How can the costs of rework and scrap be minimized? The answer from KGL Factory is to place process inspection in a prominent position.
Here in the fiercely competitive manufacturing world, quality is everything for a company like ours. A lot of manufacturers still depend on final inspections, checking quality only as products come off the line. But finding defects that late often means we’ve already wasted time and materials. At KGL, as a precision mechanical parts maker that puts quality first, we spotted this issue early and started looking for better ways to manage quality.
So how do we catch quality issues early? The key is strengthening in-process checks during manufacturing. We’ve moved our focus upstream—stepping in right where production happens through in-process inspection. In our shop, that means checking the work after each or several key steps are done. The main idea is prevention: getting it right the first time.
In our workshop, we’ve set up in-process inspection around three main defenses. First up is first-piece inspection. After any shift change, mold switch, or machine adjustment, we check the first few pieces to make sure they’re good before full production runs. That way, we avoid issues across the whole batch. Next is routine checks—our quality team does regular rounds, pulling random samples off the line to keep an eye on how things are running. The third piece is final inspection at key stages: a full check after a major process wraps up, before products move on, to stop defects from traveling further.
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To make sure this process is solid, we’ve nailed down five steps. Step one is setting clear standards and plans—writing down exactly where, what, and how to inspect. Step two is strict execution: inspectors use the right tools and follow the plan. Step three is recording and judging accurately: every result gets compared to the standard, marked as pass or fail, and logged in detail. Step four is acting fast when something’s off: if we spot defects, we isolate them, tag them, and alert production and engineering to figure out the cause and fix it. Step five is regular quality reviews: we use stats to spot trends and keep improving the process.
After years of doing this, we’ve really seen how in-process inspection has changed KGL. It’s not just about adding checkpoints—it’s built a culture of preventing problems. Our first-pass yield has jumped, rework and scrap costs are down, and production timelines are more predictable.
Today, our factory sees in-process inspection as the core of how we manage quality. This shift in thinking has turned what might seem like an extra cost into something that adds real value for our buyers. In a tough market, solid in-process inspection doesn’t just make us more competitive—it helps our buyers get better products, making it a win-win.
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