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...]
What is a Quality Inspection?
This article describes the types of quality inspections (before, during, and after production) most widely used 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. What is a quality inspection? The term "inspection" generally refers to the activity of checking products, whereas "audit" applies to analyzing manufacturing processes and … [Read more...]