When to inspect and what the inspection decides
A pre-shipment inspection takes place when production is complete, or nearly complete, and the goods are packed or can be packed for sampling. A common rule is to start when at least 80% of the lot is finished and packed, and every carton of the lot is available for sampling when the inspector arrives. The inspection decides whether the lot may ship, needs sorting or rework, or must be held. It does not replace in-line checks during production, which find problems while they are still cheap to correct, and it does not replace a factory audit, which looks at the plant and not at the lot.
The result belongs in the contract. Before production, the buyer and plant agree the sample the lot must match, the test list, the defect classes and the sampling plan. The inspection then compares the lot with that agreement, and a disagreement has a document to refer to.
The standard set of checks
| Area | What the inspector does | Typical vacuum-specific points |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and cartons | Counts cartons, checks mixing of models and colours | Model and colour on carton match the order; accessories counted per unit |
| Appearance | Compares sampled units with the approved sample | Housing gaps, scratches, label position, bin and filter fit |
| Function | Runs each sampled unit on all modes | Power switch, speed settings, brush rotation, indicator lights, docking and charging |
| Electrical safety | Dielectric strength test on corded units; charger check on cordless | Cord strain relief, plug marking, charger rating label |
| Performance | Measures a small sample against the agreed specification | Suction or airflow reading and input power on a sample bench; runtime on a fully charged battery for a few units |
| Noise | Spot reading where equipment allows | Reading against the datasheet limit; abnormal motor or bearing noise by ear |
| Marking and manual | Reads rating plate, manual, warnings | Language, voltage and plug type for the market, battery markings, importer details |
| Packaging | Carton drop test and measurement | Carton dimensions and weight match the declared data; drop test passes without damage to the unit |
Sampling and defect classes
Sampling follows a standard acceptance quality limit scheme, commonly based on ISO 2859-1 tables, where the sample size depends on the lot size and the inspection level. Defects are sorted into three classes: critical, which are safety defects or non-compliance with the market's requirements; major, which affect function or would lead to a return; and minor, which are cosmetic. Critical defects are normally set to zero acceptance, while limits for major and minor defects are agreed between buyer and plant, and the numbers belong in the written specification for the program. Without them, an inspector can only describe what was seen, not decide.
Cordless and robot units add checks
- Battery pack: pack label with voltage, capacity and watt-hour rating; UN 38.3 marking where applicable; cell and pack batch numbers that match the documents; charge state at shipment according to the carrier's rules.
- Charger: output rating, plug type for the destination and the safety marking.
- Robot units: app pairing and connectivity on a sample, firmware version matching the approved one, map creation on a test floor, dock return, and the radio marking required by the market.
- Dock and accessories: self-empty or mop-wash functions run once; consumables and spare filters counted.
The shipment rules that follow are in shipping cordless vacuums, and documents behind the battery are covered by the plant's records, as in the audit checklist.
In-line checks and how they fit with the final inspection
A final inspection is a point in time. To make it a formality rather than a surprise, the desk usually adds one in-line check when roughly a third of the lot has been assembled. At that point the inspector looks at the first completed units, the incoming motor and cell records, the test station logs and the packing instruction, and compares them with the approved sample. Faults found here, such as a loose brush cover, a wrong plug type or a missing manual language, are corrected on the remaining two thirds of the lot instead of being found in sealed cartons.
For long programs, particularly the first ODM order, a staged plan is common: a sample approval, an in-line check, the final inspection, and a container loading check that confirms the right cartons are loaded and the load is secured. Each step is a small cost compared with a returned lot.
Inspection is also where the buyer's own records matter. Keep the approved sample, the written specification and the earlier reports in one folder, and give the inspector access to the same set the plant uses. Disagreements usually come from two parties working from two versions of the same drawing, not from bad faith.
Reading the report
A good report lists the lot size, the sample size, the standard used, the defects found by class with photographs, the functional and safety test results, the carton check and a recommendation. Photographs of defects, of the rating label and of the carton make the report usable by the buyer's own staff. Three outcomes are normal.
- Pass: release the shipment and the balance payment according to the contract.
- Pass with comments: minor items noted; the buyer may accept or ask for correction of those items before shipment.
- Fail: the plant sorts and reworks the lot, then a re-inspection is booked. The cost of re-inspection and the time it adds are stated in the order terms.
Pay attention to trends in repeat orders. A plant that passes with the same minor defect three times is telling the buyer where a drawing, a jig or a packing instruction is unclear.
Practical points for the booking
- Book three to five working days before the planned ship date, so a failed lot can be corrected without losing the vessel.
- Send the approved sample, the test list, the packing instruction and the defect classes to the inspector in advance.
- Ask for the inspection to be unannounced on the day within a window, and for all cartons to be available, not a pre-selected pile.
- Keep a golden sample at the plant and one with the buyer, signed and dated.
The desk books inspectors in the plant's region, supplies the checklist and reviews the report with the buyer. To include inspection in a program, add it to your brief through the quote form, and review how it fits the timeline on MOQ and lead time.