Quality Control & Inspection
Checking the goods before they ship is too late on its own. We put the quality expected on the Japanese side into writing first, then check before, during and after production. If the criteria are not met, negotiating the correction with the factory is part of our work.
Inspection can also be commissioned on its own. You can keep the factory you already use.
Most defects are decided by the specification,
not by the inspection
“We inspected before shipment and still had defects” is a common way for this to start. Usually the cause is not the accuracy of the inspection but that nobody agreed what a good unit looks like.
- A finish that is obvious on the Japanese side was never specified in writing
- Tolerances for color, scratches and burrs exist only as words
- Nobody decided who makes the pass or fail call
- Nobody decided who negotiates with the factory once a defect appears
- Labeling and inserts do not meet what the Japanese buyer requires
- Packing does not survive the journey, so the defect is created in transit
We put these into writing before inspection begins. The checks at each stage are made against that document.
Six stages of quality management
At each stage we agree what is checked, what you receive, and what happens when the criteria are not met.
Specification review
The quality required on the Japanese side is written into a document the people on the floor can judge against: dimensions and tolerances, color, the acceptable range of appearance, how function is verified, labeling, and packing conditions.
If it is not met: where a judgment not covered by the document comes up on the floor, it is not decided there. It comes back to Japan first.
Sample approval
Samples are produced and revised until they are right. The approved sample becomes the reference for every pass or fail decision afterwards.
If it is not met: production does not start. We tell you how many revisions it will take and how that moves the delivery date.
Pre-production check
Before mass production begins we verify materials, processes and tooling. Stopping here costs far less than correcting a finished lot.
If it is not met: we stop the start of production and report the cause and the options.
In-line inspection
We check the line while it is running and share photos and video taken on site, so progress can be confirmed from anywhere.
If it is not met: we deal with it on the line rather than waiting for the finished goods.
Pre-shipment inspection
Goods are checked against the criteria agreed in advance: quantity, appearance, function, packing and labeling. How much is checked — every unit or a sample, and at what level — is agreed according to the product and the volume.
If it is not met: we coordinate with the factory to put the shipment on hold. We set out the options — sorting, rework or reproduction — with the effect on the delivery date.
Corrective action
If the criteria are not met, negotiating with the factory, confirming the cause and coordinating measures to prevent recurrence are, in principle, within the scope of our quality management work. If additional on-site work, re-inspection or third-party costs arise, we will explain the details and the cost in advance.
If it is not met: where no improvement is realistic, we will say so and propose changing the factory.
What a pre-shipment inspection covers
The emphasis changes with the product. These are the items asked about most often.
Quantity
Whether the packed quantity matches the order, and whether the count on the carton matches what is inside.
Appearance
Scratches, dirt, uneven color, burrs, misaligned printing. Judged against the approved sample.
Dimensions and function
Whether dimensions are within tolerance, and whether moving parts, power and assembly behave as specified.
Labeling
The markings the Japanese buyer requires, anything required by regulation, model numbers and barcodes.
Packing
Whether the packing survives the journey: cushioning, carton strength, how it is stacked on the pallet.
Inserts
Manuals, warranty cards, accessories — and whether the language and version are correct.
You receive the result as a report. Where an item fails, we show what was different, with photographs.
Depending on the project and production country, inspections may be carried out in coordination with local partners, cooperating staff and third-party inspection companies. The appropriate inspection setup is defined for each project.
Inspection on its own
You can keep your factory. We can start from the point where quality is not stable, or where receiving inspection in Japan is taking too much of your time.
Inspection only
- Keep the factory you already work with
- We start by writing the inspection criteria
- Pre-shipment checks, and the report
- We can also negotiate with the factory when something fails
Factory audit
- Verification before you start with a new factory
- Production capacity, equipment and responsiveness
- The current state of a factory you already use
- What we find is given to you as a report
How much is checked and how often we go in depends on the product, the volume and how defects have been appearing. Tell us the current situation first.