Order Management · Step 15 of 20

SOP-OM-15 · Pilot Production

Scope

Scope: Covers the end-to-end Pilot Production process, from pilot requirement and preparation through production-stage quality checks, corrective actions, and approval for bulk production.

Purpose: Ensures style comments, patterns, measurements, materials, production methods, and quality requirements are correctly implemented and verified before mass production.

Owner: QA owns and coordinates the Pilot Production process, including pilot inspection, corrective actions, approval, and follow-up with relevant functions and manufacturers.

Applies to: Applies to QA, SCQC, GT, FT, PMR, factories, and vendors involved in Pilot Production and bulk production activities.

Related guidelines

• GL-OM-04 In-House Tests
• GL-OM-06 Weekly Production Report (WPR) & Meetings

Process

1. If SpringNE QA cannot attend, the manufacturer's QA checks the pilot themselves and prepares a report covering all points requiring correction.

2. Sample like cutting not allowed for pilot production.

3. Based on the changes made, GT decides whether a sample needs to be sent to the customer and requests a sample from the manufacturer if required.

4. During the quality control stage, knitwear production must also be compared in terms of weight against the approved sample.

5. Pilot production confirms, before mass production, that all style comments have been applied correctly and that measurements and patterns are correct.

6. Pilot production control is carried out after all stages — pattern, fabric, cutting, sewing, ironing and packaging — have been completed.

7. Where possible, SpringNE QA attends the pilot production, carries out in-line and end-of-line checks, adds the findings to the pilot report and does not give approval until the corrections are completed.

8. After pilot approval, bulk production is run in line with the corrective actions in the pilot report comments and QA verifies the implementation during inline checks.

9. GT notifies the manufacturer in writing of the pilot production requirement during fit comments and production approval.

10. Where QA considers a change to the style necessary, they must first consult GT and obtain approval, then instruct the manufacturer (pattern/fit, stitching detail, cutting direction, interlining/thread/trim changes).

11. The same information is shared with QA at the PP meeting and follow-up of the pilot production is requested. (See GL-OM-06 Weekly Production Report (WPR) & Meetings — R9)

12. Problems that may arise in mass production are identified in advance and production parameters (machine layout, needle, thread thickness, operation sequence) are determined.

13. Carry pilot production out for all products of 5, 000 pieces and above.

14. Carry out pilot production below 5, 000 pieces for customers with high quality expectations, styles deemed necessary in the risk analysis, production techniques applied for the first time and new customer / new manufacturer combinations.

15. Take the pilot cutting onto the line where the product will be produced.

16. Inspect the pilot production samples, if inspection PASS then approve bulk production if not because of a major problem such as a pattern or grading error is identified in the first pilot, ask vendor to produce a second pilot production. (See GL-OM-04 In-House Tests — R7)

Workflow

If SpringNE QA cannot attend, the manufacturer's QA checks the pilot themselves and prepares a report covering all points requiring correction

Sample like cutting not allowed for pilot production

Based on the changes made, GT decides whether a sample needs to be sent to the customer and requests a sample from the manufacturer if required

During the quality control stage, knitwear production must also be compared in terms of weight against the approved sample

Pilot production confirms, before mass production, that all style comments have been applied correctly and that measurements and patterns are correct

Tutorial

This training video supports the Pilot Production process. It does not replace the numbered steps.

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Exam

Pass mark	Expected duration	Attempts
80%	About 10 minutes	1 (one attempt per person)

Pass mark 80%. 10 single-choice questions, one point each.

Your name and score are recorded and count towards the leaderboard. You have one attempt, so finish the article and the tutorial before you start.

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Watch the tutorial video above to 100% to unlock the exam. The questions appear here once your progress is complete.

Changelog

Changelog

Date	Changed by	What changed
2026-10-12	Technical Team	Training video added and exam published.
2026-10-01	Technical Team	Turkish mirror: added the Process steps and process flow, translated from this article. No change to the English steps.
2026-09-30	Order Management	Added guideline references.
2026-09-21	Technical Team	Removed the duplicated Exam pass-mark table and Microsoft Form embed, and added the missing Tutorial section.
2026-09-14	Technical Team	Article Added