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I have been involved in Quality Assurance in China and quality operations of my clients for a decade now. While most of them know about DPI (During Production Inspection) and its use, some international buyers are unaware of its existence as a quality control service.
Pre Shipment Inspection (PSI), also called Final Random Inspection (FRI) is the most known of quality checks. Especially for buyers from China, drop shippers, who usually choose it because it’s a cost-efficient solution and genuinely lowers the potential for shipping defective products from China.
However, During Production Inspection, also called Inline Inspection, is one second most booked quality checks. Today is the day I choose to tell you all about it, and especially, 3 warning signs that show you, as a Buyer in China, need a During Production Inspection.
What is a During Production Inspection
A Dupro inspection is one of the 4 main quality checks used when buying in China. It consists in :
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- Selecting parts & finished products randomly in the production;
- Assess which defects or nonconformities are found within the sampled parts and products;
- Assess the number of defects and non-conformities within the sample lot;
- Report to the client;
But the most interesting, and helpful part of a During Production Inspection, is the search for the origin of the defects and nonconformities. Once origin has been identified, the quality inspector usually identifies the solutions.
If you wish to learn more about Dupro Inspection, when it happens, scopes of inspection, inspection report, etc… feel visit the During Production Inspection main page.
Who usually needs inline quality checks?
This one is a bit tricky, simply because DuPro Inspection was not developed as a quality control service for a specific type of client, but for specific purchasing projects. So let’s have a quick look at it this way :
A DPI is one of the quality checks that involves inspecting parts and components of a finished product;
A DPI main goal is to identify defects early in the manufacturing process;
A DuPro check is there to assess the production rate and on-time delivery;
These 3 characteristics above give you a pretty good idea on the profile of Buyers likely to book a during production inspection in China. That is a company that potentially orders complex products from Chinese manufacturers. Or it may have specific requirements when it comes to processes. Another type of buyer could be a company that receives too many complaints and has assessed that a final random inspection is not efficient enough. The last type of foreign buyer would be one with a high ordering frequency, for whom late deliveries could mean huge losses. The third type of foreign importer
How to prepare a during production inspection in China?
Everyone is looking for the ideal time to conduct a DuPro inspection onsite. However, this may depend widely on the type of supplier in China, the type of supply chain, or even the buyer’s personal preference.There is, however, a simple way to decide when to order a DuPro quality check in China.
The ideal time for a DPI is anytime between the completion of the 1st finished product, and no later than 80% of the overall order is complete. Why? Well. Because During Production is about taking advantage of the remaining time before shipment from China!
Spotting defects during any quality checks is one thing, but dealing with it, while maintaining on-time delivery is something entirely different!
3 reasons your business needs a DPI
If you are reading this article, it means that you will recognize any of the 5 situations listed below. With a little chance and help from JS Sourcing, your business will be able to implement a successful Quality Assurance in China, with no more surprises, and very low nonconformities.
Late shipments from China cost too much
Whether it be in China, or anywhere else in the world, late deliveries is an ever-going issue for some importers. Dealing with late shipments are potentially dangerous (out-of-stock situation, late delivery fines, …). And they require a certain amount of resources to be dealt with. All in all, businesses consider late deliveries as a risk.
A During Production Inspection is an inexpensive way to identify inefficiencies in manufacturer’s production. It also shows the severity of this issue, as well as the will to find a solution to it from your part. DuPro quality control service is a good way to finally understand why your supplier in China delivers later than expected.
Too many nonconformities during the Pre-Shipment Inspection
As said earlier, FRI (final random inspection) often happens when 80% to 100% of the goods are ready to ship. At that stage, it is too late to prevent defects, or rework goods without pushing off shipping from China.
The During Production Inspection is the next of quality checks in China that allow to prevent issues early during manufacturing. Additionally, a quality check conducting during manufacturing usually is key to understand the origin of failures in your supplier’s manufacturing process. And knowledge, is key.
My product specifications are not fully met
Quality checks happening towards the end of the product are less useful when a core specification has not been met. For example, internal wiring in a complex lighting fixture. Identifying the this issue days before intended loading date, is not as helpful as if it were known earlier :
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- – once a product is finished, reworking an internal component may result in destroying/ damaging the current production ;
- – identifying a severe defect or nonconformity earlier gives your business enough leeway to find a solution. And, if necessary, to communicate with your client.
In a nutshell, During Production Inspection is a super efficient tool to deter defects on your products early on. Additionally to being an inexpensive control quality service, the inline inspection gives you the needed proof and leverage to put production on the right tracks. If you company buys from China, you may consider adding a DPI in your risk management tool list.