Four-Point Fabric Inspection Calculator
Score inspected fabric rolls against ASTM D5430 pass/fail thresholds in points per 100 sq yd and points per 100 sq m.
How the ASTM D5430 four-point system scores a fabric roll
The Four-Point System (ASTM D5430) is the standard roll-by-roll quality inspection method used by Chinese weaving and dyeing mills and international home-textile buyers. Inspectors assign 1 to 4 penalty points per visible warp or weft defect based on defect length, cap any single linear yard at 4 points maximum, and normalize the roll total to points per 100 square yards.
Points / 100 sq yd = (Total Points × 3,600) ÷ (Roll Length yd × Cuttable Width in)
Standard pass limits: ≤ 20 pts (strict solid) · ≤ 24 pts (premium bedding) · ≤ 28 pts (home textiles) · ≤ 40 pts (greige)
Usual 30–200. Limit 1–1000.
Usual 145–330. Limit 50–360.
28 pts (Standard home textile / bedding)
Usual 0–30. Limit 0–200.
Usual 0–20. Limit 0–200.
Usual 0–15. Limit 0–200.
Usual 0–10. Limit 0–200.
Points per 100 sq yd (ASTM D5430)
5.97
Points per 100 sq m (Metric)
7.14
Total penalty points
20 (10 total defects logged)
Inspected roll area
280.0 m² · 334.9 yd² (Linear-yard cap (4 pts/yd max): 440)
ASTM D5430 Defect Length & Point Assignment Table
Inspectors measure the longest dimension of each visible warp or weft fault under overhead north-sky light at 45° table angle.
| Defect length (inches) | Defect length (cm) | Penalty points | Typical mill defects in this band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 3.0 in | ≤ 7.5 cm | 1 point | Small slub, knotted yarn end, minor fly-yarn speck |
| > 3.0 to 6.0 in | 7.5 – 15.0 cm | 2 points | Broken pick segment, localized reed mark, small oil spot |
| > 6.0 to 9.0 in | 15.0 – 23.0 cm | 3 points | Extended missing pick, stop mark, streak across weft |
| > 9.0 in or any hole | > 23.0 cm or hole | 4 points | Through-hole, tear, continuous warp float, full-width barré |
Selectable Four-Point Inspection Formulas (Imperial & Metric)
Use the imperial formula when your purchase order specifies width in inches and roll length in yards, or the metric formula when inspecting in metres and centimetres.
Points / 100 sq yd = (Total Penalty Points × 3,600) ÷ (Length in yd × Width in inches)
Points / 100 sq yd (from metric roll) = (Total Penalty Points × 8,361.27) ÷ (Length in m × Width in cm)
Points / 100 sq m = (Total Penalty Points × 10,000) ÷ (Length in m × Width in cm)
Worked example (100 m × 280 cm wide-width peachskin roll): An inspector logs four 1-pt slubs, three 2-pt broken picks, two 3-pt stop marks, and one 4-pt hole = 20 total points. Roll length = 109.36 yd; width = 110.24 in. Score = (20 × 3,600) ÷ (109.36 × 110.24) = 5.97 points / 100 sq yd (7.14 points / 100 sq m) — passing a 24-point or 28-point bedding spec.
Commercial Acceptance Thresholds by Fabric Program
Acceptance limits depend on fabric construction, width, and whether the roll is loom-state greige or finished piece-dyed/printed cloth.
| Fabric program | Max pts / 100 sq yd | Max pts / 100 sq m | Continuous defect & splices rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid-dyed apparel & critical shirting | ≤ 20 | ≤ 23.9 | Max 1 splice per roll; zero holes allowed |
| Hotel sateen, satin stripe & white sheets | ≤ 24 | ≤ 28.7 | Max 4 pts per linear yard; flag any shade bar |
| Disperse-printed peachskin & curtain fabrics | ≤ 28 | ≤ 33.5 | Max 2 two-piece rolls per lot (min 30 m piece) |
| Loom-state waterjet polyester greige | ≤ 40 | ≤ 47.8 | Evaluated before scouring/stenter; mendable knots allowed |
Common questions
- Why is any single linear yard capped at 4 points?
- Under ASTM D5430, a garment or bedding cutter will cut out a severely damaged linear yard as a single loss regardless of whether it contains one 4-point hole or three separate defects. Capping each linear yard (or linear metre) at 4 points prevents a single localized splice or stop mark from artificially failing an otherwise clean 100-metre roll.
- Do you divide by full reed width or cuttable width?
- Always use the agreed cuttable width (excluding pin-holes and raw selvedges) printed on the purchase order. Using full overall width artificially inflates the denominator and lowers the point score by 2% to 3%.
- How does Four-Point inspection relate to AQL 2.5?
- Four-Point inspection grades individual fabric rolls by defect density per 100 sq yd, whereas ISO 2859-1 AQL determines how many rolls from a shipment lot an inspector pulls (for example, 10% to 20% of total rolls) and how many failed rolls trigger a lot rejection.