PRODUCTION CHECKPOINT / 01
Observe the approved process, preserve the limits, then decide.
During-production inspection (DUPRO or DPI) checks work between sample approval and final inspection. Connect each observation to the approved requirement, the production state and the next buyer decision.
Give the inspector the approved baseline
Identify the seller, production site, order revision, products and quantities. Supply current drawings, materials list, approved sample, test requirements, packaging and hold points. State which record controls any conflict.
ISO’s supply-chain buyer guide explains why purchasing requirements need to be clear. This archived guide refers to ISO 9001:2008; it does not establish current certification requirements.
Identify and approve the sample reference first →
Carry the approved evidence into the purchase-order baseline →
Connect the baseline, checkpoints and exception rules in one quality control plan →
Book against an observable milestone
Choose a milestone when the required materials, tooling and instructions are ready, the process is running and representative units are available. Record actual quantities, locations and exclusions on arrival.
Do not treat a percentage-complete claim as the inspection trigger. Percent complete can mean material purchased, units started, units finished or units packed. Define the numerator, denominator and physical evidence, then require the inspector to record any difference on arrival.
The right checkpoint depends on the product, process risks, correction lead time and buyer hold points. This checklist does not prescribe a universal completion percentage.
Trace materials and outsourced work
Match critical materials to the approved source, grade, batch, incoming record and units in use. Record shortages, substitutions, mixed lots and critical work performed at another site.
An invoice, label or certificate is a traceability input, not automatic proof of composition or origin. Where the decision depends on testing, certification or chain of custody, connect the evidence to the exact material, sample, product and order and keep unverified links visible.
Compare the first production output
Observe the named processes. Compare available unfinished and early finished units with the specification and approved sample. Record relevant measurements, workmanship, assembly, function, finish, markings and packing checks.
Separate a hand-finished development sample from output made with production materials, tooling, workers and instructions. A matching early unit supports only the observed characteristics and process state; it does not establish consistency across the remaining order.
First article inspection (FAI) compares the first production units with the specification and records the results. Use production materials, tooling and instructions; a hand-finished development sample cannot show how the actual process performs.
Agree who inspects and how
Define the inspector, site, processes, methods, calibrated equipment, access limits and report format. ISO/IEC 17020:2026 covers inspection-body competence, impartiality and consistent operation.
For accredited work, find the responsible body through Global ACI’s directory, then verify the inspector’s current scope with that body. Global ACI assumed the former IAF and ILAC roles on 1 January 2026. Accreditation does not guarantee the product.
Predefine how units will be selected from each visible state and location. Record whether the sample contains work in progress, finished units, packed units or reworked units; do not combine those populations without showing the basis.
Record quantities by production state
Keep received materials, started, unfinished, completed, packed, quarantined, rejected and reworked units separate. Date each count and its source. Distinguish observed quantities from supplier statements and inaccessible areas.
Production pace, staffing and remaining work may support a dated estimate. They do not prove the future completion or shipment date. Keep the supplier’s forecast separate from quantities the inspector observed or reconciled.
Contain findings and approve changes
Record each unmet requirement, observed result, affected product and quantity, evidence, containment, correction, owner and deadline. Define how to verify close-out. Keep disputed and untestable items visible.
ISO 10007:2017 provides lifecycle guidance for configuration management. Require impact review and written buyer authority before a factory, material, component, tooling, method, specification, artwork, packaging or critical sub-supplier change alters the approved baseline.
Authorise the next checkpoint
Compare the report with the inspection brief and open exceptions. Record the buyer’s decision, allowed stage, quantity and revision, conditions and next hold point. State which work remains blocked.
ISO 2859-1:2026 defines acceptance sampling for a defined lot; a sample of an incomplete production snapshot is not automatically a final-lot acceptance decision. The official ISO record describes AQL-indexed schemes for lot-by-lot inspection. Use the applicable licensed standard and qualified input where acceptance sampling is required.
