ABSTRACT
Before production can start, sealing samples must be approved for style, size, construction, and quality of workmanship. One sample must be returned to the factory with a sealing tag attached and a sealed sample should be kept in the buying office. The seal identifies the sample that was approved and ensures that the factory cannot substitute it with another sample. These samples are an essential procedure, as now, the factory and the buyer have an identical point of reference, particularly if there are any quality issues, and the factory can now start production. First, it is the factory’s responsibility to make sure that samples are correct, and then, it is the responsibility of the technical designer/ quality controller to ensure that the samples meet the accepted standard required by the buying company. Of course, no sample is ever perfect, and I always find something to comment on! Minor faults can be accepted on sealing samples if they are backed up with the comment “please ensure this is corrected for production” and you make a point of reminding the factory about ensuring that the production will be corrected. However, where do we draw the line? Moreover, this is an issue that I refer to at different times in this book, as this particular subject does need discussing in detail. Rejecting samples is a sensitive issue, because rejection immediately relates to delay of production. It does not have to be considered a sensitive issue, but that’s how it will be perceived. If factories have to remake samples, it is not a disaster; they can make up the time later. The decision to reject has to be carefully considered, and if you believe that accepting the samples with serious faults or mistakes, if not corrected, could risk the delivery being rejected, then it is the right decision. It is a good practice to talk to the factory first and ask if they were aware of the problem when they checked the samples, and if they were aware of the problem, why did
they not mention it in the report or, even better, remake the sample before sending. If the factory were unaware of the faults, why not! This would be the situation that would cause the most concern that a factory cannot follow an instruction or recognize a major fault. You need to then describe the problem in detail and send a report on how it must be rectified.
