QualityInspection.org

Quality Assurance, Product Development, and Purchasing Strategies in China

Chinese Factories and Product Returns: Not Impossible

"If I discover that some goods I purchased from China are defective, and I am in the USA or in the UK (as examples), what can I do?" Many people tend to think "let me tell the supplier, and I can return it to them for rework or replacements". However, that's seldom realistic or practical. Let's examine why. … [Read more...]

What Is Good Quality Assurance For Importers Buying In China?

A client was interested in product inspections, and they asked: Do you also offer a post-inspection service, for cases where the results are not ideal? That got me thinking. The answer is simple, yes, we can keep following up, but managing the way rework is done and planning a re-inspection is never a pleasing experience for the buyer. It looks straightforward (see below), but in reality, it is often a tense negotiation between the buyer and the seller:   How to avoid … [Read more...]

How The AQL Inspection Levels In ISO 2859-1 Affect Sampling Size

This article introduces the different AQL inspection levels available to buyers. Those levels are mentioned in the ISO 2859-1 standard (or its American equivalent, ANSI/ASQC Z1.4). Let’s explore the different levels of random inspections, and how they affect the size of the samples your inspector will pull out of each batch during an inspection. … [Read more...]

Inspecting Product Quality: What Are Your Options?

If you purchase products from an overseas supplier that you don't know well, and you can't be there, you might want to contact an inspection agency to handle inspecting product quality on your behalf. But you need to give them direction on WHEN to go to the factory and WHAT to check. I tried to summarize it in this flow chart: Here are some suggestions for your inspection options for the scenarios that apply to many importers' situations when inspecting product quality that you can … [Read more...]

3 Examples of Quality Inspection Checklists

  Over the years, we have provided feedback to many clients on their product specification sheets and their inspection checklists. Rather than a step-by-step guideline, the most useful is usually to provide them with a few real examples for different types of products.   3 examples of inspection checklists Last year, when personal protective equipment was severely lacking in many countries, we released some of our templates on our commercial website. I believe they … [Read more...]

List of testing laboratories in China

Many small buyers don't know where their products can be laboratory tested in China. Actually, many of them don't even know that they are responsible for compliance with their country's safety regulations. A handful of international groups have laboratory testing capabilities for the most common consumer goods. I listed them below. You can tell them what you are buying (with photos + a bit of context) and the importing country. They will give you a list of relevant tests with … [Read more...]

Does Checking 100% of a Production Batch Make Sense? Yes, It Often Does.

Nearly 2 years ago I wrote When To Do a Random AQL Inspection vs. Check 100% of the Goods. It is a good overview of these 2 options: Send inspector(s) to your supplier's factory for checking random samples Have the manufacturer of the goods deliver them to a facility (often called an "inspection center" or a "QC platform") where all the pieces will be checked This is a topic we explain regularly to our clients who use our contract packaging and contract assembly services. And my … [Read more...]

Using Data for Quality Management: Do You Have Puzzle? Or a Mystery?

As I wrote a few weeks ago, quality control analytics can save serious costs. I listed 5 examples of such cost savings in that article. Now, the question is, what can manufacturing and purchasing managers do to utilize data for quality management? How to start? Should you look at the data they have already collected, and look for hidden insights? In that case, they have a 'mystery' on hand. Or should you gather more data, and the right conclusions will become obvious once you have the … [Read more...]

Documenting Your Company’s Quality Standard into the Details

We have worked with many companies that buy products from China & Vietnam, and their most common shortcoming is probably the lack of a clear quality standard. They don't document what they are willing to accept. They start working with a new manufacturer and both parties often get confused about what is acceptable. Now, people often ask us what a quality standard that goes into the details looks like. We can't share any examples from our clients, for confidentiality reasons. … [Read more...]