Up until the time that your production starts, incoming quality control (IQC) are the method of inspecting the quality of materials and parts used to make a product. You may inspect for consistency even before performing a first product inspection or an output inspection with the incoming inspection. This may deem incredibly important as a measure to prevent huge losses in the later stages of production, which may be aptly identified and subverted by carrying out an efficient incoming quality concern (IQC).
Component and material quality is a primary determinant of finished product quality, whether you’re producing industrial or consumer goods. And as any producer is bound to know, quality is what ultimately determines the success of your product in the market. Given the intense competition that exists in an increasingly globalized market of the present age, it should be of utmost priority for a producer to ensure that there isn’t the slightest bit of compromise on the product’s quality.
So, let’s look at how incoming quality control can aid in quality assurance prior to output.
WHY IS INCOMING QUALITY CONTROL IMPORTANT?
The first question that may pop up in any producer’s mind is regarding the need for conducting incoming quality control. In fact, if you’re already carrying out a first product inspection, is an incoming quality control simply another added step in the production process without much benefit to add? The answer is simple: it is an integral part of the production process that you must not forgo in order to ensure that the rest of your production process runs smoothly and on track. Think of it this way- it’s perhaps just as important as choosing the right manufacturer to produce your products.
Foreign manufacturers are usually limited to a few particular manufacturing methods or even product assembly methods. For raw materials, parts, and packaging for their finished products, most manufacturers depend on a network of sub-suppliers. Given that the production of their goods is taking place in a country that is probably thousands of miles away from their homeland, there isn’t much that these manufacturers can do in terms of the selection of different variables that make up the production process.
However, one of the most common blunders made by importers is believing that the quality of raw materials from sub-suppliers would meet their requirements. It’s important to remember that the interest of your supplier may not always perfectly align with yours. While it may be your priority to produce goods of the finest quality to ensure utmost customer satisfaction and sales, your supplier may simply wish to cut down as many costs as possible to earn the highest amount of profit per product for himself. Therefore, the lower the quality of the raw materials used in the products, the lower the cost is for them and consequently the higher the profit.
If you’ve negotiated the order’s price too low to meet the expense of high-grade products or parts, you’re more likely to experience quality issues.
To recoup their margin, suppliers will usually strive to reduce their production costs by:
Use of inferior materials (e.g. lower-quality fabric than required for your garments)
“Quality fade” is a typical occurrence in which manufacturers make minor, incremental material and product substitutions over time. If you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to miss the steady decline in product consistency between orders. As a result, it’s possible that the clients would notice issues before you do. Quality problems aren’t necessarily the outcome of a deliberate judgment on the part of the provider. Controlling for consistency prior to the start of manufacturing can help you avoid quality problems until they impact production units.
How does a Well-Defined Incoming Inspection Protocol Aid in the Prevention of Product Flaws?
To understand just exactly how producers benefit from incorporating incoming quality concerns, assume you’re a handset manufacturer.
So, the question is: How exactly do you effectively monitor the quality of incoming products?
Given that you understand the significance of high-grade products in assessing the final product’s quality, we can assume that ensuring optimal quality is one of your utmost concerns. However, how do you perform incoming quality monitoring to ensure that the components and pieces used in manufacturing are of high quality?
Well, here’s the answer. Prior to mass production, successful IQC is needed. IQC does not involve examining finished products, unlike pre-shipment testing. IQC, on the other hand, is a procedure that can take various forms based on the type of product and quality requirements.
Checking of Components and Materials in an Accredited Lab
What if you purchased a 24-karat gold ring just to find out later that it was just 10 karats? No need to guess here, that would be a huge problem for you! To avoid this kind of problem, a rigorous procedure of checking and testing component and material quality is required.
Methods for Component and Material Testing Include:
- Composition analysis
- trace corrosion tracking
- metals testing
- discovery of unknown compounds
Examples of Testing of Physical Properties:
- Durability
- Reliability
- Strength
- Flammability testing
The majority of importers do not rely on the factory to perform materials testing because such tests often necessitate specialist equipment and staff that the factory does not have.
Allowing factory workers to pick samples for IQC inspection and examination poses a conflict of interest. Factory workers are prone to preference bias, cherry-picking samples that are known to meet quality standards- as discussed at the beginning of this article.
