Input control

Incoming Inspection - Pre-Production Inspection

The reality is that any part at some level may have malfunctions and defects. Acceptable defects should be determined in advance at the development stage to define proper production and qualification requirements. Without this critical step, project costs can spiral out of control when attempting to solve part quality problems at later stages of the production cycle.

In the aerospace industry, the average cost of identifying and eliminating a critical defect before it goes into production is 1:1000. For example, an aerospace company can save on eliminating post-facto production problems by investing just 0.1% in finding defects before production begins. In other industries, costs depend on production volumes and availability of parts that need to be replaced. For the automotive industry, the number of recalled parts is a critical factor, and in the medical sector, health risk is the main concern, for example, when replacing implantable devices.

Benefits of Using Incoming Inspection.

Incoming inspection is conducted to check the quality of parts and components to ensure they are suitable for the end product. Checking characteristics such as color, dimensions, microstructure, and weight are the main areas when conducting quality control. Preliminary inspection can also be useful for prototype verification, initial product testing, and for checking mass production processes. Thus, early inspection is a way to ensure that production will start without delays. Starting production with a part of proper quality gives manufacturers confidence that production processes will operate within specified parameters.

Thus, production gains benefits and satisfaction from selling a quality product, and the resulting savings from reducing waste and defects serve lower production costs and faster product time-to-market for the manufacturer. Incoming inspection saves costs and relieves manufacturers from many problems such as unwanted defects, re-negotiations with customers, as well as unnecessary labor and material costs. The bottom line is this - the earlier you discover problems, the simpler and cheaper it is to find a solution.

Incoming Inspection: Compliance with Requirements and Functions, FAI and PPAP

An important aspect of incoming inspection is evaluating the suitability and functioning of the assembly unit, usually performed under laboratory conditions and tested under various operating conditions to ensure proper functioning. Testing can take several forms, including: electrical, mechanical, temperature, vibration, and load testing. Depending on the number of variations and parameters, the incoming inspection process can significantly increase. Work can be conducted in-house, or manufacturers can outsource testing to inspection laboratories for third-party verification.

Pre-production inspection can be conducted as First Article Inspection (FAI). FAI is a process designed to control and document dimensional measurements of pre-series parts. The purpose of FAI reporting is to determine control tolerances within which the part must remain, either in general form or for specific areas. Specific dimensions are used to control or evaluate compliance of the mating part. If inspection and dimensional determination are forgotten, quality standards may prove unacceptable.

Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) is another form of incoming inspection used in the supply chain for various automotive plants, household appliance assembly production, agriculture, aerospace, oil refining, and other industries.

Main objectives of PPAP:

1. determine whether the supplier sufficiently understands technical requirements;

2. whether the supplier is capable of regularly meeting these requirements.

This is achieved by comparing part dimensions with specified design specifications to identify any non-conformities and deviations. Essentially, PPAP instills confidence as it ensures reliability and repeatability of the production process. Although this process can be complex, third-party inspection laboratories can help manufacturers by performing accurate dimensional analysis of preliminary parts produced in the manufacturing process.

Although quality standards may vary depending on the manufacturer, dimensional control is always a necessary requirement, especially for PPAP reports. In addition to traditional methods, advanced dimensional control methods are used - industrial computed tomography scanning and 3D scanning, which are invaluable for obtaining critically important data. When time is a limiting factor, these non-destructive testing methods offer the advantage of repeatability and timeliness of inspection, especially useful for measuring complex geometry. Since computed tomography is an X-ray technology, it also has the additional advantage of being able to check internal dimensions without the need for destructive testing.

Component and Material Testing in Certified Laboratories

Component and material testing methods may include:

• Chemical testing and analysis, including composition studies, trace contamination detection, metal testing, and unknown substance identification.
• Physical property testing and measurement - strength, stability, flammability testing.
• Mechanical property testing - deformation resistance, fracture, and fatigue testing.
• Regulatory testing to verify compliance with legal standards governing your product type and target market.

Most importers do not rely on manufacturing when conducting material testing, as testing often requires specialized equipment and personnel that may not be available to manufacturing.

Allowing personnel to choose samples for inspection and testing represents a conflict of interest.

Hiring a professional third-party inspector for sampling at the factory ensures that test samples will be representative for determining actual material quality throughout the entire order. These inspectors can then send samples to a certified laboratory for testing.

Component and material testing methods depend on your product type. But regardless of product type, appropriate laboratory testing will help you verify whether raw materials and components meet your requirements for the intended product application.

CDF, BOM and Other Product Documentation.

Products consisting of many different components, which is especially relevant for consumer electronics, are often accompanied by CDF (Construction Data Form) - a form containing information about components and construction data. The product CDF allows establishing clear standards with your supplier to guarantee the use of high-quality components in manufacturing your product. The CDF specifies a list of product components and their approved manufacturers, usually including the following data:

• Unit/part number (identifier)
• Approved manufacturer or trademark owner
• Type/model
• Technical data, including materials, voltages, mounting methods, and measurements
• Standards, for example: UL, IEC, EN, and CSA
• Compliance marks, for example: UL, CE, and CCC

Inspectors can visually check component construction during IQC inspection and compare markings to ensure they comply with your CDF. Thus, you don't need to test each individual component for functionality and performance before pre-sale inspection.

Therefore, checking CDF during IQC inspection can reduce the time required for component inspection and testing. If you are confident in component quality from manufacturers you have approved, it is reasonable to expect consistent component quality from these suppliers.

You can also request a Bill of Materials (BOM) from your supplier. A BOM specification is a list of raw materials, subcomponents, and parts used in product manufacturing. Reviewing the specification can help you verify whether the supplier is using appropriate materials and components for your order and has correctly accepted your requirements.

Outlining your quality requirements in a quality control checklist can also help ensure that your supplier doesn't overlook your material and component requirements. Sending this quality control checklist to your supplier before production begins gives them the opportunity to provide any feedback and confirm whether they can actually meet your requirements.

Conclusion

An assembled product is only as good as its parts. Manufacturing a quality product begins with using quality materials and components. And quality problems with materials and components are usually reflected and even amplified in the finished product. This is why it's so important to identify any quality problems with parts and materials before production begins.

Incoming quality control can help you verify the quality of these materials and components of your product through:

• Laboratory testing.
• Incoming inspection.
• CDF verification and other product documentation.

Next time you consider working with a supplier who claims to sell high-quality products, ask them to provide documentation of their incoming inspection process. If they cannot provide clear records, you can hire a third party to conduct incoming inspection.

Our Incoming Inspection Services.

As an independent company specializing in industrial parts control among other things, RBI Concept can provide incoming inspection requirements through a repeatable, accurate, and unbiased process.

The metrology laboratories where we conduct research are equipped with a complete set of advanced imaging equipment and supported by a team of experienced analysts. Using the capabilities of industrial CT scanning, industrial radiography, and 3D scanning, we provide manufacturers with the results needed to meet stringent pre-production requirements. These activities include dimensional control and first article inspection - all necessary requirements for PPAP and AS9102 Form 3 reporting.

Thanks to our experience, we can help manufacturers develop and conduct incoming pre-production parts inspection. Our incoming inspection and sample verification processes are time-tested, allowing us to develop measurement control templates based on required criteria and scanning data. As a result, inspection time is dramatically reduced from weeks to days, allowing manufacturers to enter production faster.