The first two articles of these series focused on the different inspection levels and on the AQL tables. So you know how to set the number of samples to check and how many defects have to be accepted. With these settings and your detailed product specifications, a QC inspector can check your products and reach a conclusion (passed or failed).

But importers face one more question: when should the products be inspected? This is an extremely important issue for buyers willing to secure their supply chain. Spending a few hundreds of dollars to check and fix issues early can be an excellent investment; if might save you weeks of delay, shipments by air, and/or lower quality products that you have to accept and deliver to your own customers.

Four types of inspections

Let’s picture the simplified model where one factory turns raw materials into finished products. (If you also have to manage the quality of sub-suppliers’ products, the same model can be applied to them).

Pre-production inspection

This type of inspection is necessary if you want to check the raw materials or components that will be used in production. Buying cheaper materials can increase a factory’s margin considerably, so you should keep an eye on this risk. A pre-production inspection might also be a good idea if you suspect that technicians on the factory floor have not been given all the information or have not understood all your requirements. How to make sure of this? By sending an inspector when the very first products are in process (under bulk production conditions). If you need to help the factory improve its processes, this is also the right time. But you will need to either send your own technicians, or find a highly specialized QC/engineering firm.

During production inspection

How to get a good idea of the average product quality, and be able to ask for corrections if problems are found? Send an inspector during production! It can take place as soon as the first finished products get off the line, but these samples might not be representative of the whole order. So usually such an inspection is done after 10-30% of the products are finished. What are the main benefits of an inspection at this stage?   

• Be aware of quality issues early, and implement corrective actions before it is too late
  
• Communicate with your supplier about what is acceptable and what is not
  
• Get a precise production schedule

 

Final (pre-shipment) inspection

Inspecting the goods after they are made and packed is the standard QC solution of most importers. The inspector can really check every detail, including counting the total quantity and confirming the packaging. Final inspections are usually performed in a hurry, just before shipment. To avoid creating delays, inspectors can usually start after 80%+ of the order quantity is packed. Final inspections are appropriate if the factory delivered good quality on the exact same product in the past. Otherwise, buyers are strongly advised to have the products checked earlier.

The downside of final inspections is that inspectors adopt a “policeman attitude”. Factories hate the risk of last-minute rejection, after all the goods are made (and might not be repairable). Buyers have the upper hand and can often ask for discounts and threaten to refuse the goods. This is a major cause for the corruption of QC inspectors. Most Chinese manufacturers are not organized to keep their processes under control, and they often discover the issues after an inspector shows them defective samples. Helping them with pre-production or during-production inspections usually makes more sense.

Container-loading supervision

In some cases, a buyer wants to make sure the factory ships the right products, in the right quantity, and with the right loading plan. This supervision can take place immediately after a final inspection (in which case the same inspector does the job). But usually it is a separate service that consists of two steps:

• Counting the whole quantity, opening a few cartons and doing a quick check on the products, and checking all the packaging details

• Supervising the loading of the cartons in the container or the truck

 
The importance of detailed specifications

1. Most quality issues come from miscommunication and misunderstanding. Importers should keep track of all their requirements regarding the product and its packaging. When a good deal of customization is involved, and for large orders, these specifications should be translated in Chinese (for the factory technicians) and included in a contract. When the time comes for product checking, the inspector will use this information as a checklist
   
2. After an inspection fails, the supplier usually agrees to repair the problems and support the cost of the re-inspection. Detailed specifications are useful in avoiding endless negotiations with your supplier
   

Renaud Anjoran is the founder of Sofeast Quality Control, a third-party QC firm specializing in garments and textile in China. He also writes on the Quality Inspection blog. You can contact him at info@sofeast.com.