Quality management is the act of overseeing all activities and tasks to achieve a desired level of quality – and in this context, During Production Check (DUPRO) inspections play an integral role. Unlike many other quality inspections, DUPRO inspections are performed, as its name implies, during the production when the production is around 20% completed.
In this article, we’ll look closely at what a DUPRO inspection constitutes and explain when these inspections can be helpful.
What is a During Production Check (DUPRO)?
Let’s first start by looking at the meaning of DUPRO. A during production inspection (DUPRO) is different from the more common pre shipment inspection, as it identifies product issues early in the manufacturing process. This type of quality inspection is conducted on-site, and the inspector will inspect and examine the production batch for possible defects when around 20% of the production has been completed.
The typical DUPRO inspection items include the following:
- Packaging and labeling
- Visual inspection
- Physical requirements and dimensions
- Functional testing
- Special tests specific to your product
- Barcode verification
- Drop testing
- Other necessary tests
What Sampling Method Is Used in the DUPRO Quality Inspection?
The inspector will randomly select packed units for shipping and check for defects and other issues. In this context, sampling is often used using the globally recognized ANSI/ASQC Z1.4 (ISO 2859-1) statistical sampling procedure, or what many like to refer to as the Acceptance Quality Level (AQL) method.
Why Inspect During Production?
Inspections are most valuable when they are done during the production process because this is where problems can be effectively pinpointed and fixed on time – before they move further down the production line. If an error is not caught until after production or when it is shipped, it will cost more time and money to fix it because you will have to return the goods and reproduce all of the products that were made with that mistake.
Hence, DUPRO inspections effectively ensure that all products are up to your original specifications, reduce the risk of receiving any defective goods – and detect and resolve issues early on.
The during production check is particularly effective when:
- For larger quantity shipments.
- Productions that have strict requirements for on-time shipments.
- When there are strict specifications and requirements.
How Do You Perform a Factory Quality Control?
Quality control is a key process to ensure your business runs well, and a quality control program ensures your business delivers consistently good products, services, and customer experiences. Developing a quality control process allows your business to operate to full scale, and as word spreads, you’ll gain a good reputation that will keep customers returning.
These checks include:
- Setting your quality standards
- Deciding which quality standards to focus on
- Creating operational processes to deliver quality
- Reviewing your results
- Getting feedback
- Making improvements
What Is Included in a DUPRO Checklist?
At each stage of the production line, inspectors will produce a complete and detailed inspection report, together with supporting pictures, to provide you with comprehensive information and supporting data as evidence. The DUPRO checklist includes:
- Production status
- Production line quality control evaluation and timeline verification
- A random sampling of the semi-finished and finished product
- Package and packaging material
- Overall assessment and recommendations
You can download our free DUPRO inspection sample report here.
Conclusion: During Production Check/DUPRO Inspection: What Is It and What are Its Benefits in Quality Control?
During Production (DUPRO) inspections is an effective way to ensure that products are manufactured up to your original specifications and that any defects are detected and resolved early. This reduces the risk of receiving any defective products and allows you to detect and resolve issues before they move further down the production line and become more costly.
AQM BD has more than 25+ years of experience in quality assurance and offers during production inspection service in China and across 40+ other regions worldwide. Contact AQM BD today to find out how we can help you navigate current quality control challenges.
