5 Inspection & Quality Control Procedures for High-End Furniture Companies
Sinoalex manufacturing facility in China
When you are purchasing partially completed or finished products from a foreign third-party manufacturer, it is prudent to be confident that what they deliver meets all of your expectations.
Quality Control (QC) is a set of procedures put into place to ensure manufactured goods are produced up to an intended quality level.
The intended quality level is identified using one or more qualifying criteria.
Qualifying criteria could be industry-wide and based on compliance to market regulations and international standards or may be defined by the client based on their specific requirements.
One of the best ways to QC products is by inspecting the products during one or more of the phases of production.
Inspections are most commonly performed to either determine defects or non-conformity. Examples of defects would be if a product or part of a product does not function properly, or if incorrect or unauthorized materials have been used in its production.
Non-conformity refers to when a product does not meet the customer’s specification requirements and could range from being the wrong size or weight, wrong dimensions or even incorrect labeling. All types of inspections can be documented using video recordings or pictures as supportive evidence for quality assurance. Very often, clients will require a formal report to be completed alongside the supportive evidence which will look at the qualifying criteria and explain the findings of the inspection.
Below we will discuss the 5 most popular types of inspections used in the furniture industry.
Please keep in mind that these types of inspections are not mutually exclusive and that very often clients will choose multiple of these to ensure the products they received are up to par with their standards.
1) Pre-Production Inspection (PPI)
Pre-production Inspection
When is it completed?
Before the production process begins.
What does it include?
Inspection of raw materials, factory facilities and equipment, the production line and its capabilities.
Occasionally it may include semi-finished samples but this is not required.
Benefits:
It helps one to assess the quantity and quality of raw materials and components and their conformity to product specifications.
It is a good way to check the competency of a new supplier at the beginning of a partnership, or of an existing supplier after any significant changes made to their production line.
Drawbacks:
Since it focuses on the early aspects of the production line, it can only provide an indication of how all the finished products will be, rather than inspect based on the outcome.
2) During Production Inspection (DPI/DUPRO)
When is it completed?
Within the completion of the first 15% of ordered units.
What does it include?
Evaluation and verification of the production line and timeline, sampling of semi-finished and finished products as well as verification of packaging materials. An overall assessment and recommendations may be offered but this depends on the customer’s request.
Benefits:
Most commonly used for items that are in continuous production cycles with strict requirements where quality issues must be identified as early in the manufacturing line as possible. This way it provides early detection of issues that may require amendment which in turn reduces delays in reworking and completing production.
Drawbacks:
Much like PPI, since it focuses on the early aspects of the production line, it can only provide an estimate of how the finished products will be based on the first part of the batch, meaning some discrepancies may come up before the end of the production.
3) Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI)
Pre-shipment inspection
When is it completed?
On finished products when at least 80% of the ordered units are ready to be packed for shipping.
What does it include?
Through a selection of random samples, inspection will check for any defects or non-conformity by checking aspects such as but not limited to: style and colour, functions and safety, workmanship, size specification, package details, shipping marks and even quantity verification.
Benefits:
This is the last chance to spot any issues and take corrective action before production is complete, and before the products have been packed for shipping.
Drawbacks:
This could still be considered very late in the production process since any corrective measures could add weeks if not months to the completion date.
4) Container loading/unloading supervision (LS)
Container loading
When is it completed?
During the phases of loading or unloading of the container, or both.
What does it include?
A check to ensure that your products have been loaded and unloaded correctly to ensure their safe arrival to their final destination.
Inspectors will usually supervise the whole process, from the moment the container is loaded with the first package up until the point it is locked and sealed.
Benefits:
It evaluates the condition of the shipping container, verifies all product information, quantities and packaging compliance to minimise any damage or issues arising during transit.
Drawbacks:
This only looks at how the packaged products are loaded on a container and not at any of the previous stages of production and packaging, meaning this could always be an optional and additional inspection, but never the only one done.
5) Piece-by-piece Inspections
When is it completed?
Once production has been completed, either before or after the packaging inspection.
What does it include?
It requires an inspection of every piece produced looking at everything from general appearance, the quality of workmanship as well as product functionality and safety.
Piece-by-piece inspection
Benefits:
This is the best possible type of inspection for goods that are high-value and must be meticulously checked.
Drawbacks:
Often the most time-consuming and costly type of inspection, since depending on the type of shipment and size, it will require many workers and large numbers of man-hours to complete.
GMCT High Standard Quality Control
At Sinoalex we make sure our inspection and quality control procedures are carried out professionally, as discussed in the article. Please visit www.Sinoalex.com/projects for more of our work and completed projects.
