Inspection control

Inspection Control of Production and Manufactured Products

When asked about the biggest production problem, most entrepreneurs answer "product quality management."

Product defects are a well-known and inevitable consequence of mass production. No production is perfect. And almost every significant batch of goods produced in factories worldwide contains at least several product defects ranging from minor to significant.

For many importers, relatively serious quality defects manifest on an unacceptable scale, leading to delivery delays, end consumer dissatisfaction, product returns, and in some cases legal consequences and product recalls. These problems are enough to drive many importers to despair as they try to manage a project from another part of the planet.

Goals and Methods of Inspection Control

The goal of inspection control is to ensure service quality and safety of manufactured products, including inspection control of certified products or services at a given time and place.

Inspection control methods are applied to obtain evidence of compliance and, based on objectives, are divided into:

• Direct - these include inspection control (testing and inspections) of production processes and manufactured products or services;
• Indirect - these include inspection control of management systems.

These methods can be applied separately or together.

Companies using remote partner production facilities typically face pressing questions such as: which supplier to work with, how much to spend on components and materials for the product, how precisely on time will this product be manufactured? These are all potentially complex questions that each company entering into such contractual relationships must answer independently.

But the question of how best to detect product defects early to eliminate them before they reduce profits has a simple answer: quality control.

Only by inspecting a batch of products before it leaves your supplier's factory can you identify and resolve any quality issues; otherwise, such measures may be too late.

Product quality management through quality control reduces the risk of product returns, customer dissatisfaction, and many other costly and preventable problems.

Value of Inspections at Key Production Stages

Different types of inspections aim to detect any product defects or other problems before the supplier-counterparty ships the finished products. Quality control provides a comprehensive view of the product when conducted at different stages of production. The greatest value in early problem detection is the ability to resolve them with your supplier before such measures become unavailable or costly, for example, after you or your customers have already received the cargo.

Companies interested in quality control (most often importers) typically conduct product inspections at various stages of production and shipment, including:

• Inspection of raw materials or components before production
• Inspection of semi-finished and finished products during production
• Inspection of finished products (packaging, labeling) after production
• Control of sea container loading, inspection of cargo transshipment when changing transport vehicles, etc.

These inspections are only necessary to solve your specific tasks at one or several key production stages. You may need proper control throughout the entire production process. It's necessary to find a balance between the cost and time required for inspection and your quality risk assessments.

Understanding the benefits of inspections at each stage allows you to determine what's most suitable for your situation and ensure you don't miss opportunities to identify product defects early.

Inspection Control Services

RBI Concept offers inspection control services for certified products at production facilities.

All types of control listed below can be applied both jointly, complementing each other, and separately, depending on customer preferences and the importance of the ordered goods. Work is conducted by qualified specialists in Russia, the European Union, and other countries worldwide.

Approximate service costs:

Incoming Quality Control

The process of inspecting parts and materials selected for product manufacturing is called incoming quality control (IQC) and is the first important step in identifying any quality problems. Customers usually leave IQC to the discretion of the supplier's own personnel, without visiting the factory, or hire a third-party QC inspector for this purpose. If you were able to obtain a low cost for goods or services during negotiations with suppliers, don't be surprised if the supplier tries to compensate for the lost margin on your order by using cheaper, lower-quality materials, components, or consumables than they should.

It's difficult for production to manufacture a quality product that meets your quality standards from materials that don't meet your specified standards. It's worth considering that suppliers typically purchase materials in bulk for use in the production process not only of your product but also any other similar goods. Thus, any quality problems related to raw materials typically affect most or all of the order. Incoming control helps ensure raw materials and components meet your specifications before the factory begins mass production.

IQC processes may also include ensuring proper storage of raw materials in the factory warehouse, semi-finished products, and finished products. Should you insist on using external (independent) IQC for your products?

Generally, any decent supplier conducts incoming quality control independently. But your decision to rely on your suppliers' personnel for these inspections should largely depend on the strength of your relationships and any previous experience working with them. Independent IQC organization can be especially useful if:

• You're working with a supplier for the first time and don't know what quality to expect in practice.
• You need to inspect rare or expensive raw materials, materials, or components for fulfilling your order.
• You've had problems with raw materials from previous deliveries received from this supplier.

