A

Absorb

The process of liquids being attracted into the pores or gaps in a fabric.

Adsorb

The process of liquids being attracted to the surface of the fabric.

Attribute

A physical visual description that has no dimensions and no units, e.g. color, ropy, dusty, weak, strong, stiff, soft, rough.

 B

Bar Code

A label with a series of vertical lines of varying thickness' which the computer can interpret and record. One is attached to every package to identify when it was produced and allow tracking.

Bath Absorbency 24-hr Test

Long term water absorbency potential of a hydrophobic "Oil Only" sorbent.

Basis Weight

A unit of measurement denoting the weight per area of SPC nonwoven sorbents as grams / square meter (gsm). 1 osy = 34 gsm

 C

Caliper

Thickness or Loft

CAS #

Chemical Abstract Service Number. A number given to every chemical for identification.

C of A

Certificate of Analysis. Document provided by "suppliers" of raw materials to "customer" with results of their in-house testing.

Control Charts

Graphical pictures and a record of a "process", which are used to monitor trends and events, which enable improvements, or signal corrective actions if the process is out of control and before bad product is produced. Consistency is a key!

Control Chart Calculation Worksheet

The form on the back of the Control Chart form where measurements and sample ID's are recorded, and Averages and Ranges are calculated before being posted to the Control Chart.

Coverstock

Thin, low basis weight sorbent that provides extra strength to melt blown and enhances aesthetics.

Conversion Factors

Equations that represent a known value in terms of a second unknown value

 D

Defect Ticket

Ticket issued by the supervisor stating how much waste was produced and for what reason. Handed in with Production Report, copies stapled to the Control Charts.

 E

ETS

Electro-Tech Systems, Inc. Independent laboratory that performs static decay measurements.

Elongation

A percentage measure of the initial length of a fabric before breaking.

 F

Feedback

Term used in industry to denote the transfer of information about a product from the "customer" to the "supplier".

Flow Funnel Test

Determines the flow characteristics of Polypropylene resin.

Frequency of Testing

The recommended minimum number of tests to be run per shift. This may be found on the the SORB spec or on a posted chart.

 G

Gaylord

Large heavy walled cardboard container normally sitting on a pallet. Used to transport and store resin. Typically 450kg.

g L / g S

Grams of Liquid Absorbed per grams of Sorbent used. Units of Absorption.

g / m2(gsm)

Grams per square meter. Units of Basis Weight

GPS

General Product Specification

Grade

The production identification number assigned by scheduling that denote the style of base product to be produced on the meltblown operation.

 H

Hydrophobic

Does not absorb water

Hydrophilic

Absorbs water

 L

Labeling Manual

A manual created for specifications and placement of labels

LCL

Lower Control Limit

LSL

Lower Specification Limit

 M

Master Roll

A roll created for in house or per customer order that is then later converted to desired length and perforation specifications.

MB

Meltblown

Measurement

Any physical dimension that is described by units, e.g. pounds, inches, grams, tons, square meters, gallons, etc.

MFR

Melt Flow Rate - a physical property denoting the rheology / viscosity of a polymer like polypropylene, when a specified volume of polypropylene it is heated to a specified temperature, then forced through a specified size orifice, at a specified load or pressure. The time (seconds) is recorded for the length of the test, and the reported units of measurement are grams / 10-minutes when calculated from a given formula.

micron

One thousandth of a millimeter

mils

One thousandth of an inch. Units of Caliper.

Mission Statement

Documented SPC statement of How & Why we do business.

MSDS

Material Safety Data Sheet

 N

"n"

Number of samples tested

n/a

"not available", or "not applicable"

Nonwoven

An assembly of textile fibers held together by mechanical interlocking in a random web or mat, by fusing the fibers, or by bonding with a cementing medium.

NP

Needlepunch

 O

OAC

Oil Absorbency Capacity

Oleophilic

Absorbs oil based products

Order Processing Map

Flow Chart indicating individual steps with in the "process" executing customer orders.

osy

Ounces per square yard. Units of Basis Weight. 1 osy = 34 gsm

Out-of-Control. Examples

A document with examples of charts that show situations of "out-of-control" data patterns and reasons why. Also included with these examples are actions that can be taken or ignored as data are being charted and interpreted.

 P

Packaging Manual

A manual created for specifications of packages of all products to insure correct packaging.

