Guide to Successfully
Preparing for a
Product Inspection
Guide to Successfully Preparing for a Product Inspection
Introduction
Before conducting a product inspection, inspectors need to be sufficiently prepared.
When it comes to ensuring that customers receive their products exactly as ordered,
manufacturing factories need to have clear and concise product specifications. The products
you distribute for your company are a representation of your brand. These products bring
back customers and turn them into promoters of your business. So, it’s necessary to have
quality products. Quality is fundamental in creating a successful business.
This white paper acts as a comprehensive guide to properly preparing for a product
inspection. Read on to learn about making a thorough checklist, necessary specifications,
on-site testing, purchase orders, and more. Make your product inspections more effective
with the right preparation.
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Guide to Successfully Preparing for a Product Inspection
Preparation Steps
1. Make a checklist.
In order to effectively prepare for a product inspection, you must first begin with a
thorough checklist. An inspection checklist is typically prepared by the buyer’s quality
department or by a third-party quality control (QC) firm. The checklist should ideally be
completed before manufacturing starts and attached as an appendix to the purchase order
and/or the contract. An inspector will utilize the checklist during the process as soon as
finished products begin to come off the assembly line so that they can catch issues early
onion the production run. A good checklist will include:
Specifications
Specifications are anything that should be verified and then compared to preestablished requirements. Every sample that does not conform to the buyer’s
requirements should be documented and reviewed by the buyer for disposition. For
consumer goods, specifications usually cover:
• Material and components
• Assembly/workmanship
• Colors, finishing, and aesthetics
• Size, weight, and other measurements
• Labeling, logo, tags, stickers
• Packaging: retail packing, cartons, shipping marks, pricing tags
Specifications are listed by description, required result, and tolerance.
Defects
Defects are defined as anything that can be noticed visually, generally at arm’s
length. These checkpoints are applied to every sample selected by the inspector.
Every imperfection is counted as 1 defect (the maximum is 1 defect per sample,
though if multiple defects are observed in one sample this should be noted), and is
categorized as either Critical, Major, or Minor. Upon completion of the inspection,
the inspector compares the total number of defects to the AQL limits.
If a consumable, commercially produced and distributed good is unfit for its intended
use, dangerous or harmful for normal use, does not carry adequate instructions for
its use, or is inherently dangerous due to defective design, assembly, or manufacture,
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Guide to Successfully Preparing for a Product Inspection
it is defective. A Critical classification encompasses any condition found which poses
the possibility of causing injury or harm to, or otherwise endangering the life or
safety of, the end user of the product or others in the immediate vicinity of its use.
Major means any condition found adversely affecting the product’s marketability and
sale-ability or adversely affecting its required form, fit, or function, and which is likely
to result in the end user returning it to the source from which it was purchased for
replacement or refund. A Minor defect is categorized as any condition found which
while possibly less than desirable to the end user of the product, does not adversely
affect its required marketability, sale-ability, form, fit, or function and is unlikely to
result in its return to the source from which it was purchased.
‘AQL’ stands for ‘Acceptance Quality Limit’ and represents the quality level that is
the worst tolerable in product inspections. The use of an AQL based inspection will
provide the data necessary for a buyer to determine whether to accept or reject the
shipment. Different companies maintain different interpretations of each defect type,
and in order to avoid argument, buyers and sellers should agree on a standard prior
to production. This standard is then referenced during the pre-shipment inspection.
AQL is the limit set between acceptability and refusal in a way that can be agreed
upon and measured.
On-site Tests
These are anything that should be verified by using a specific method and/or device
during the inspection. On-site tests are generally performed using special inspection
level 2 (S2), due to being destructive and/or time-consuming. If 1 sample breaks
or stops functioning, the test is failed. Tests that are related to user safety, are
not destructive, and are not very time-consuming can be performed on the entire
sample size. If the test is failed on 2 samples, it generates 2 critical defects and the
inspection is failed. Examples of on-site tests include the Drop, Hipot, Assembly,
Moisture Content, and Load & Overload tests.
A Drop test determines whether or not the product is capable of remaining intact
during its shipment or as a representation of what may occur during normal use. The
product is dropped from a specified height (depending on the type of product) to
make sure it doesn’t break. This procedure is sometimes only conducted on master
cartons in order to simulate and ensure that the product can withstand transit
and shipping. Improper or poor packing can cause damage to the product during
transport, thus it is essential to control the goods in their shipping cartons.
Hipot is an abbreviation for high potential. Due to design flaws or other factors, the
insulation in a product can break down, resulting in excessive leakage current flow.
This failure condition can cause shock or death to anyone that comes into contact
with the faulty product. A Hipot test verifies that the insulation of a product or
component is sufficient to protect the operator from electrical shock. In a typical
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Guide to Successfully Preparing for a Product Inspection
Hipot test, high voltage is applied between a product’s current-carrying conductors
and its metallic shielding. The resulting current that flows through the insulation,
known as leakage current, is monitored by the tester. The theory behind this test is
that if a deliberate over-application of test voltage does not cause the insulation to
break down, the product will be safe to use under normal operating conditions.
2. Attach your checklist as an appendix to the purchase order and/or to the contract.
Your checklist should be attached to the purchase order so that the specifications
are clear and well documented. Without the proper level of detail, there is increased
likelihood for quality issues. Unclear specifications often lead to the shipment of a product
that falls short of meeting the buyer’s expectations. Incomplete information is ultimately
unacceptable and speaks negatively of your business.
3. Send an inspector to apply the checklist as soon as finished products are ready.
As soon as finished products begin coming off the production lines, have an inspector
use the checklist to catch and correct issues early. In manufacturing, issues arise
constantly and for various reasons. The key to ensuring that issues don’t become serious
events is catching them early to save time and money associated with potential rework
and shipping delays. Top of Production Inspections are a highly important step in the
inspection process, especially for new products or higher risk products.
Key Takeaway
If you define your requirements clearly and place them in the proper category, you
will reduce confusion for your supplier and for the inspector. By understanding these
important facets of preparing for a product inspection, you will have a clearer picture of
the manufacturing process and how much thoroughness and quality comes into play along
the supply chain. Quality inspections help set you apart as a leader in avoiding mistakes,
strengthening brand perception, and delivering an optimal product to the customer.
Without effective preparation, quality inspections simply don’t happen. This detailed guide
will help you conduct an organized, accurate inspection and, ultimately, deliver products
that satisfy your customers and enhance your business’ reputation.
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Guide to Successfully Preparing for a Product Inspection
WWW.INSIGHT-QUALITY.COM
Insight Quality Services is an independent third-party quality control
services company providing on-site Product Inspections, Factory
Audits, and Consulting Services throughout North America & Asia.
We exist to provide you unbiased information to ensure your products
meet your specifications and quality standards before they leave the factory.