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Inspection

Pooja Gupta Singla

Inspection
Inspection is the process of examining an object for identification or

checking it for verification of quality and quantity in any of its


characteristics. It is an important tool for ascertaining and controlling
the quality of a product.
Inspection is an appraisal activity that compares goods or services to a
standard. Inspection can occur at three points:
1) Before production,
2) During production, and
3) After production.
The logic of checking conformance before production is to make sure
that input are acceptable. The logic of checking conformance during
production is to make sure that the conversion of inputs into outputs is
proceeding in an acceptable manner. The logic of checking
conformance of output is to make a final verification of conformance
before passing goods on to customers.
According to Alford Beatty, Inspection is the art of applying tests,
preferably by the aid of measuring appliances to observe whether a
given item or product is within the specified limits of variability or not.

Objectives of Inspection
The main objective of inspection

is to identify
quality problems or deviation from standards that
have been set in the production of an output. The
objectives of inspection are as follows:
1) Maintenance of Quality: The fundamental purpose
of inspection is to maintain the quality of the
product. This function is performed by comparing
materials, semi-finished or finished products, men
and machines and tools with the established
standards. Items which conform to the specifications
or are within the acceptable limits are accepted and
other items are rejected.

Cont.
2) Improving the Product Quality: By comparing the
quality of the products against the set standards, the
defective items are located and probable reasons for
the defects are established. Necessary adjustments
are done for future by removing the reasons for
defects and thus the quality of the product is
improved steadily and regularly. It helps in
safeguarding the prestige and confidence of the
organization in the eyes of the consumers.
3) Reduction in Costs: As raw materials are inspected
to see whether they are as per standards or not the
defective raw materials are thus not allowed to be
used in production. Thus, it saves the organization
from loss if any and reduces the costs of production.

Basic Areas to Inspection


There are four basic areas to Inspect. From the raw materials
coming into the factory right through to the customer using the
product or service. Inspecting the
final quality form the
consumers point of view is far more important than the quality of
the raw materials. This is quite often overlooked by companies.
1) Incoming Materials: Raw materials and component parts are
rigorously checked. If they are not up to quality they can be
returned to the supplier, a lower price negotiated, damaged
parts cut out of sub-standard for the sale of Seconds.
2) Production: Key Stage in Production are established and the
relevant Quality Indicators are checked at Critical Control Points.
3) Finishing: The final product or service is thoroughly checked
before it is dispatched to the customer. It should also be checked
all the way down the distribution chain until it reaches the actual
customer.
4) After Sales: After Sales is a key point for any company. Quality
Control must be involved extracting data from sales returns,
servicing, customer complaints, etc.

Types of Inspection
Basically inspections are of following two
types:
1) Cent Percent
2) Sample Inspection
But on the basis of location of work spot,
inspection function of quality control may
be:
3) Centralized Inspection
4) Decentralized Inspection

Cent Percent Inspection


Cent Percent inspection means, the inspection of each and
every piece of store or on has the obvious advantage of
giving complete assurance that all the defective material has
been eliminated from the inspected lot. However, it has
certain drawbacks, which makes it unsuitable for certain
situations. Since each piece is to be inspection , it proves
very expensive and tine consuming, particularly where large
quantities are involves. In the case of stores such as
ammunition where inspection takes the form of destructive
tests, 100% inspection is impossible, as it would mean 100%
destruction. Further it is not generally realized that the
assurance given by 100% inspection is not really complete.
The risks involved in cent per cent inspection arise from
human errors of failing to detect defective articles due to the
experiments on 100% inspection have shown that the
percentage errors is by no means negligible.

Cont.
Another serious criticism leveled against 100%

inspection is that it appears to divert the


responsibility for the quality from the producer to
the inspector. Once a product has been accepted
after 100% inspection, the producer tends to
think that his responsibility regarding its quality
is over and if any defects are found in the product
later on, the inspector should be answerable. It
hardly needs to be said that it is the manufacture
who builds the quality into the product. The
inspector may fail to defective but he certainly
cannot add a defect in the product.

Sample Inspection
Any inspection procedure involving 100% inspection

needs huge expenditure of time, money and labour,


expenditure on inspection is always considered as
dead weight cost. The nature of items may be such
that these may be completely destroyed during the
process of inspection e.g. life of a candle. Evidently in
such cases 100% inspection cannot be planned.
The alternative is statistical sampling inspection
method. Here from the whole lot some items are
selected for inspection and a decision regarding the
quality of the whole lot i s taken on the basis of the
sampled items. The items can be selected by various
sampling methods. Here the whole lot is accepted if
the sample items conform to the specifications
otherwise it is rejected. Thus the sample items are
considered to be the representatives of the whole lot.

