Inspection planning

The product record identifies the item being checked. Each active specification sets a parameter, test method, frequency and, where relevant, a lower, upper or target value. A quality standard can be linked to the specification. The engineer should agree which revision applies at the inspection date before inspectors begin measuring.

Inspection types distinguish incoming, first article, in process, final, customer return and supplier audit work. An inspection plan ties an item and type to a frequency, effective dates and an optional sample plan. The owner can specify whether a calibrated tool is required. This allows the same item to have different checks at different stages without replacing its specifications.

A sample plan relates lot size and inspection level to sample, accept and reject numbers. When the inspection is created or its lot size or selected sample plan changes, the sampling workflow resolves those numbers. A referenced plan takes precedence when its lot range covers the lot; otherwise the workflow seeks an active matching plan. Check the resulting numbers before work begins, especially when the lot is near a range boundary.

• Product basis. Keep item codes and active specifications together so inspectors choose the right parameter.
• Inspection stage. Bind the item to the intended inspection type and effective plan.
• Sampling decision. Confirm lot size and the resulting sample, accept and reject numbers on the inspection.

Quality Engineer and Quality Manager should choose which products enter the first cycle, who owns each inspection plan, and which specification version applies. Review overlapping effective dates and plan ranges with an actual lot. Decide how receipt, work order, schedule and return references will arrive. Those source systems can be connected as part of implementation.

Take a component arriving against a receipt reference. Record its lot size, select the incoming inspection type and inspect the linked item plan. Compare the written sample plan range with the numbers shown on the inspection. Ask the Inspector / QC Operator to open the record, find the current specification and enter a measurement. Change the lot size in a rehearsal and check that the sample numbers update. Keep the earlier result evidence intact when doing so.

• My Inspection Worklist — Assigned inspections with item, type and current status.
• Open Inspections — Open work across the quality team, ready for an inspector.

Continue with inspection to nonconformance and sample setup.