What is product inspection? Benefits, precautions, and efficiency tips
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Product inspection is an essential process in the manufacturing industry. Proper quality inspection is required to ensure product quality and gain customer trust.
However, do you fully understand the purpose of product inspection, the specific methods, and the key points for efficiency?
This article explains the basics of product inspection and tips for improving efficiency for managers and quality control and production control personnel in the retail and manufacturing industries. Checking for defects and errors in materials, fabrics, and processing processes is particularly important in industries such as clothing, household goods, and pharmaceuticals.
If you are a company representative who wants to automate product inspection and improve business efficiency, please refer to this article.
What is product inspection performed on manufacturing sites?
Product inspection is an important process that forms the basis of quality control in the manufacturing industry.
Products are inspected in a variety of ways to ensure they are manufactured as designed and are safe to use.
Here we will look at the definition of product inspection and how it differs from related quality control and quality assurance.
We use accurate measuring equipment to test products to check their weight, size, functionality, etc., and make any necessary adjustments.
This will prevent non-conforming products and problems from occurring, and create a system for delivering products that end users can use with confidence.Checks based on laws and JIS standards are also essential.
Ultimately, these processes ensure high product quality and earn customer trust, which leads to success.
What is product inspection?
Product inspection is the process of verifying whether manufactured products or parts meet quality standards, including predetermined inspection items.
This involves directly checking the dimensions of products and parts, as well as the presence or absence of scratches, and is usually carried out on factory production lines or in product warehouses.
The purpose of product inspection is to detect and eliminate defective products made from defective raw materials or supplies before they reach the market.
If defective products end up in the hands of consumers, not only will the company lose customer trust, but it will also damage its brand image.
The difference between "product inspection" and "quality control" or "quality assurance"
Product inspection, quality control, and quality assurance are all activities that ensure product quality, but each has a different role to play.
Quality control refers to the management of the entire manufacturing process, from product design to raw material procurement, manufacturing, inspection, and shipping, and refers to activities to manage the entire process and improve quality.
For example, Statistical Process Control (SPC) can be used to monitor fluctuations in a manufacturing process and respond quickly if an abnormality occurs.
On the other hand, quality assurance is the activity of meeting customer expectations. It refers to all the activities a company performs to ensure product quality, and is not limited to quality control activities.
Product inspection is part of quality control, including collecting and analyzing customer feedback and handling complaints, and is an important element that supports quality assurance.
Behind the success of our products can be said to be our highly reliable quality control system and strict product inspection process.
This will enable us to deliver products that end users can wear with confidence. To improve quality in the manufacturing industry, these activities must be interconnected and carried out efficiently.
Types of product inspections and how they are carried out
There are many different methods for product inspection, which vary depending on the purpose of the inspection and the target product.
It is important to select and combine appropriate methods depending on the type of product and manufacturing process.
Inspection timing includes receiving inspection, in-process inspection, and shipping inspection, and each stage has a different purpose.
Incoming inspections check whether raw materials and parts comply with regulations, in-process inspections enable early detection and correction of defects that occur during the manufacturing process, and shipping inspections are used to make final confirmation that the quality of the finished product meets customer expectations.
Inspection types include visual inspection, dimensional measurement, functional testing, and microbiological testing. For example, in the case of clothing, checking the stitching and fabric is important. On the other hand, in the case of pharmaceuticals, tests such as temperature control and component analysis are essential.
Appropriately selecting these inspection methods and utilizing them as needed will lead to the provision of high-quality products.
From here, let's take a look at the timing, types, and implementation methods of product inspections.
Main testing times
Product inspections can be divided into several types depending on when they are carried out. First, check to see if they meet predetermined quality standards.
This inspection prevents the mixing of defective products and prevents problems from occurring in later processes.
The next step is inspection on the production line at the manufacturing site, where products are checked for defects during production, and the shipping inspection (final inspection) is the final check on the finished product.
Main types of tests
There are three main types of product inspection: visual inspection, functional inspection, and sensory inspection.
Visual inspection involves checking for scratches, dents, and dirt on the product using visual inspection, cameras, inspection equipment, image sensors, etc.
For example, visual inspections to check for scratches on the exterior of a car or checking for bubbles or scratches on a smartphone screen are important for ensuring the appearance and quality of a product.
Functional testing is the process of verifying that a product works correctly and meets the required performance standards. For example, in the case of home appliances, this may involve testing whether a refrigerator maintains the set temperature or verifying that a washing machine operates normally in the specified wash cycle.
This testing will ensure the reliability of the product in real-world use.
Sensory testing is a testing method that utilizes the five human senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch).
We evaluate the quality of products that require sensory characteristics, especially foods and fragrances.