Only you know what's best for your product. Therefore, if there are suspicions that your supplier's IQC is insufficient, it may be beneficial to arrange IQC in advance with your own QC personnel or a professional "third party" to detect any quality problems before production begins.

More details about how we conduct incoming control can be found on the "Incoming Control" services page.

First Article Inspection

The next important step in identifying product defects after IQC is inspecting the first serially produced units. During first article inspection (FAI), an inspector checks one or several first product units that came off the production line or products from the first production batch.

When is first article inspection necessary?

First article inspection is required during the process of bringing a new product to market to ensure the production process provides stable supply of products meeting specifications.

When a golden sample - a "golden" first sample or prototype exists, the approach to its inspection is determined by the fact that it's aimed at establishing a quality standard for production. But data obtained from FAI carries understanding of production processes and typically differs significantly from data obtained when inspecting an experimental "golden" sample.

"Golden" experimental samples are usually custom-made by a development team, often using different processes than in mass production. For example, production may manufacture a working prototype or sample of a plastic-molded component using 3D printing or a temporary mold. Since these methods may differ from those the manufacturer will use on the production line, there's no guarantee the sample accurately represents mass production quality.

FAI offers you a more reliable view of the quality of goods you'll ultimately receive, as mass production units are inspected. FAI also helps detect any problems obvious from the very beginning of mass production so you can resolve them with your supplier as early as possible.

How would you benefit from using first article inspection to detect product defects?

For example, FAI is common practice among equipment manufacturers whose quality directly affects safety and whose export requires certification.

FAI is typically applied in the following cases:

• Bringing a new product to market
• Your product contains expensive components that are difficult to repair or reprocess in case of quality problems
• Your product has strict tolerances that depend on precise calibration of tools and equipment used in its production
• Design changes to the product (new dimensions or modifications)
• Changes to the production process
• Changing suppliers when cooperating with third-party manufacturers
• Moving production to a new site
• Resuming production after a long break

First article inspection is sometimes called conducting first day of production acceptance testing. Acceptance testing includes analysis of production technology and quality control systems in product manufacturing.

IPQC and DUPRO

In-Process Quality Control (IPQC) and During Production Control (DUPRO).

The next logical stage of quality control inspection after FAI is the period when production becomes serial. Two types of inspections are typically conducted here: In-Process Quality Control (IPQC - International Productivity And Quality Council) and During Production Control (DUPRO). The difference between them is that inspectors typically conduct IPQC for semi-finished products, while they conduct DUPRO for finished products. The need for DUPRO typically arises when production has completed 15-80 percent of the total order quantity.

IPQC and DUPRO inspections are greatly undervalued tools for improving product quality. Both tools help customers identify product defects and other problems that arise during production before they can affect their entire order.

Should you include DUPRO inspection in your quality control budget?

DUPRO is a more common option among customers and is second in popularity only to final inspection. Investment in DUPRO inspection can be beneficial if:

• You planned only final inspection but want additional quality control and to meet deadlines
• You identified quality defects or other problems during final inspection that could have been excluded by checking earlier production processes
• You produce a relatively complex product requiring precision of various components and production processes

Final inspection will help you identify any problems before your cargo leaves the factory. But by the time of final inspection, it may be too late to identify and eliminate any problems that arose earlier. If you can identify quality defects using IPQC or DUPRO, the factory can stop production and eliminate them before they affect the entire batch. This also provides the additional advantage of preventing production or delivery delays.

Final Inspection

Most often, quality control inspections by customers are conducted when most goods are ready, approximately 80% or more. This is usually called final inspection, and it's your last opportunity to ensure the quality and condition of your product while it's still at the factory. Many experienced importers and quality control specialists consider final inspection the minimum necessary level of product control.

Similar to DUPRO and some other earlier inspections, inspectors use sampling based on acceptable quality level (AQL) or an alternative sampling method for final inspection. In other words, we select sampling inspection procedures based on quantitative or qualitative characteristics. But final inspection typically offers a look at a more representative sample than inspections conducted earlier because most production has already been completed.

