5 Common Defects in Metal Cutlery

by Crystal Ge on 22 Jun 2016 | 0 Comments

Cutlery—sometimes called silverware—rarely receives much attention these days. What was once considered a luxury item, cutlery is often overlooked because of how common it is today in everyday life. Indeed, the use of cutlery dates back to ancient times. As an example, forks for dining first appeared in noble courts of the Middle East and Byzantine Empire in the 7th century.

Topics: Product Inspection

Why Flight Delays in China Are So Common and How to Avoid Them

by Oliver Knack on 17 Jun 2016 | 7 Comments
The Chinese military, weather, and outdated air traffic control procedures are all out of your control. But with a little due diligence and proper planning, you can avoid the worst that flight delays in China present.

Topics: Travel Tips & Advice

Everything about the Pre-Shipment Inspection

by AQF Operations team on 16 Jun 2016 | 0 Comments

A Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) is a quality control procedure carried out at a supplier’s premises by either your QC department or an independent quality control agency contracted to you. It’s a commonplace check within the consumer goods industry in particular and helps importers, traders, wholesalers, and retailers guarantee the quality of goods before they are shipped. It guards against any nasty surprises, and means you know your goods are in working order long before you take delivery — pretty useful if your supplier is halfway around the world.

What Are Third Party Inspections?

by AQF Team on 9 Jun 2016 | 0 Comments

third-party-inspectionsWe’ve all come across the term third party inspections in one way or the other. Some are well familiar with it, while others may still have a few questions in mind.
This post offers a closer look at what third party inspections involve and what companies may gain from them.

What Do Suppliers Do with Rejected Products?

by Chao Wang on 8 Jun 2016 | 5 Comments
Once products are found to be defective, you shouldn't assume that they'll be taken care of properly. If your branding is on any rejected products, you especially need to communicate with your supplier to make sure they aren't sold to your competitors or to local markets.

Topics: Manufacturing Tips & Advice, supplier audit

5 Reasons for High Product Inspection Costs

by George Huang on 1 Jun 2016 | 0 Comments
There’s no reason why you can’t avoid high product inspection costs and still get the quality assurance you need before shipping. Knowing these five common reasons for high costs will help make sure your products get inspected like they should while keeping to a reasonable budget.

Topics: Product Inspection, pre shipment inspection

5 Common Tablet PC Defects and How to Address Them

by Oliver Knack on 31 May 2016 | 0 Comments
All of these tablet PC defects are preventable with proper due diligence and testing during and after production. As with other consumer electronics and appliances, tablet PCs have the potential to pose a hazard to end users, such as overheating. So it’s especially important that the product is inspected before it leaves the factory.

Topics: Product Inspection

3 Benefits of Third-Party Inspection for Suppliers

by Stacy Bruce on 25 May 2016 | 0 Comments

Some suppliers respond negatively to an importer telling them they’d like a third-party inspector to check the product at the factory. You might hear a supplier say something like “we don’t need them” or “we have our own quality control staff”.

Topics: Manufacturing Tips & Advice

3 Qualities of a Good Vendor or Trading Company

by Chao Wang on 19 May 2016 | 0 Comments
Trading companies can vary considerably. Knowing these 3 qualities to look for in a good vendor or trading company will help you spot the difference.

Topics: Sourcing

3 Ways the Environment Affects Manufacturing

by Vicky Yu on 17 May 2016 | 0 Comments
Like any business venture, manufacturing is often full of challenges, setbacks and surprises. Some of these are related to how the environment affects manufacturing. And while some of them are preventable, there are others that simply fall beyond your scope of control.

Topics: Manufacturing Tips & Advice, environmental compliance audit

4 Critical Quality Controls For Cosmetics Packaging