Find out the importance of having Third Party Auditors to smoothen material manufacturing issues for industrial projects before being shipped to site.
Pre-Dispatch Inspection for Functionality, Performance and Durability
A manufacturer of steel trusses was ready to ship the prefabricated trusses to the site for the construction of an industrial unit. The construction company had hired a Third Party Agency (TPA) to conduct the Pre-dispatch material Inspection. The team from the TPA, upon close and thorough scrutiny on site found that about 10 percent of work was still pending before the trusses were ready to be erected at site.
We see that inspection of the material at the manufacturing facility while it is being processed, allows control of quality standards. It also prevents waste of money and time due to faulty material delivered on site. Most importantly, the TPA is a neutral and trusted body by both the manufacturer and purchaser that gives unbiased inspection reports for the benefit of a successful project.
On what basis does the TPA inspect the material?
Approved Design – The products are inspected to confirm that they adhere to the design that was provided by the purchaser, in this case, the construction company.
Purchase Order Specification – The understanding between the manufacturer and purchaser is specifically laid down in the work order or the supply order. In the order the purchaser specifies their requirements for the particular product.
Purchaser Standards – In certain products, IS codes many not be clear and purchasers have developed their own codes and standards. These are then followed for the desired quality of the products.
Approved Drawings – Manufacturers are expected to follow the drawings given to them by purchasers and make the product accordingly.
Qualitative Aspect of Inspections
Visual Inspection – This involves observing the material or component by way of whatever is visible to the naked eye by the TPA. This includes issues in texture, colour or even size.
Testing – Checking quality also involves conducting tests at the manufacturing stage of the components. These are done in the presence of the TPA hired by the purchaser and the manufacturer’s representative. If the outcome of the test matches the actual requirement, then the products are considered as ready to be shipped.
Enhancing Pre-Dispatch Quality Control with Early-Stage Mock-Up Inspections
While pre-dispatch inspections at around 80% completion are critical for confirming product quality, introducing an initial mock-up inspection as a first quality checkpoint can offer an additional layer of control. This inspection would occur immediately after the initial completion of the finished product, allowing early identification of any deviations from client specifications. Here’s how adding a mock-up inspection can strengthen the overall process:
Early Identification of Quality Issues: Catching issues early allows manufacturers to make necessary adjustments before full-scale production, reducing the risk of last-minute surprises during the pre-dispatch inspection.
Better Alignment with Client Specifications: A mock-up inspection helps align the product with client requirements from the outset, minimizing deviations and ensuring a smoother, compliant production process.
Reduced Production Wastage and Cost Efficiency: By addressing quality issues at this stage, manufacturers prevent costly rework and material wastage, saving time and resources.
Proposed Framework for Enhanced Quality Control Process
Initial Inspection (Mock-Up Approval): Conducted after the initial finished product, this inspection helps identify any deviations from client specifications, setting a strong foundation for quality.
Process Adjustment: The manufacturer can make improvements based on initial feedback, refining the production process and reducing variability.
Pre-Dispatch Inspection (80% Completion): A thorough inspection near completion confirms compliance and ensures quality before dispatch.
Pre-Dispatch Material Inspection for Industries
Such inspections are required and carried out mostly in industrial projects. Industrial construction entails steel structures and ready to erect components which come under the umbrella of Pre Engineered Buildings (PEB). Hence, majority of the components of a factory building, warehouses or infrastructure projects like metro rails, bridges and flyovers arrive in pre-fabricated sections from the factory itself. Only the foundation is made at the site. So in such a case, inspecting all these components for design, specification and standards compliance assumes a significant role in the overall scheme of things in the project.
When to Hire TPA for Pre-Dispatch Material Inspection?
It is recommended that the purchaser appoints a TPA in the first place to inspect the PEB components to ensure unbiased analysis of the products.
Usually the purchaser would hire the TPA at the design stage of the product, when 80% of the manufacturing is done. In this way they are in a good position to inspect the making and assembly of the components and make changes if required.
For an importer, quality test are especially necessary since the material is being shipped from another country. Defective products would mean a very cumbersome replacement process that would hardly happen within the stipulated time. Taking care of the crucial factors of quality, time and cost are important here.
Advantages
· Pre-Dispatch inspections help mitigate the risk of receiving defective or non-compliant material.
· Enables repairs of large assemblies in the factory itself where the required equipment is available at the factory and not on the site.
· Quality checks at this stage ensure the quality of the final structure.
· Functionality, performance and durability – the whole objective of doing the pre-dispatch inspection is so that all these factors are taken care of.
Challenges
TPA can conduct inspections thoroughly at 80% completion level. However, at times due to improper planning, the purchaser or manufacturers are in a hurry and appoint the TPA when 100% of the work is complete at the factory level. In such cases there are limitations when it comes to inspection of materials used, tests done for the raw material etc. If the steel is getting painted then it is difficult to say what grade has been used for fabrication.