Advantages of Sample Inspection


The advantages of sample inspection are as follows:
1) The items which are subjected to destructive test must be inspected
by sampling inspection only.
2) The cost and time required for sampling inspection is quite less as
compared to 100% inspection.
3) Problem of inspection fatigue which occurs in 100% inspection is
eliminated .
4) Smaller inspection staff is necessary.
5) Less damage to products because only few items are subjected to
handling during inspection.
6) The problem of monotony and inspector error introduced by 100%
inspection is minimized.
7) The lot is disposed of in shorter time so that scheduling and delivery
are improved.
8) The most important advantage of sampling inspection is that, it exerts
more effective pressure on quality improvement. Since, the rejection of
entire lot on the basis of sampling brings much stronger pressure on
quality improvement than the rejection of individual articles.

Disadvantages of Sample Inspection


1) Since the conclusion is based on a sample

there is always some likelihood/risk of


making wrong inference about the quality of
the lot. This is termed as Producers risk or
consumers risk.
2) The success of the scheme depends on,
randomness
of
samples,
quality
characteristic to b e tested, lot size,
acceptance criteria etc.

Centralized Inspection
General
Manager
Sales
Manager

Manufacturi
ng Manager
Plant
Manager
Quality
Manager

Inspection

Purchasin
g
Manager

Centralized Inspection
Centralized

inspection function is in direct reporting


relationship with quality control manager. Centralized
inspection is performed at a central location. It is particularly
needed in case inspection devices that are too costly to be
duplicated, need specialized handling by technicians, or
require controlled environmental conditions.
Sometimes, this type of inspection is also carried-out in
inspection rooms. In that condition there will be one inspection
room far the entire factory or a number of inspection sections
maintained on different location of the plant. The parts of
products to be checked are moved to the inspection rooms
where various measuring devices are located. After inspection,
the necessary materials are returned to respective department
with necessary instructions. The main idea in this type of
inspection is to separate inspection from manufacturing.
Centralized inspection provides conditions for inspection such
as required temperature and dust-free environment, etc.

Advantages of Centralized Inspection

Centralized inspection cab be carried even with


the helpless skilled inspections.
Interference is less and supervision of inspection
work is better.
With the aid of fixed an d automatic inspection
devices, mass inspection at lower cost is
possible.
Accurate inspection with delicate instruments
can be done under controlled atmosphere.
Less number of gauges and instruments are
required.
Decisions of doubtful cases can be taken at once
by authority.
The shops mostly remain neat and clean as there

Advantages of Centralized Inspection

It permits more intensive utilization of inspecting


personnel and testing equipment.
It makes possible use of sensitive testing devices
which need standard testing conditions so far as
temperature, humidity, dirt, etc., are concerned.
It saves cost by obviating the need of investment in
multiple units of measuring which will have to be
made in case of decentralized inspection.
It permits relatively closer supervision of inspecting
staff,
and
more
efficient
maintenance
of
instruments.
Inspectors can have easy access to records, books,
journals, and reference material which would not be
available to them on the shop floor.
Inspection may be more objective and impartial as

Disadvantages of Centralized Inspection


1) Material handling is more.
2) Delay at inspection room causes wastage of time.
3) Workers will come to know their weak points much after the
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9)

completion of jobs.
Routing, scheduling, and dispatching include the inspection
room, so the work of production control increases.
Due to non-detection of machine errors in time, there may
be more spoilage of work.
Increased cost and delays involved in transportation of
materials, parts, etc., to centralized locations.
Lack of touch with real operating situations.
Piling-up of defective work until the lot is ready to be
dispatched inspection.
Delays in corrective action which will have to wait the receipt
of inspection report.

Decentralized Inspection/Floor Inspection


Decentralized inspection means inspection on the
point of production, it requires the inspector fully
equipped with all their devices or equipment to go
to the point of work and visit the machines and
check the materials coming-out from the machine
on the spot.
Decentralization inspection is located in the plant,
and reports to plant manager. The quality
manager
exercise
functional
control
over
decentralized inspection by laying down methods,
instruments, points, and frequency of inspection.

Advantages of Decentralization
1) Material

2)
3)
4)
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9)

movement are avoided because after production,


inspectors visit the spot where the finished products are kept
and inspect them. This saves time considerably.
Errors are rectified on time.
Delay at inspection room is avoided and it results in time
saving and reducing the indirect labour cost.
The work of routing and scheduling can be eliminated.
Workflow is maintained.
It saves cost of transportation and handling of materials which
will have to be incurred in case of centralized inspection.
Workers do not have to wait for inspectors to approve set-up of
machines, and for starting processing operations.
It avoids possible accumulation of defective materials and parts.
Inspectors can demonstrate and explain the defects to
operatives and supervisors.

Disadvantages of Decentralized Inspection


1) In case there is insufficient inspection work at a work

station, it may result in under-utilization of inspecting


2)
3)
4)
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8)

personnel and testing instruments.


Decentralized inspection involves extra cost in multiple
units of inspecting devices.
Some items need the use of special testing equipment
which may be available only centrally.
Under this method, inspectors have to move from one
area to another and his time is wasted.
Keeping a track of good or bad products is slightly difficult.
The inspectors have to carry with them is slightly difficult.
There is delay in deciding doubtful cases.
Highly qualified and skilled workers have to be employed.

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