This article describes what a quality inspection is, and when it typically takes place (before, during, and after production). We will cover the types of inspections most widely used by buyers in international trade. They should be performed by 3rd party QC providers (appointed by the buyer), or by the buyer's own inspectors, if you buy from China, Vietnam, India, or another low-cost country. … [Read more...]
What is the “AQL” (Acceptance Quality Limit) in simple terms?
What Does AQL Mean? 'AQL' stands for 'Acceptance Quality Limit', and is defined as the "quality level that is the worst tolerable" in ISO 2859-1. It represents the maximum number of defective units, beyond which a batch is rejected. Importers usually set different AQLs for critical, major, and minor defects. Most Asian exporters are familiar with this type of setting. For example: "AQL is 1.5%" means "I want no more than 1.5% defective items in the whole order quantity, on average over … [Read more...]