Carry the current baseline and open exceptions into pre-shipment inspection →
CHECKPOINT BRIEF / 02
Minimum fields for a reviewable during-production inspection
| Control area | Lock before inspection | Evidence to preserve | Hold when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order baseline | Seller, site, PO/specification revision, SKUs and approved sample | Exact references used and unresolved conflicts | The observed work cannot be tied to the approved revision |
| Trigger and frame | Process milestone, expected quantities, locations and populations | Actual stage, counts, locations, exclusions and access limits | The visit cannot observe the risk or correction point it was booked for |
| Materials and sources | Critical item, approved source, grade/model and traceability rule | Labels, lots, records, units in use and declared outsourced work | A substitution or mixed identity has no approved impact review |
| Production output | Checks, method, tolerance and controlling reference | Results for work in progress and early finished units, kept separate | A critical requirement is skipped or only a hand-finished sample is shown |
| Inspector and sample | Competence, scope, methods, equipment and selection approach | Who attended, what was selected, where and under which conditions | Required access, method, equipment or scope is unavailable |
| Progress | Definitions for started, WIP, completed, packed, held and reworked | Dated observed/reconciled counts separate from forecasts | A percentage cannot be traced to units and production states |
| Findings and changes | Containment, correction, authorisation and close-out rules | Issue, affected work, owner, due date and verification evidence | A promise or silent change replaces the agreed control |
| Buyer authority | Permitted states, named reviewer and next hold point | Dated decision, open exceptions and exact work allowed | The report is being treated as automatic production or shipment release |
DECISION STATES / 03
Close the checkpoint with an explicit buyer-owned state
| State | Minimum record | Permitted next action |
|---|---|---|
| Not ready | The required process, materials, work or access was not available | Do not inspect on a silently changed basis; reschedule or obtain buyer direction |
| Observed: review open | Scope and findings recorded; buyer review or evidence remains open | Preserve the state and wait for the named decision |
| Hold and contain | Affected process, units, locations and immediate containment identified | Stop only the named affected work and prevent uncontrolled mixing |
| Continue with conditions | Allowed stage/quantity/revision, conditions, owner and next hold point stated | Proceed only inside the written limit; do not infer final-lot release |
| Correct and reinspect | Correction scope, corrected-work identity and close-out method approved | Perform the named reinspection before the decision resumes |
| Continue to next checkpoint | Authorised reviewer, date, evidence version and open exceptions captured | Proceed to the named stage; retain pre-shipment release as a separate decision |
Check the entity behind the report
Ask for the inspection company’s full Chinese legal name and Unified Social Credit Code, then verify the match. A familiar name ending does not identify the company or establish its inspection scope.
| Name query | Meaning | Returned count |
|---|---|---|
| 公证行有限公司 | Surveyor | 740 |
| 验货有限公司 | Goods inspection | 653 |
| 第三方检测有限公司 | Third-party testing | 638 |
These are dated query results, not a census of inspection providers or accredited scope. Queries may overlap and omit firms using other names. No firm was assessed or recommended.
METHOD / 04
How this checklist was prepared
Official sources were reviewed on 5 September 2026. The eight steps and decision tables are Currawong’s practical synthesis; the source list explains what each reference supports.
We have not reviewed your supplier, product, order or inspection evidence. Use qualified product and destination-market input to set the actual requirements. This guide does not approve production, shipment, payment or compliance.
PRIMARY SOURCES / 05
Official sources used for this guide
Reviewed 5 September 2026. Recheck the applicable standard, scope and buyer requirements before making a production or release decision.
- ISO: ISO 9001 in the supply chainArchived buyer guidance referring to ISO 9001:2008; useful for explaining purchasing requirements, not current certification rules.
- ISO 10007:2017Official ISO record for configuration-management guidance across the product or service lifecycle.
- ISO/IEC 17020:2026Official ISO record for competence, impartiality and consistent operation of bodies performing inspection.
- ISO 2859-1:2026Official ISO record for AQL-indexed acceptance-sampling schemes used for lot-by-lot inspection.
- ILAC: MRA and signatoriesHistorical ILAC reference. Use the Global ACI route in step 5 to find the responsible accreditation body and verify current scope.
COMMON QUESTIONS / 06
Keep DUPRO inside the observed production boundary
- What is DUPRO or DPI?
- Both labels are commonly used for inspection during production. The useful definition is the written scope: site, process stage, materials, populations, methods, units selected and buyer decision—not the acronym.
- At what percentage should I inspect?
- Use a product-specific milestone instead of a universal percentage. Inspect when the named risks and representative work can be observed and there is still time and authority to contain or correct affected production.
- Can a during-production result replace pre-shipment inspection?
- No. It records an earlier, partial production state. The final defined lot, later changes, packing, documents and release-critical checks need their own evidence and decision.
- Can I use AQL during production?
- A sampling plan may support a defined question when its population and rules are appropriate. Do not present a sample from incomplete work as automatic acceptance of the final lot; use the applicable standard and qualified input.
- Does an accredited inspection body guarantee the output?
- No. Verify the body’s current scope and then review what was actually inspected, the method, access limits, sample and open findings. Accreditation does not turn a scoped report into a product or schedule guarantee.