In manufacturing, issues arise constantly and for various reasons. The key to ensuring that issues don’t become catastrophic events is catching them early. That’s where Top of Production inspections come into play.
So, what’s the purpose of Top of Production (TOP) inspections and why are they important?
TOP inspections are performed on raw materials and initial samples respectively, in conjunction with product evaluations against pre-production pieces to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and client specifications. Product inspections at the start of production aim to help eliminate quality issues as early as possible, cutting potential costs, problems, and delays associated with problems discovered late in the development cycle. When 3% to 5% of the order is ready, a control on the first pieces out of the production lines is carried out as per pre-production samples, technical files, customer’s specification, and development history.
TOP inspections exist primarily to catch any issues early on – before an entire order is manufactured – to save time and money associated with potential rework. This is a highly important first step in the inspection process, especially for new products or higher risk products.
When you’re inspecting a new or modified product, you need to be able to catch if any aspect of the item – the color, material, etc. – is outdated at the beginning of the production run before the order is produced. The same goes for higher risk products. It’s crucial to catch major defects ahead of time, namely because the item could potentially be harmful to the customer. It’s also practical to conduct TOP inspections because this gives you time to correct issues before the entire order is produced.
Inspection before you begin actual mass production is crucial because it allows you to stay well ahead of issues before they become production or quality nightmares. You shouldn’t be risking even the slightest delay. Keep your peace of mind by performing quality TOP inspections.