Starting from Scratch: PBA begins textile production

By Mrs. Rachel C Selby (AMC)October 20, 2016

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1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Quincy Pierce, textile production operator, works at a sewing station that seals a seam as well as trims excess fabric. The machines are programmable which reduces operator error. Pierce said that each piece of fabric that they work with is different... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Known for expertise in the areas of ammunition manufacturing, and chemical and biological defense product development, refurbishment and sustainment, Pine Bluff Arsenal is now in the industrial sewing business.

In 2015, the Arsenal was contacted by the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense to investigate establishing an organic industrial base capability in the production of specialty chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear personnel protective items.

"There is no capability within the government for textiles in the CBRNE area. Since the items produced would be low quantity, private industry is not really interested," said Caitlin Buchanan, project engineer with the Directorate of Engineering and Technology. "Right now, we are getting set to produce approximately 8000 neck dams. Other items possibly we are looking to manufacture in the future include a chemical protective patient wrap and a protective sock."

According to Buchanan, the neck dam is a chemical and biological defense garment with impregnated carbon material. The neck dam is issued to wearers of face seal type masks to increase CB protection at the mask garment interface.

Buchanan said the first article testing on the neck dams would be around the first of October. She said all the sewing machines came from the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center. "All the materials are government-furnished and Natick tests all the materials," she said. "Everything we are doing now are practice items."

Kawana Taylor, lead supervisor with the Directorate of Chemical and Biological Defense Operations, said the groundwork for this production line began in October 2015. Taylor has been at the Arsenal since 2003, and has worked on the M291 and M295 decontamination kit lines and the M40 mask line.

"My objective was to use local in-state sources. I started doing research and decided to tap into a possible local training source -- the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff," she said. "We were starting from scratch and really didn't know who to talk out there."

Taylor said they started at the UAPB Administration Building and were referred to the Department of Human Sciences-Merchandising, Textiles and Design, Kaye Crippen, associate professor, and Brenda Martin, department chairperson.

"We toured UAPB's textile design, sewing and labs," she said. "We also talked with them about training for our employees including the costs, number of weeks to learn the basic sewing techniques and general maintenance of the industrial machines."

During the research phase, tours and meeting were held at the Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind in southwest Little Rock, A+ School Career Apparel in Star City and Expert Sewing in Sheridan. "It was nice to see established textile processes at these facilities," said Taylor.

Not having much experience with sewing herself, Taylor said it was also beneficial when she attended a beginner sewing class earlier this year at Sew Much More in Little Rock. "This was a good experience for me since I didn't know how to sew," she said.

In May, operators from the Arsenal trained with UAPB students for two weeks on the industrial machines. "Five operators and Kawana went to this training," said Buchanan. "This gave them a chance to really get to know the material they would be working with and to practice making neck dams." Buchanan has been with the Arsenal since 2015, having first worked on the large filter production line.

Taylor said a meeting was set up for William Warfield, Jason Fullen and Chris Broughton at Expert Sewing in Sheridan. "Will Smith, the owner, works on all kinds of industrial sewing machines and teaches classes on maintenance. He has 30 years of experience," she said. "We wanted to see what the costs would be for him to do maintenance on the machines if we needed it."

The initial operators on the textile manufacturing line were volunteers. Current operators are Quincy Pierce, Joyce Ladd and Michael Baugh. According to John Burkhead, Chief of the Arsenal's Quality Management Division in the Directorate of Chemical and Biological Defense Operations, the Arsenal is looking to hire at least four more operators with industrial sewing experience.