For example, in the sensory evaluation of coffee, expert panelists evaluate the balance of aroma and flavor, and tactile tests are conducted to check the texture and absorption of cosmetics.
These inspections are essential for evaluating product quality from multiple angles and providing products that customers can trust.
Main testing methods
There are two main methods for product inspection.
One is 100% inspection, which is a method of individually inspecting all manufactured products.
The advantage of this method is that it allows for strict checking to ensure that all products comply with the standards, resulting in extremely accurate quality assurance. However, the disadvantage is that the inspection process tends to take a lot of time and is costly.
The other method is sampling, where a small sample is selected from a product lot for testing.
The advantage of sampling inspection is that it is more efficient than full inspection, as it requires less time and cost while still ensuring a certain level of quality. The disadvantage is that since judgments are based on a small number of samples, there is a risk of overlooking defective products.
Both inspection methods play an important role in product quality control.
Benefits and precautions of product inspection
Product inspection will help maintain stable quality and identify the causes of defects, leading to quality improvements.
On the other hand, there are some points to be aware of, such as unclear inspection standards and human error. Here we will look at the benefits and points to be aware of when conducting product inspections.
Benefits of product inspection
Product inspection offers the following benefits:
• Maintain stable quality and identify the causes of defects to improve quality.
• Detect defects during the manufacturing stage and prevent defective products from being released
• Improved productivity and product reliability can be expected.
• Increase trust from customers and business partners
• Contributes to improved consumer satisfaction
By maintaining stable quality, it is possible to identify the causes of defective products and lead to quality improvements.
Furthermore, early detection of defects during the manufacturing process will help prevent defective products from being sold.
This will lead to improved productivity and product reliability, which will ultimately lead to increased trust from customers and business partners, and will contribute to increased consumer satisfaction.
Important points to note when conducting product inspections
On the other hand, there are some points to be aware of when inspecting products:
• Clarify the inspection criteria, including the items to be inspected.
• Consider the risk of human error
• It is necessary to find a balance between cost and inspection accuracy.
When conducting product inspections, it is important to clearly define the inspection criteria, including the inspection items.
Unclear standards can lead to inconsistent test results, and the risk of human error must also be kept in mind.
It is important to note that test results may vary depending on the experience and fatigue level of the worker.
Furthermore, it is important to strike a balance between cost and testing accuracy. Excessive testing costs can put pressure on a company's profits, so careful consideration is required.
Key points for streamlining product inspection
It is important to select the most appropriate inspection method depending on the product characteristics and production scale.
Product inspection can be made more efficient by promoting automation and digital transformation and optimizing the inspection process. Here we will explain the key points for making product inspection more efficient.
Promoting automation and digitalization
To improve inspection accuracy and reduce inspection time, consider using image processing, sensor measurement, and building an automatic measurement system.
By utilizing AI, more advanced inspections can be realized. Computerizing forms and checklists and digitizing inspection data are also effective.
There are many benefits to digitizing forms and checklists. Compared to paper forms, data entry and tallying work will be significantly more efficient.
Since digitized data can be shared in real time, information can be shared smoothly among stakeholders, there is no need to worry about loss or damage like with paper documents, it is suitable for long-term storage, and it also leads to cost reductions.
Optimization of inspection processes
To prevent human error and work becoming dependent on individuals, consider sharing inspection manuals and utilizing flow charts. It is important to aim for visualization and standardization of the inspection process.
Setting clear inspection standards
Set numerical standards to standardize the criteria for inspections, including the inspection items, and reduce the variation in judgment among workers.
It is important to set specific criteria for determining whether a product falls into a gray area. It is also necessary to set clear standards for quality labeling.
Improving the testing environment
To prevent overlooking scratches or other defects on defective products, be sure to ensure proper lighting and work space.
Further evolving product inspection: Digitalizing inspection work with "i-Reporter"
In this article, we have explained the importance of quality inspection in manufacturing and basic methods.
Quality inspections are carried out to check whether products are manufactured as designed and whether safety is ensured, and to prevent the release of defective products.
Promoting digital transformation is essential for improving quality and efficiency. If you want to digitize familiar Excel forms and inspection checklists, we recommend "i-Reporter."
i-Reporter can easily reproduce existing Excel input formats, making it easy for even administrators who are not familiar with the system to operate and manage. Data extraction and data integration can also be expected to reduce costs and improve work efficiency.
By utilizing i-Reporter, it is possible to share inspection data in real time, understand trends through data analysis, and implement rapid improvement measures.
Why not consider introducing i-Reporter to promote digital transformation in product inspection?
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This blog is operated by CIMTOPS Corporation., which develops and sells the field document electronic solution "i-Reporter."
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