Defects detected during visual inspections are classified into three categories as follows
Minor defects are usually small, insignificant issues that don’t affect the function or form of the item. In most cases, the customer wouldn’t even notice a minor defect on a product.
And the customer wouldn’t likely return an item due to a minor defect alone.It should be understood that even the smallest speck of dust can affect the quality of products.
For example, dust inside the LED panel or light bulb will leave dark spots on the panel itself, and the light distribution will not be ideal.
Again, you can make a list of minor defects yourself according to your understanding of the quality level of your products and their compliance with the expectations of your customers.
The default acceptance limit of minor defects according to AQL is 4.0. For a sample size of 500 pieces, the acceptable amount of minor defects is 21 pieces. If an inspector finds 22 or more defects in a sample of 500 pieces, it is recommended not to accept the batch.
Major defects are more serious than minor defects. A product with major defects departs significantly from the buyer’s product specifications. Major defects are those which could adversely affect the function, performance or appearance of a product.
These defects are readily noticeable by the customer. And these defects would likely cause a customer to return the product, lodge a complaint or request a refund in response.
GMG might accept an order with relatively few major defects and we are likely to reject an order, or ask their supplier to hold or rework it, if the goods fail inspection due to an excessive number of major defects found.An example of major defects in electrical products is non-compliance with the specified product characteristics.
For example, if the actual power of your power bank does not match the power indicated on the label - this case happens quite often, because suppliers replace the batteries inside the power bank (or insert a dummy) and pass them off as more powerful.
Critical defects are defined as non-compliance with mandatory regulations that may harm the consumer's health, safety, or the environment.
These include defects of product functionality and safety, as well as defects in product quality, including appearance.For electrical products, an example of a critical defect would be if your product doesn’t pass a hi-pot test or earth continuity testing, indicating unsafety of the product that poses a risk of electric shock.
Also, defects related to non-compliance with hygiene, product storage conditions and the risk of spreading diseases, for example, the presence of hair, mold, blood drops on the product or packaging, traces of insects, etc.
The default tolerance for critical defects according to AQL is 0, which means that even if one critical defect is detected, it is not recommended to accept the batch for shipment, and better to recheck the whole production again for defects.
These defects put businesses at serious risk of product liability issues, lawsuits and product recalls. In GMG we expect to have a “zero tolerance” policy for critical defects in their orders commensurate with this risk. An item will often fail product inspection if a single critical defect is found within the order.
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