Audits And Inspections Offered By Sourcing Companies

A good supplier pool heavily determines the success of a business. But the need for inspection services is equally important. Factory audits and quality inspections by implementing Quality Assurance at each sourcing step are crucial for minimizing risks. The top wholesale construction materials suppliers constantly refine their methods to increase their efficiency and prevent products from being put on the market, and inspections are a big part of this process. Let us now see the different audit services and quality inspections the sourcing companies offer.

Factory Audit

This is usually the first quality step that an importing business can take, in which a Quality Advisor travels to the factory premises to evaluate the manufacturing capacity, ability to meet delivery times, and the product’s performance in terms of quality. This gives the advantage of getting real, hands-on data about the manufacturers and making informed decisions in the future. The process may include a gap assessment, an on-site factory audit, a report, and a follow-up audit. Factory audits can be of five types, capability audits, quality audits, security audits, social compliance audits, and environmental audits.

Samples Inspection

Also, called prototype inspection, a Quality Inspector does a sample inspection before the buyer places an order. It is a method in which some items of the same unit manufactured through the same processes are extracted as a sample and inspected instead of all the items being inspected. The inspection report contains details like the visual and dimensional checks along with the test results. The top wholesale construction materials suppliers may also provide scientific data about the products the buyers plan to order.

Pre-production Inspection

This inspection focuses on checking the factory manufacturing equipment, in which the quality engineer performs various checks to assess whether the production line, tools, and dies are in good working condition. It is conducted before the production process begins in order to determine the quantity and quality of raw materials and components. It shows whether they conform to the product specifications. An inventory of materials and parts needed for the finished product may also be conducted. This inspection helps to take necessary steps when dealing with time-sensitive orders.

First-article Inspection

The Quality Inspector conducts a thorough dimensional check using specific quality inspection tools. This inspection applies to components and machined parts. It is the right choice when importing machined parts and components and acts as a preventive action that aims at minimizing the risks of non-conforming batches.

During Production Inspection

This quality control is performed when 20 to 8% of goods are manufactured and involves a specific quality control checklist. It focuses on products as well as on the manufacturing process. In this inspection, any defects or sub-performance detected are documented, and potential improvements are put forward.

Pre-Shipment Inspection

This is the most preferred product quality check in China, which is conducted on the factory floor by skilled engineers when 80% or more of your order is packaged. It makes an important part of China’s inspection service like integrity, shipping mark, measurements, and weight, and includes packaging as well as the product itself. Receiving a Quality inspection report allows the importers to easily know if a product is compliant and which corrective actions should be taken if needed.

Loading Inspection

This quick and concise inspection is the final step of inspection services. It takes place at the warehouse before the products are loaded in a shipping container and exported from China. This involves inventory, key product specification, and loading supervision. Many importers opt for loading inspection as they get the assurance that their merchandise has been loaded and secured before shipment with minimum cost.

Quality Improvement

Some sourcing companies also provide quality improvement programs tailored to importing businesses committed to facilitating ongoing improvement of their operations. It involves taking all the data generated during your previous orders and identifying and rooting out the inefficiencies and defects. Since each buyer has its own set of parameters, quality improvement programs can be tailored as per the requirements of each foreign buyer enterprise and supply.

How Can Inspection Companies Help?