Initial Production Check

What is an Initial Production Check (IPC)?

An IPC is an on-site product inspection performed from before your production begins up until 20% has been completed.
In an IPC inspection, inspectors check the quality of raw materials and the first items produced in a production run. They are used to identify quality issues early on in production and to prevent them from causing bigger issues further down the track.

Why perform an IPC?

There are a number of good reasons to use an IPC inspection:
  • Enforce quality standards early on and provide an early-warning system for potential issues 
  • Lower the likelihood of having to correct defective goods at the end of a production run
  • Identify and potentially mitigate disruptions that may appear at the outset of production
  • Verify the quality of raw materials that have been supplied
  • Ensure that the factory has set up the production run correctly and that all of your brand’s specifications are clearly understood
  • Gain confidence that quality standards will be met

What checks are carried out?

Firstly, the ABS inspector will randomly select a sample of products to inspect using the ANSI/ASQ Standard Z.1.4-2008 sampling standard. 
The checks that are then carried out are tailored to match client requirements and the product in question. ABS has an extensive range of off-the-shelf inspection checklists available that are designed for particular products. Clients can use these off-the-shelf checklists. Otherwise, where they require specific alternative checks to be carried out, they can add to one of these lists or create their own unique checklist. 
However, a typical ABS IPC includes the following checks: 
  • Raw material and production process check
    • Raw material quantities
    • General conditions of storage
    • Manufacturing processes to be followed
    • Production organization and status
  • Product specifications checks
    • Quantities of semi-finished, finished, and packed products
    • Product colors
    • Product style and construction
    • Artwork including spelling, fonts, dimensions, positioning, and general design
    • Labels including main labels, care labels, size labels and product tags
  • Product dimensions check
  • Other product-specific checks and tests to verify quality and workmanship
  • Packing and packaging checks
    • Unit packing
    • Inner packing
    • Outer packing
    • Export carton dimensions and weights
    • Shipping marks on cartons

What happens after an IPC is completed?

Clients receive a detailed inspection report, delivered on the same day as the The report outlines the findings of the inspection, including photos of any defects found, and gives an overall pass/fail outcome. 
It should be noted that, while having an IPC carried out will set production off to a good start, an IPC alone is not enough to ensure the quality of your finished products. We advise combining an IPC with Pre-Shipment inspection , which checks your products once the full quantity has been produced. If a PSI is not carried out, you run the risk that your factory could ship bad quality products despite your IPC.