Do you import goods from China? In this article, we have provided some ways to ensure that your finished goods have great quality.
Quality inspection of products in China involves carrying out different tests. These tests are functionality tests, reliability tests, and safety certifications. They are carried out at various stages from the beginning of production until after.
Introduction
If you import goods for a living, you would know that it involves a lot of processes. The process of clearing goods and monitoring their transit can take some effort. For some types of goods, special care has to be taken. An example of such a kind of goods is electronic goods. Electronic goods almost have a direct influence on the well-being of the people who will use them. Yes, electronic goods are not food items. But situations like electrocution and accidental home fires should be prevented. So, the quality of electronic products has to meet a certain standard.
China is the biggest producer of electronics in the world. China produced 90%, 90%, and 70% of the world’s phones, computers, and televisions in 2018. These numbers are significant, and they are growing. So, most wholesalers of electronics, including smartwatches, get their goods from China. As an importer, there are many things you can do to ensure that the quality of your goods is fine. We will go over them in the course of this article.
Doing Quality Inspections; Root Causes of Electronics Quality Issues
There are a number of problems that your electronics may have, problems that you need to prevent. They include:
- The use of substandard materials.
- Bad design, forged certification.
- Misconstruction of safety regulations.
- Inadequate product specification.
- Inadequate manufacturing specification.
- Lack of functionality.
The cause of these problems could begin at the pre-production phase. Hence, your quality inspection begins even before production begins. Here are some simple things to do to avoid some of the problems mentioned above.
Go to the Company Factory
Before your purchase, you should go to the company factory and see how they operate. Depending on how much you import, you may be having the factory make goods for you from scratch. Also, you may be buying already produced goods. Whichever you do, it is expedient to visit the factory and know the exact conditions under which it works. This will give you insight into the quality to expect. It will also enable you to make early changes if your original choice does not meet your standards.
Going all the way to China to visit a factory might seem redundant. And depending on the country you live in, the distance might be a barrier, not to mention transport costs. As an alternative, you could have an agent that resides there visit the factory on your behalf. You could also send a representative of your company instead of going by yourself.
Check the Manufacturing Company’s Background
Go a little further by looking into the reputation of the manufacturing company. Yes, you have visited their website, but you should not leave any stone unturned. Looking into their background helps you understand their capabilities better.
Make Your Requirements Known
It is essential to state your requirements unequivocally. Electronic products usually have detailed descriptions. The manufacturers have to understand your standards before production begins. You have to write a product specification for the manufacturer to work with.
Monitor the Manufacturing Process
Monitoring the manufacturing process keeps you aware of new problems. It also helps you solve them early.
Types of Quality Control Tests
There are different types of checks essential to the process of manufacturing electronics. Here they are:
Functional Tests
Functional tests check if the product will meet the demands of the customer. They involve checking the product against the product specification.
Reliability Tests
During reliability tests, random samples are taken from the batch and tested. An accepted method of testing electronic products is Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS). The samples are tested beyond the abilities described in the product specification. The tests are carried out early during production to see how effective the products are. Identifying faults at early production stages prevents early damage of electronic products.
Safety Tests and Certifications
Safety tests and certifications differ from country to country. These certifications are vital. They are the government’s way of ensuring that electronics are safe and of the best quality.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in America is an American government agency. They have a wide net of rules and regulations to ensure standard procedure. Underwater Laboratories (UL) also has its directives and procedural standards internationally. Because of the EU, a large part of Europe has similar rules on standards and procedures. Many other territories have bodies and laws that regulate the standards of electronics.
You have to ensure that you test your product’s quality following these guidelines. Many government regulations are basic, to be honest. You have to provide quality beyond government regulations. Your competitors are doing the same. Your product description should describe a device that meets your country’s standards. This way, functionality tests check if your products meet your government’s requirements.
IWO Smartwatch Product Quality Control Requirements
At IWO, we take pride in conducting proper quality inspections on our products. Hence, we have a strong, rigid approach to quality control and inspection.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CERTIFICATE ISO9001-2015
Our production plant has passed ISO9001-2015 and has the certificate.
Sign the environmental assurance statement with suppliers
IQC – Incoming quality control, in accordance with MIL-STD-105E
Battery Test
Screen Test
PCB Test
IPQC -In process of production
Reliability testing
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Low-temperature test
Test at -30±3℃ for 72 hours, then check that the function and appearance still remain good in accordance with IEC 60068-2-1: 2007
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High-temperature test
Test at +65℃±3℃ for 72 hours, then check that the function and appearance still remain good in accordance with IEC 60068-2-2: 2007
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Salt spray test
Tested at 5% salt, PH 6.5-7.2 for 72 hours, then checked that the function and appearance still remain good in accordance with IEC 60068-2-11:2021
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Drop test
Drop from a height of 1M, then check that the function and appearance remain good, in accordance with IEC 60068-2-31: 2008
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Discharge test
Ensure that all power is fully released after discharge and cannot be turned on, the battery has Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
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Charge test
Every 30 minutes to check whether the charge is successful, how long can be 100% full, the battery has Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
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Waterproof test
Submerged in water for not less than 5 minutes in accordance with IEC 60529-1989+Amd 1-1999+Amd 2-2013+Cor 2-2015
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80% aging test after assembly
Final inspection
Conforms to ANSI/ASQ Z1.4-2008 or ISO 2859-1, test level: Level II
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Quantity
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Workmanship
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On-Site Tests
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Product Specification
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Packing
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Marking&Labeling
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Special Requirement
Final Inspection Report
Quality Inspection Equipment for Electronics
There are different types of machines that you will need for quality inspection. The problem is that you may not find them in Chinese factories. When you’re getting your manufacturers, you can check if they have at least some of the equipment you need. This could be a factor in determining the manufacturer you end up choosing.
You can use a manufacturer that does not have the needed equipment. You could just bring the equipment to the factory and test it on-site. Also, you could leave the equipment off-site. But you’ll have to transport batches of your electronics there. Even when you’re only importing and testing finished goods, this is still feasible. However, the factory is more likely to have the required equipment in this situation.
For testing the quality of electronics, you would need voltage-testing equipment. You would also require battery and temperature-testing equipment, among others.
Conclusion
In summary, we hope to guide customers to choose manufacturers that support inspection. Many importers have fears about the quality of goods. At IWO Smartwatches, we help to assuage these fears by providing great inspection. IWO provides smart wearable device solutions with market value to win more markets. We provide a full set of smartwatch inspection services for free. Click for details.
