The vast majority of quality inspection services (either through a third-party provider or by the buyer's staff) takes place in the factory. But some of them are performed on a "platform", which is basically a warehouse where the goods … [Read more...]
The different types of injury sources
Many importers think of a new product and want to manufacture it in a Chinese factory, often without paying an engineer for DFM. Unfortunately, the manufacturer will seldom think of all the mistakes to avoid. I found a good typology of … [Read more...]
What your inspection firm will not tell you
It has been said that there is a price to pay for working in a given industry: the intimate knowledge of its dark sides. I have already written about the perverse effects of social compliance audits and about the dangerous games of … [Read more...]
The competition in the quality control industry
When I am on a trade show in Hong Kong and I speak to random purchasers, I am always amazed. Amazed by the number of people who don't know that they should do quality control on their shipments. They are generally beginners, or they only … [Read more...]
Avoiding humidity inside containers
Last week, an importer was asking us how to avoid the formation of mold on the shoes they ship from China to Chile. The goods stay up to 50 days inside the container, so that was an extreme case. I suspect the materials are not treated … [Read more...]
Why checking quality during loading is a bad idea
This week I was on a trade show in Hong Kong. I met with many new (inexperienced) buyers. Several of them asked me "So, when do you check quality? When the factory is loading the container?" A container loading inspection is useful for … [Read more...]
Inspections of solar panels in China
This week I am on the Solar & Energy Saving Products China sourcing fair. We are exhibiting with an engineering firm specialized in solar panels (HCEA, based in Hong Kong), and it seems like these products are attracting a good … [Read more...]
Integrate inspection tools in your QC checklist!
About 3 months ago, my friend Greg designed an infographic about preparing a QC inspection checklist. It includes the definition of (a) product specifications to check, (b) potential defects to keep an eye out for, and (c) tests to perform … [Read more...]
How to manage chinese inspectors
In inspection firms, what makes the difference between a high client turnover rate and a satisfied client base? Unreliable inspectors. I am thinking of quality controllers who don't point to problems (because they take shortcuts in the … [Read more...]
Inspection level vs. inspection severity
When I started doing QC inspections, my first client's quality manager was interchangeably mentioning "level II" and "normal level". And same thing with "level I" and "reduced level". I purchased the relevant standard and I read it … [Read more...]
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