Picking Ticket

Document provided to shipping indicating what items, what quantities to prepare and ship to the customer to satisfy the orders.

Poly-propylene

-(CH3)-n ; a thermoplastic polyolefin used to make SPC meltblown sorbents, needlepunch nonwovens, spunbond nonwovens.

Process

A system of equipment, materials, methods, people, environment.

Process Map

A side-view elevation drawing showing the "recommended" thread-up and/or layout of the process.

Product

Output from the "Process".

Production Order

A form document from Production Scheduling that includes not only which SORB spec is to be usefor the Grade to be produced, but also all the related instructions and details for completing a specific production run.

 Q

QA Program

SPC's documented QA statement of "test & inspection" objectives for controlling PROCESSES and PRODUCTS.

Q.A.

Quality Assurance

QA Inventory Report

A daily report on inventory quality

Q.C.

Quality Control

QD&A Report

Report generated to denote off quality products and corrective action needed to prevent this form reoccurring.

 R

Range

Highest value minus the lowest value

R.A.

Return Authorization

RCST

Rising Column Strike Through

Rope

Undesirable defect on web made of long stringy

Recipe

Process Condition guideline specifications used setting up process conditions at the start of running a grade.

 S

"s"

Standard deviation

SB

Spunbond

SGS Lab

An outside test lab used by SPC for independent physical property testing.

Slitting Tolerances

The +/- variation in the process of slitting. Typically, +/- 0.5 inches

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

SORB Spec

Process & Product "Set-up" Specification

SORB Spec Index

A list of all active "SORB specs" with the corresponding Recipes, Basis Weights (in ascending order), Colors, and related attributes, so as to confirm which "spec" to be used for the Grade being produced.

Special Caus

A note written on the control chart to explain why a point is out of spec. Corrective action must be taken after a special cause is recorded.

SPCTM

Sorbent Product Company Test Methods

Standard Sample

A reference piece of product that is established and maintained to ensure that future runs of this same product are the same, e.g. color, hand feel, texture, etc.

Shrink Wrap

Form of packaging. A shrinkable plastic bag is placed over the product then hot air is applied to shrink the bag to a tight fit.

Stitch-bonding

A bonding technique for nonwovens in which the fibers are connected by a chain stitch. The bonding is accomplished by using fibers of the web itself to form the stitches.

Stretch Wrap

Clean poly film that is used in shipping to protect material from dirt and damage.

Static Decay Test

Under requirements for NFPA99 compliance, samples must dissipate a +/- 5 kV charge under 0.5 seconds at 50% relative humidity.

Static Resistance Test

A test to determine if a nonwoven MB web can dissipate a static charge. Measure the resistance between two electrodes, in Ohms/square, that must be 1011 or below for static resistant.

Surface Tension

Surface tension is a measure of the surface free energy of a liquid and is defined as the force acting along the surface of a liquid at right angles to any line 1 cm in length.

Polypropylene = 29 dines/cm,
Oil = 29 dines/cm,
Water = 72 dines/cm

Surfactant

Abbreviated term for "surface active ingredient", a chemical that when added to our polypropylene sorbents will change the surface tension of the sorbent fibers and allow the sorbent to absorb water, water based, and water soluble liquids. (e.g., UXT, MRO, UN+)

 T

"T"

Target

Trap Tear

A measure of the force required to continue or propagate a tear started previously in a nonwoven fabric, using the trapezoidal method.

Techmer S.R. Labs

Independent laboratory that performs static decay measurements.

Tensile

A measure of the breaking load of a nonwoven fabric.

Test Cross Reference

A cross reference of SPC Test Methods with recognized Industrial Test Methods, e.g. ASTM, NFPA, INDA.

Tolerance

The +/- variation of the product capability of the process.

 U

UCL

Upper Control Limit

Ultrasonic Bonding

A bonding technique in which electrical energy is converted to mechanical energy which in our case is applied to bond design areas. Mechanical energy at bond sites excites the molecules in the polymer causing the polymer to heat/bond at those points.

Units

A precisely specified quantity in terms of which the magnitudes of other quantities of the same kind can be stated.

URL

Upper Range Limit

USL

Upper Specification Limit

 X

X-Bar

Average

 W

WAC

Water Absorbency Capacity

WIP

Work In Process(Progress)

Work Order

Manufacturing and converting paper work with detailed production information. (Customer, Grade, Sorb Number, Quantity, Dimensions, Packaging, and any other special instructions)