Hiring a competent third-party examiner to pull samples at the warehouse at random means that test samples represent real material consistency in the order. The samples will then be sent to a licensed laboratory for processing by these inspectors.
Depending on the form of Product, Component, and Material, Testing Methods will Differ.
- Materials and parts are inspected upon arrival.
- You will guide the supplier to correct quality problems before manufacturing starts by testing raw materials before it begins.
Incoming inspection procedures for a leather bag order, for example, might involve checking the raw leather for condition defects like wrinkling.
To assess a sample size for testing, inspectors usually use an approval sampling plan like AQL. You may approve or deny the tonne of raw materials for processing based on the inspection results. It’s common practice to re-inspect following some corrective measures to ensure that demands have been fulfilled and that it’s safe to go on with manufacturing. Checking the feature data form (CDF) and other paperwork is also an integral component of this inspection.
Part data types, or constructional data forms, are often correlated with items made up of several different parts, such as consumer electronics (CDF). The CDF of a product assists in the creation of consistent specifications for your provider, meaning that inferior components are not included in the production of your product. A typical CDF may have the following components:
- Number of the object/part
- Authorized manufacturer or owner of a trademark
- Model/type
- Materials, voltages, securement techniques, and measurements are among the technical records.
- UL, IEC, EN, and CSA are examples of standards.
- UL, CE, and CCC are examples of conformity signs.
During IQC inspection, inspectors will physically inspect part construction and compare markings to ensure they fit the CDF.
Verifying a CDF during IQC inspection can therefore reduce the time needed for inspecting and testing components. If you’re confident in the quality of components from your approved manufacturers, it’s reasonable to expect the consistent quality of components from those sources.
Other valuable quality documentation for materials and components may also be demanded from the supplier to ensure all standards are met during production.
You can also ask your supplier for a bill of materials (BOM). A bill of materials (BOM) is a compilation of raw materials, sub-components, and parts used in the production of a commodity. Viewing the BOM will help you confirm that the supplier is using the correct products and parts for your order and that they haven’t mistaken your specifications.
Using a QC checklist to outline your quality criteria will also help ensure that the supplier doesn’t forget your supply and part requirements.
Checked in the lab
Incoming Inspection and CDF and Stock Paperwork Verification
Request details of their incoming inspection process the next time you’re considering dealing with a retailer that claims to sell high-quality goods. If they are unable to have consistent documents, you should consider engaging a third party to perform an IQC inspection to check consistency until it is too late.
Given this discussion, we find ourselves back to the all-important question that we started from earlier:
IS IT NECESSARY FOR YOUR SUPPLIER TO CONDUCT AN INCOMING INSPECTION?
Not every importer has to employ a specialist third party or do their own incoming inspection. Incoming inspection processes should be in place for suppliers that have a well-developed quality control system (QMS).
However, Third-Party Incoming Quality Management can also be useful if:
- You’ve had production problems with prior orders due to raw materials or parts.
- Your product’s raw materials or parts are uncommon, costly, or otherwise impossible to substitute or rework.
- You’re dealing with a potential supplier and want to double-check their incoming inspection procedures.
- For product materials and parts, you’ll need lab tests.
- Are there policies in place that identify approval activities (inspections, checks, and verifications) as well as record-keeping criteria for incoming goods and materials? Is there proof of adherence?
- Is there a known and well-executed method for gathering defects during the initial inspection?
- Is it possible to sort and analyze defects by type/category?
Verify the supplier’s incoming inspection procedures by auditing them. An audit of your supplier’s quality management system, usually conducted in accordance with ISO 9001 guidelines, will assist you in verifying your supplier’s incoming inspection procedures.
FINAL REMARKS
The quality of the raw materials and components used to make up a product determines the consistency and quality of a product. Using high-quality products and parts is the first step toward creating a high-quality product. And problems with materials and parts are always expressed, if not exacerbated, in the final product. As a result, catching some consistency problems with components and products before manufacturing begins is critical. Therefore, save yourself the time, energy, and costs of turning back faulty products by ensuring that the materials going into the manufacturing of your goods meet your standards, to begin with.