Our quality charter

OFDA 2000 metrological control programme · Version 3.0 · September 2026

Fibre Lab and Co. measures your fibres on OFDA 2000 — in staple mode. The optical instrument is recognised by the IWTO (IWTO-47). It was installed and commissioned in our laboratory in Saulzoir in the presence of Mark Brims, designer of the OFDA technology. Each test day, the internal autotest on calibration fibres is checked. Every batch includes a reference staple. Options (washing, correction factor, Trim High) are always shown on the report.

A test result is only meaningful if the process that produces it is rigorous, repeatable and transparent. This charter describes how Fibre Lab and Co. prepares, measures, controls and reports every sample. It is intended for breeders, spinners, associations and commercial partners.

Download the charter (PDF)

1. Our commitment

• Every sample is handled according to a written procedure, identical from one batch to the next.
• The instrument is an OFDA 2000, an optical method recognised by the IWTO for measuring diameter and its distribution (IWTO-47).
• Results are neither adjusted nor rounded to suit a selection target. Any processing option (Trim High, correction factor) is stated explicitly on the report.
• If a quality control check falls outside acceptance limits, testing is suspended until control is restored.
• The client receives a clear report: mean, SD, CV, comfort factor, curvature, spinning fineness, histogram and profile along the staple.

2. Commissioning by the manufacturer

When the OFDA 2000 was installed in our laboratory in Saulzoir, Mark Brims — historical designer of OFDA technology and representative of the Australian manufacturer — came on site.

That visit covered installation of the instrument, verification of its operation, initial settings and manufacturer validation of commissioning. It is the starting point of the instrument’s follow-up file.

Installation and initial validation by the manufacturer establish that the instrument was commissioned in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. Fibre Lab and Co. is not an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory and does not hold an IWTO licence. The quality of our tests rests on documented daily controls.

3. Quality control programme (8 points)

Tests are carried out according to the optical method recognised internationally for diameter measurement (IWTO-47), applied in the same way to all animal fibres we receive: alpaca, llama, mohair, cashmere, angora, sheep wool and yarns. This framework is complemented by our internal control programme, documented and identical from one batch to the next.

CQ-1 — Built-in OFDA 2000 autotest (daily)

Fibre Lab and Co.’s OFDA 2000 operates in staple mode: there is no 70 × 70 mm glass slide (OFDA 100 snippets mode). Current calibration is that of the instrument: autotest on internal calibration fibres of known diameters (typically 10 to 100 µm). Checked at the start of each test day. If the autotest falls outside the manufacturer’s tolerance, no client series is started.

CQ-2 — Measurement bench

Verification of the staple support (OFDA 2000 grid / plate), lighting and travel. Any spreading or guidance fault stops the series.

CQ-3 — Batch reference sample

For each test batch, a reference staple with known results (laboratory archive) is measured. Maximum accepted deviation on mean diameter: 0.3 µm relative to the laboratory reference value.

CQ-4 — Inter-series stability

At least once per week of activity, 5 archive samples are retested. Mean diameter deviations between two runs must not exceed 0.3 µm.

CQ-5 — Sample conditioning

Samples intended for a “clean” measurement are washed according to our internal protocol, dried, then conditioned to laboratory ambient conditions before testing. Tests on greasy staple (profile mode) are clearly identified as such; a correction factor, when applied, appears on the report.

CQ-6 — Traceability

Every test carries a unique identifier: client, animal or lot, receipt date, test date, operator, measurement mode (greasy, cleaned or spun), and processing options (correction factor, Trim High). Source instrument files are retained.

CQ-7 — External comparison

At least twice a year, a set of archive samples is remeasured and the results are compared with our history.

CQ-8 — Stop rule

As soon as a CQ-1 to CQ-4 check falls outside limits: client testing stops, diagnosis, manufacturer intervention if needed, restart only after a conforming check. Tests performed after the last valid check remain reportable.

4. Sample preparation — operator process

1. Receipt, identification check, registration.
2. Preparation according to the ordered product: raw staple, cleaned staple, or spun form.
3. Spreading of the sample on the OFDA 2000 measurement support so as to expose the fibres over the full usable length.
4. OFDA 2000 traverse of the staple: diameter, distribution and profile along the fibre (several thousand points depending on length).
5. Report review: consistency of diameter / SD / CF / profile.
6. PDF sent to the client. Files retained.

5. What the report contains

6. Method limitations

• The OFDA 2000 measures a projected diameter (optical width).
• Alpaca medullation is not a reliable routine parameter on OFDA 2000; we do not sell it as a certified figure.
• Two OFDA laboratories typically remain within a band of about ±0.6 µm.

7. Turnaround and confidentiality

Tests are carried out within the week of sample receipt, excluding public holidays and periods of peak activity. Individual data are neither resold nor published. Anonymised statistics may be used for benchmarks only if the client cannot be identified.

Fibre Lab and Co. — 20 rue Jean Mermoz, 59227 Saulzoir, France — fibrelabandco@gmail.com