There is no denial of the fact that quality control is the ultimate key to the successful delivery of goods. If you don’t have a system whereby you can keep a check on the quality of your goods, then you definitely need one. Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) is a way to inspect your products right before they are shipped. This quality control procedure is carried out by professionals from the Quality Control Department of your area, or a third party. It aids traders, importers, and wholesalers, in guaranteeing the quality of products that they are shipping.
Most of the inspection agencies perform PSI when the product is at least 75% to 80% ready. This gives you an opportunity to take instant measures if any faults are found right before shipping.
Before heading towards the advantages of PSI, let’s have a look at some steps in the PSI procedure.
Visit by Inspection Officers
The Pre-Shipment Inspectors pay a visit to your factory site, or wherever your goods are, and closely inspect them. If they see any restricted chemicals being packed for shipping, they may hold back the shipment and advice for further testing of such chemicals to ensure they are safe to be shipped. Any products that are suspected of having toxins chemicals in them, such as lead, etc. are all taken into further consideration.
Verification of Quantity
The inspection professional will make sure that the goods are in the correct quantity. It often happens that the supplier unintentionally either sends extra cartons or misses on some products that were intended to be shipped. This doesn’t pose a good repute of your company on the buyer and results in your loss. The inspection will be agreed upon between all the parties involved. Packing is another aspect of the situation that has to be checked thoroughly.
The material of the packing is taken into consideration to ensure that the products are safe during transportation. Fragile goods should especially be packed with great care and put in cartons that don’t exert any pressure on them. PSI also ensures that the goods are sent to the right destination by checking all the shipment details.
Goods Selected Randomly For Inspection
Inspectors don’t start testing and checking each of your goods, as it will take a lot of time. Instead, they’ll make use of sampling plans to pick samples of the goods at random and test them. This saves a lot of time and money. The inspected samples give an overview of the overall quality of your goods and ensure that all the goods are safe to be shipped. The Acceptance Quality Limit (AQL) defines the accepted number of defective products in a batch. If the number exceeds the boundary line, the shipment is held back.
Workmanship Check and Conformity Verification
The overall workmanship is the first thing that the inspection professional will take into consideration. This makes visible all the defects that could be present in the products. Defects have three classes: minor, major, and critical. The classes are decided between the buyer and the manufacturer. Minor defects are mostly ignored.
The inspectors check the product from every dimension. Let it be size, color, labeling, and the markings, etc., everything is checked thoroughly. If the products involve garments, the inspectors will check whether the correct sizes are being delivered. The products are constantly compared with the original specifications.
The Safety and Function Testing
This step ensures that the goods you are preparing to ship work properly. The testing falls into many types as the goods belong to distinct categories. Electrical goods must be tested to make sure that they are safe to use. These tests are performed in labs rather than in the factory. For garments, the inspectors will perform physical tests. Stretch tests, fatigue tests, and pull tests are a part of the process. Fabric is also tested for its density and composition. Products that have moving parts, such as bicycles and wheelchairs, require a mechanical safety test. This includes the testing of hinges and screws which are used in the products.
The above-mentioned steps prove to be very beneficial, both for the manufacturer and the buyer. The following are some of the countless benefits of PSI.
- PSI aids in locating the problems beforehand and gives you an opportunity to fix them timely. This means that the client wouldn’t know of any issue, and in this way, the repute of your company can be maintained.
- PSI shields the name of your company. If more and more defects and inaccuracies are reported about your company, it could have a very bad effect on its name.
- The value of the products of your company will increase significantly if the products keep coming of high quality. The clients will come to your company more often, and you’ll have an opportunity to control the pricing of your products according to your demands. Customers often don’t care about the price if the quality is amazing.
- PSI gives you a chance to monitor the weak areas of your company closely. You can either make changes to that area or change the system running in it completely. PSI also saves your time and money as you are getting away from all the defective products that could bring you recalls or returns.
