Hey guys! After last week’s long weekend, new year, new inspection. Yehey! So, last Wednesday I went to a factory inspection in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. It was the inspection for ratchet tie down strap. Let’s discover together!
Let’s go!
Our inspector of the day is John. It was rainy day, John and I gathered at the factory’s office which is not really far from our office, and from their office, the persons in charge took us to the factory. It usually happens when the factory and its office are located separately.
On Our Way to the Factory
The Environment Around the Factory
After we arrived at the factory, we immediately get started. First, we were brought to their warehouse to check the packaging. Packaging is always 1 of the essential issues that is needed to be checked. We checked how well the packaging was, did it conformed to what customer asked or not.
Inside the Warehouse
After we checked the packaging, we left the stamp mark on the boxes that clarified, it’d been checked.
Next, we moved to their production line to open some of the boxes and inspect the products. That day, based on AQL, we had to inspect 80 sets that consist of 4 straps each set, so in total was 320 straps were needed to be checked.
One of the Production Lines, Where We Checked the Products
The Almost Finished Products That We Found
Boxes That We Opened to Make Sure
Why did we open boxes? Yes we know it had been packed, but why should we open? We need to makes sure the products condition inside the boxes. Usually, suppliers would say “They’re all the same, no need to open”. Is what the suppliers say right? Let’s go on and find out the answer!
Our Inspector, John needed to inspect all in total 320 products, from the appearance, the functions, the dynamics, etc. It took quite a time and it did need thoroughness. If you notice, he always holds his phone. Yes, he needs to take pictures as the proof and upload it on our system, called Tech4Trade. Tech4Trade is our brilliant system that enables you to check your product at the time it’s inspected, called Real Time Reporting System and SBE Inspection is the only inspection company that gives you this service. You can monitor the inspection process and you can also communicate with the inspector.
Measurement Test
After all these specifications check, we checked the functionality. Usually, suppliers will provide us the place where we can test the product and also help us arranging the product.
Next, we moved to another place in the factory to check its loading capacity.
This big machine measured the loading of this strap. The result was shown on the monitor that was connected to the machine.
Result, Result, Result…
The result was not that satisfying. Out of those 320 products, we found defects on some of the products and the result of the inspection was FAIL.
Do you see the defect?
The inspection ended at around 2 o’clock. After that, we went to eat lunch together with the factory’s persons in charge.
Bibimbap for Lunch!