Here are the steps involved in the pre shipment inspectionprocedure,
1. Order placement, Customers who want to maintain theiritems quality can request a pre shipment inspection. This is not compulsory formost goods. However, medical equipment must always be inspected.
2. Inspector on site, Product inspections usually take placeat the manufacturing site or factory. If any discrepancies are discovered, theitem will be taken to an off site laboratory for further testing.
3. Off site shipping inspections, This is for itemscontaining prohibited or toxic chemicals regulated by the destination market.
4. Quantity check, The inspector counts the shipping cartonsand ensures that the correct number of items and cartons are shipped to thecorrect address. The packaging is also examined to see if the suitablematerials are used and if the items have the correct shipping labels.Afterward, the payment is agreed upon between the buyer and supplier, and thebank initiates payment.
5. Randomized sampling, The inspector chooses productsamples at random for evaluation. All accredited pre shipment inspectionservices use the internationally known statistical sampling approach, ANSI/ASQCZ1.4 (ISO 2859 1). The number of items they select (the Acceptance QualityLimit, or AQL) is also the maximum number of defects allowed in a batch beforeit is rejected.
6. Visual inspection, This involves checking the overallappearance of the products for any visible defects or flaws in the production.Any apparent flaws are recognized and assigned to one of three categories,minor, major, or critical, based on the agreed tolerance levels between themanufacturer and supplier.
7. Volumeric verification, Then the agent checks all thesizes and dimensions (height, width, length, weight) and ensures that theproduction complies with the clients specifications.
8. Functionality verification, Items are tested to checkthat they are working perfectly. This is usually for garments and footwear.
9. Safety test, The safety test is divided into mechanicaland electrical safety testing. For mechanical testing, items with moving partssuch as bicycles are checked for sharp edges or faults that could causeaccidents or injuries to the user. The safety accessories like hinges andscrews are also verified.