adjust the tension to suit the material
to be sewn, in accordance with
operating instructions. 28
17.
Slip Stitch- Contd

17.The thread ‘twirls’, irregular loop

formation. Thread too sharply
twisted: only use good quality thread
with the indicated gauge and twist.
18.Thread unevenly thick and brittle: do
not use thread, which has been
stored too long under dry conditions.
Only use good quality thread in the
indicated gauge and thickness.
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§
Slip Stitch- Contd

19.Needle too far from hook point: adjust

clearance between needle and hook
point.
§

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4.Uneven Seams- Stitch Patterns
§ Here, faults may be caused in the same
manner as indicated under ‘thread
breakage’ and ‘slip stitches’.
§ Looping of threads above or below the
material: adjust needle and bobbin
thread tension according to operating
instructions.
§
§ 31
 Uneven Seams- Contd

§ Poor and knotty thread: only use good

quality thread. For gauge and twist see
instructions.
§ Forward and reverse stitch of different
length: observe adjustment instructions.
§

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Uneven Seams- Contd

§ Hook has run out of oil. Guide groove

rough, bobbin case on edge: observe
oiling details in operating instructions.
Fit new hook and adjust.
§ Faulty threading: observe thread run
according to operating instructions.
§

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Uneven Seams- Contd

§ Tensioning discs dirty, fouled or sticky:

clean components and, if necessary,
re-polish. All parts should be able to
move freely.
§ Thread-guiding components rusty or
rough: remove rust and re-polish.
§ Thread take-up incorrect: adjust take-up
spring. (Adjust resilience according to
material thickness).
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§
Uneven Seams- Contd

§ Needle too high or too low: fit needle

according to operating instructions or
adjust needle bar height.
§ Thread fails to pass smoothly over
hook: re-polish all thread contact
points. Observe settings.
§ Feed dog setting wrong: set to feed dog
figures given in instructions.
§ 35
Uneven Seams- Contd

§ Fouled hook. Hook prevented from

rotating evenly: clean hook. Observe
setting.
§ Machine sews in curve: check feed dog
position. Check contact of presser
foot on feed dog.
§ Bobbin irregularly wound, wrongly
inserted or threaded: re-wind, insert
and thread according to operating
instructions. 36
§
Uneven Seams- Contd

§ Machine fails to sew over seams and

folds: incorrectly set presser foot
pressure. Adjust feed dog height. Set
presser foot pressure to suit material
thickness according to operating
instructions.


§
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Uneven Seams- Contd

§ Coarse feed dog teeth ruffle the material: use

correct feed dog teeth as specified by the
manufacturer. For thin, lightweight
materials use fine-toothed feed dog.
Coarse and saw-tooth type feed dogs
should be used only for such material for
which they have been intended. (Observe
the setting.) (Feed dog follow-up
movement).
§ Irregularly wound bobbin thread: when
winding up, make sure that the threads lie
adjacent to one another. 38
 .
5.Oil leaks or Insufficient oil

§ Machine loses oil on hook regulation

screw: Simme ring not tight. Replace
Simme ring.
§ Oil feeds despite throttled regulation
screw: check conical part of
regulation screw for unevenness.
§ Oil leaks on hook shaft, hook drive shaft
and feed shaft: check and replace
Simme rings.
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§
Oil leak- Contd

§ Too much oil in the sump of the head.

Oil pipe damaged: check and replace
oil pipe.
§ Oil leak on hand wheel. Too much oil
supply to rear arm shaft bushing: seal
wick in supply pipe with additional
piece of felt.


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Oil leak- Contd

§ Grooves of hook drive shaft insufficiently or

not oiled. Oil shield faulty: adjust, mouth of
oil shield must be exactly above oil hole of
bushing.
§ No oil supply to control window (oil rise pipe):
adjust clamp and hose.
§ Hook not lubricated: regulate oil supply
according to instructions.
§ Front bushing without oil. Spray lubrication
missing: adjust lubrication according to
instructions.
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§