Unlike other types of quality control, final control provides the opportunity to also check packaging materials and packaging methods. Inspectors can check designs, barcodes, labeling, packaging type, and other details. When it comes to visual inspection, manufacturers often prefer to package only a few parts of the order before inspection, leaving the remaining units unpacked for easier inspection. This allows checking packaging requirements without needing to repackage each order unit opened for the inspector.

If you care about your product's compliance with applicable standards requirements and valid quality certificates, then like most customers, final inspection is an important stage.

In a broader sense, final inspection is a vital step helping you manage your product quality by identifying any product defects before it becomes too late to effectively eliminate them.

Regardless of your product type, inspecting the product before shipment is crucial for preventing quality problems that can lead to product returns, dissatisfied customers, and other costly but preventable problems.

Container Loading Monitoring (Control)

Some quality control service customers require control of product loading into shipping containers. During container loading control, inspectors check order packaging and loading method, and verify that the shipping container is properly sealed before transportation.

Inspectors may open packaging to check a small product sample and verify the packaging method itself. But most factory managers want to load containers as quickly as possible and free up production or warehouse space. Therefore, it's impractical to inspect large batches this way; this can be done at earlier stages using DUPRO or final inspection.

Key aspects of container loading control typically include:

• Checking internal container condition for moisture and other problems
• Monitoring loading by factory workers and recording the number of loaded packages
• Checking container sealing and recording details of seals placed on containers

One disadvantage of container loading control is that it's often difficult to determine how long the loading process will take. This depends on the number of workers loading the container, timely provision of the container to the loading site, process organization, etc. If the customer sends their own or third-party inspector to observe the container loading process, this will reduce loading time compared to planned, even if loading start is delayed or typically takes longer.

Container loading control is not mandatory but an additional precautionary measure for most customers. But you can budget for this service if:

• You have a strict loading plan (scheme) (to preserve product integrity) or specific procedure the supplier must follow
• You require container and seal records as a condition related to letters of credit
• Under contract terms, you pay for vehicle (ship or rail car) downtime
• You're concerned your supplier will ship unacceptable or defective parts along with the main part of your order

If you've repeatedly encountered serious quality problems with a specific supplier in the past and believe constant container loading monitoring is required, this most often means you should find another supplier or use "third party" services to ensure quality control.

Management Systems Inspection Control

Management system inspection begins with analyzing Quality Management System (QMS) boundaries to understand what processes the enterprise's activities cover and determining the scope of application. When studying QMS, the inspector or auditor understands whether effective business process management is ensured at the enterprise.

Most companies worldwide have certificates for ISO 9001, 14001, 18001. But having a system built on the basis of 9001 is already sufficient to serve as a foundation for any additional certification in the future.

For example, for a metallurgical enterprise, the Quality Management System scope according to ISO 9001 requirements might be:

• Design and production of steel welded structures
• Application of anti-corrosion external and/or internal coating

etc.

Often at enterprises, the quality management system is presented as an organizational chart. As a rule, it reflects how company management defines and manages processes necessary to ensure confidence that customer requirements are fully met, and reflects the sequence and interrelation of QMS processes in general. Annual establishment of specific measurable, monitorable objectives that consider applicable requirements related to ensuring product and service compliance and increasing customer satisfaction.

The main goals of QMS inspection for us are:

1. Checking the product quality control system throughout the entire life cycle
2. Checking traceability and collecting documentary evidence and observations

Special product characteristics and requirements for their identification and traceability are typically reflected in input data for technical specifications during product manufacturing. By checking these through documents, you can confidently look at implementation in the technological process.

When Should Quality Control Be Conducted?

It's assumed that only you can determine the best timing for your business based on your own experience, product type, timelines, and budget.

When successfully used and implemented, product quality control becomes an invaluable tool for identifying product defects in your orders and influences the process of improving product quality in the future. To schedule quality inspection at any stage of the production process, you should openly discuss all issues with your performers (counterparties) and the inspection company. Through clear task setting, you can achieve quality control standards and criteria to guarantee obtaining expected results.